Doordarshan to offer Mobile TV by end of 2013

Viewers in 10 cities across India, including the four metros, will soon be able to watch Doordarshan and 19 other channels offered by public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati on their smartphone, tablet or laptop, for free.

The Press Trust of India (PTI) reports that Doordarshan (DD) will be expanding its mobile TV service to smartphone, tablet and laptop users in 40 or more major cities.

Digital video broadcasting (DVB-T2) services are expected to start in the nation’s first ten cities before the end of 2013, Prasar Bharati officials told PTI.

“One of the biggest advantages this service would offer is that there would be no buffering and the clarity would be high definition. It would be like watching normal high definition TV on the move,” the official said.

While most of the content will be provided by DD, private broadcasters are reportedly being invited by Prasar Bharati to explore the opportunities of carriage on the mobile network.

The plans follow a mobile TV pilot project in May 2007 by Prasar Bharati in New Delhi. The bouquet of eight channels was then available to DVB-H enabled mobile phones, within a 10km radius of the transmitter in Parliament Street.