Asia Express - Mobile Communications
China Due to Start Nationwide Commercial Trials of CMMB Mobile TV in July
March 12, 2009
China's SARFT (State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television) recently revealed that commercial trials of CMMB (China Multimedia Mobile Broadcasting) services are slated for nationwide rollout on July 1, 2009, China Business News reported on March 5. Operator support systems for the indigenous mobile TV standard are due for completion in the first quarter of 2009, following which billing and settlement systems are scheduled for completion and deployment in the second quarter. Furthermore, according to CSMBC (China Satellite Mobile Broadcasting Corporation), the national operating company of CMMB, basic CMMB coverage will extend to 337 cities throughout China by December 2009. By year-end 2010, the coverage area in the 337 cities is projected to reach 90%. As for the procurement of CMMB terminals, CSMBC has set a target of 10 million units in 2009 and 50 million in 2010.