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> BT pulls plug on Virgin mobile TV service
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The pioneering mobile TV service promoted by Virgin Mobile is to go off air early next year, after the anticipated number of viewers failed to tune in. Virgin sold the mobile TV through its Lobster 700TV handset, which used BT's Movio TV service.
However, sales of the cumbersome TV phone were slow and with few subscribers BT has decided to pull the plug on the Movio service that supports it.
A Virgin spokeswoman said: 'Virgin Mobile has received notice from BT that it plans to discontinue the BT Movio mobile TV service. Virgin Mobile is working closely with BT to confirm the timescale for the closure of the service, which will run until at least the end of January 2008, and we will ensure that all customers affected by the closure are kept informed of changes to their existing service.'
The lumpy windows-powered device used part of the DAB digital radio spectrum to offer TV services at £5 a month for prepay customers and free to contract customers on a £25 a month tariff. Lobster 700TV users will still be able to receive DAB radio.
BT Movio is a true broadcast TV service, unlike the range of streaming 'TV' services offered by other mobile networks.
The Virgin spokeswoman added: 'Virgin Mobile will be looking at reviewing alternative mobile TV services and will continue to work to provide the best possible services to meet the needs of existing and future customers.'
A BT spokesman said: 'It's one of those things that was worth looking at. Virgin was the only customer – they had a few thousand subscribers. The market conditions changed, and we made the decision it was time to move on.'
While the DAB-based TV service is to close, demand for mobile TV services over 3G networks is growing as more people use 3G handsets
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Posted: 2007-07-27 14:44:49
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They'll back. It will be back when the take up is a bit better but good on Virgin for at least making the effort.
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Posted: 2007-07-28 12:14:49
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They could've saved themselves some money if they had followed the rest of GSM world, investing in DVB-H instead.
@goldenface: Have you seen a broadcast using the Movio standard?
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[ This Message was edited by: brix25 on 2007-07-28 13:16 ]
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Posted: 2007-07-28 14:15:00
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