Europe seizes lead in on-the-go TV

Europe seizes lead in on-the-go TV. The futuristic notion of watching TV on a cell phone or iPod, or in cars or high-speed trains, is no longer so farfetched. Europe's homegrown specification for mobile digital video broadcast, DVB-H (for "handheld"), is already in field trials, and commercial services are scheduled to go live in 2005. ¶ Most carriers and industry analysts in the United States remain dubious about mobile TV, and openly wonder if anyone would watch. Allen Nogee, principal analyst for wireless technology at In-Stat/MDR, questioned not only consumer interest but also whether "carriers even want this, especially [using] a form that transmits over the air" instead of via their own cellular networks. [EE Times]