One of Europe’s mobile TV pioneers has binned its DVB-H service, striking a blow for the region’s mobile TV standard.

Swisscom said it will be discontinuing its DVB-H service for Swiss residents because there are not enough DVB-H compatible devices to make the service a success. However it will leave its DVB-H network in place “for the time being”.

Instead, the Swiss operator has launched Swisscom TV Air – a 3G-based mobile TV offering targeted at mobile phone and laptop/notebook users. Swisscom customers can get the service for a fixed price of CHF9 (€6.30) per month including data traffic, while customers on other mobile networks can get the same service excluding data charges.

34 live TV channels are available with a further ten more to be added in May. Sports fans can watch live sporting events for CHF5 per game, and customers can access around 500 films and documentaries from CHF3.50 without a subscription.

Swisscom kills DVB-H service

One of Europe’s mobile TV pioneers has binned its DVB-H service, striking a blow for Europe’s mobile TV standard.

Swisscom said it will be discontinuing its DVB-H service for Swiss residents because there are not enough DVB-H compatible devices to make the service a success. However it will leave its DVB-H network in place “for the time being”.

Instead, the Swiss operator has launched Swisscom TV Air – a 3G-based mobile TV offering targeted at mobile phone and laptop/notebook users. Swisscom customers can get the service for a fixed price of CHF9 (€6.30) per month including data traffic, while customers on other mobile networks can get the same service excluding data charges.

34 live TV channels are available with a further ten more to be added in May. Sports fans can watch live sporting events for CHF5 per game, and customers can access around 500 films and documentaries from CHF3.50 without a subscription.