Chippenham-based chip designer IPwireless is looking to license its TV over 3G technology to other semiconductor makers following the successful trials of its TDtv technology with Vodafone, Telefónica, Orange, and 3UK.
The trial delivered up to 14 high quality channels in 5MHz of TDD spectrum using 35 per cent of the 3G cell sites of a broadcast system, covering a wide area of Bristol and south Gloucestershire with just 12 cell sites.
“The biggest thing is we are really getting DVB-H performance in existing 3G spectrum and we are able to do it at a very low cost of rollout,” said Jon Hambidge, v-p of marketing.
The trial used an FPGA version which will be turned into an $10 Asic for the initial roll out. “For volume we would license the VHDL block to Texas Instruments or other manufacturers as a stack on a WCDMA chip, and we have mapped that out,” said Hambidge.
TDtv is the UMTS TD-CDMA-3GPP Multimedia Broadcast and Multicast Services (MBMS) standard for mobile television, using the universal unpaired 3G spectrum bands that are available across Europe and Asia at 1900MHz and 2010MHz. The trial helped to demonstrate that dual mode TDtv/3G handsets are viable without interference and that the technology works at speeds up to 70mph.
“Trials are an extremely important part of our strategic product development and help us build a comprehensive understanding of how the technologies work and the customer experience they will offer. The outcome of this trial will help us evaluate the commercial potential of TDtv as part of the MBMS assessments we are undertaking,” said Professor Michael Walker, director of research and development at Vodafone.
This also fits with Vodafone’s emphasis on controlling the link and the content for mobile TV.