Mobile television could be a 140 million-subscriber market generating EUR 4.7 billion ($6.6 billion) globally in just four years, according to new research from Screen Digest. Mobile TV depends, not least, on flat rate data tariffs or easy-to-use DVB-H handsets, but Screen Digest mobile analyst David MacQueen said: “Screen Digest believes that the revenue is out there — and operators should be looking to TV, music and games to deliver it.” He said mobile operators should look to new content like TV and games as they face decline in traditional network revenue; that’s key. Several UK networks, for example, now offer mobile TV packages, with 3 UK making its offering available for just £5 ($10) per month.
Elsewhere in the report:-
— Mobile TV has greater revenue potential than games or music, but may require regulatory reviews (ie. do customers need to buy a TV license?)
— Over-the-air music track downloads are forecast to pull in EUR 1.47 billion ($1.9 billion) by the same 2011 timeframe – eight time more that last year.
— Mobile games will be worth EUR 2 billion ($2.7 billion). That’s not as big a leap as the media growth when you consider Screen Digest pegs current mobile game revenue at EUR 1.6 billion. Also consider that half of current revenue comes from Japan and South Korea.