(29 April 2008 2:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Dish Network will test the Digital Video Broadcasting – Satellite services to Handhelds (DVB-SH ) mobile broadcast technology in the US, with the appropriate DVB-SH equipment, test tools and training provided by Alcatel-Lucent.

This evaluation will take place in Dish Network’s laboratories in Atlanta, Ga. from May to August 2008, with the ultimate objective to validate the performance and cost-efficiency of the DVB-SH standard.

DVB-SH is an evolution of DVB-H and a powerful mobile broadcast standard allowing cost-effective mobile TV deployments. It can be used in any frequency spectrum below 3GHz, including UHF, L band and S band, and in terrestrial, satellite or hybrid networks. The DVB-SH waveform definition was published by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute(ETSI) in March 2008.

Dish Network senior VP strategic initiatives Nolan Daines says, “As is our history, DISH Network continues to explore new, cutting-edge technology for consumer applications.

“Considering the global momentum of DVB-SH, we decided that performing a critical analysis of this new open standard was the right thing to do for DISH Network. We look forward to working in tandem with Alcatel-Lucent during this testing phase.”

Alcatel-Lucent’s mobile broadcast activities chairman Olivier Coste says, “DVB-SH is today the most powerful mobile broadcast open standard leveraging the DVB-H ecosystem and enabling an efficient delivery of TV services to all mobile devices ranging from handsets to Personal Multimedia Players and in-car units.

“This is why Alcatel-Lucent is committed to the success of Dish Network’s DVB-SH tests in the US, and, more than ever, to the expansion of the DVB-SH ecosystem worldwide.”