NEC Corporation has announced that it has developed the working prototype of mobile phone which is equipped with the receiver of terrestrial digital TV broadcasting. NEC will demonstrate the prototype at "Telecom 2003" held from 4 October 2003 onwards at Geneva, Switzerland.

A press release says that the prototype has been realised by employing portable antenna for digital TV broadcasting, UHF tuner, OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) decoding LSI developed by NEC on 3rd generation (3G) W-CDMA mobile phone. The OFDM decoding LSI "PD 61530" has been developed by NEC Electronics Inc. in November 2002, which is the first in the industry. With this LSI, low-power consumption and ultra-small package has been realised.

"NEC is also leading digital TV broadcasting infrastructure systems vendor so this prototype is the integrated product of NEC's competencies and know-how in mobile, digital TV broadcasting and electron device field," NEC Mobile Terminals Division general manager Yoshiharu Tamura was quoted as saying.

The release also adds that NEC will further enhance the prototype improving its capability such as better receiver devices; lower-power consumption; also develop characteristic digital TV/mobile Internet integrated service applications; and detailed functions on mobile phone.

In Japan, terrestrial digital TV broadcasting service will commence from December 2003 in major metropolitan areas of Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka districts. After few years, NEC is scheduled to offer the programmes specifically targeted for portable terminals including mobile phones as part of the terrestrial digital TV programmes.

With the availability of the service, mobile phone can receive digital TV programmes; also further attractive programmes with effective combinations of TV broadcasting and mobile communications; integrating services such as image, voice/sounds, data and mobile internet applications / services and content.