Orange France has obtained a DVB-H mode frequency for its “Orange Sports” TV channel, following the request for applications issued on 6 November 2007 by the French Audiovisual Regulator.
Orange Sports TV, the sports news and discovery channel, will thus be one of the first channels to be broadcast on mobiles in France, via the new DVB-H standard. Winning this frequency will enable Orange Sports TV to continue its development and expand its audience. The channel, launched on 6 September 2007, is already available on TV capable mobiles, on the Internet and on Orange TV.
Orange originally launched live Mobile TV (3G) in 2004, and since then has expanded “coverage” to run over both EDGE and 3.5G. In total there are (apparently) 62 live TV channels and 3000 or so videos.
Orange is also committing to Mobile TV not only as a delivery channel/aggregator, but also as a content producer – hence “Orange Sports”, as oppose to simply carrying an existing terrestrial/satellite provider. The PR on the channel says:
Orange Sports TV is the first French television channel specially created for multi-media broadcasting: TV, Internet, and mobile. Orange Sports TV is a sports information channel with a highly specialised team of writers and crew who are lent support from the experience and content provided by its prestigious partners such as CNOSF (The French Sports and National Olympic Committee) and the Sporever Group.
[Via: 3G.co.uk]