New Business Unit to Serve TV Broadcasters in Development of Portable and Mobile Video Delivery Using Digital Television Spectrum
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- ION Media Networks, Inc. (AMEX:ION) today announced the creation of Open Mobile Ventures Corporation (OMVION), a new business unit dedicated to the research and development of portable, mobile and out-of-home transmission technology utilizing over-the-air digital television spectrum.
OMVION offers a vehicle for like-minded broadcasters to align R&D efforts in the advancement and standardization of TV spectrum-driven mobile applications. ION is in dialogue with other broadcasters regarding an industry-wide alliance for digital television spectrum-based mobile video distribution.
"ION Media Networks is in three businesses: broadcasting, multicasting and datacasting," said Brandon Burgess, President and CEO of ION Media Networks. "The creation of OMVION will help us advance mobile datacasting activities in collaboration with like-minded broadcasters. Over 100 million video-capable mobile devices will be sold in the U.S. this year. OMVION's mission is to deliver video to such consumer devices using DTV broadcast spectrum."
OMVION will be managed and staffed by ION's engineering department under the oversight of David Glenn, ION's President of Engineering. ION has also retained former Disney Corporate Strategy executive Dan Hsieh to assist with developing an R&D and business plan for the development, marketing and deployment of digital terrestrial TV spectrum-based mobile applications. OMVION will establish three mobile DTV test centers in New York City, Tampa and Washington, D.C. for prototyping and development of mobile DTV and single frequency distributed networking technologies.
"Countries such as Japan, Korea and Italy have demonstrated that digital terrestrial spectrum offers a compelling platform for mobile video delivery," said Mr. Glenn. "As we advance testing in this country, we hope that other U.S. TV broadcasters will join OMVION in advancing the use of digital broadcast TV technology to deliver content to mobile devices and unwired locations."
OMVION has the backing of various consumer hardware and transmission equipment manufacturers who are supportive of digital TV broadcasters advancing the adoption of terrestrial portable and mobile TV video standards similar in nature of those used in other countries around the world.
