Participants in the ongoing showcase of Mobile DTV technology in Washington, D.C., appear to like the mobile service and are tuning in multiple times per day, according to initial feedback.
Last week, Harris Interactive, which has been tapped by the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC) to collect participant response during the trial, reported Mobile DTV viewers in the nation’s capital have praised the quality of the images they receive and the flexibility the new service provides.
Initial Harris Interactive findings include:
- Viewers say they are excited about the potential of Mobile DTV. On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being "not at all excited" and 10 being "extremely excited"), initial survey participants rate Mobile DTV as 7.1.
- Most viewing is happening "on the go." Sixty-three percent view Mobile DTV "on the go," 44 percent are watching at work or at school, and 33 percent tune in from home.
- Viewers are tuning in multiple times a day. Just under half of viewers say they watch one or two times a day. Just under 30 percent of viewers say they watch three or more times a day.
In May, OMVC launched the trial with Samsung Moment phones that are specially modified to receive the free mobile broadcasts. Last week, OMVC began deploying prototypes of the first Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbooks with Mobile DTV for use by selected showcase participants in Washington, D.C.
The Washington showcase involves nine area TV stations broadcasting 23 Mobile DTV channels with dozens of programs that are available throughout the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore viewing area on specially equipped Mobile DTV receiving devices. The showcase includes interactive advertising, electronic service guides for program information, closed captioning and emergency alerts.
