Quasi-governmental Nippon Hoso Kyokai or NHK and five private-sector broadcasters are likely to finally start services of terrestrial digital broadcasting for cellular phones in fiscal 2005, the Nikkei published in an article today, thanks, among other factors, to folks settling on the H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC) standard. What the Nikkei has forgotten to mention also was that NHK will also broadcast to MBCO as well.

The agreement to use H.264 involves broadcasters paying MPEG LA a US$2,500 one-time fee for each encoder purchased for free broadcasting. This result suggests broadcasters have extracted a fairly substantial concession from MPEG LA, ruminates the Nikkei, considering that this is rather less than the $1 mllion MPEG LA was asking as an annual fee. Continue >>

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1. Mobile Digital TV: Not (Yet) to a 3G Celly
2. New MPEG4 Decoder for Mobile Phones
3. DoCoMo Starts FeliCa i–mode Trial Service
4. Mobile TV Solution Coming?
5. Japan’s Mobile Digital Terrestrial TV to Launch April 2006

Some sage advise when entering new turf; Stop, Look and Listen.. it’s also good to secure a local guide. Japan is the cradle of mobile civilization – we have been dedicated to this space since 2001 – trust our archives here offer some useful material.

Domestic activities continue to set the pace, and sharp players are looking at global markets. We have hard-earned industry expertise and trusted network of contacts with access to advanced intell. and potential deal flow. Need a lift.. Ok, buckle-up!