Tech Shout!

Virgin Mobile, who has entered into a partnership with British telecommunications company BT Group, will be the first mobile phone operator in Europe to offer live digital television and radio on its handsets.

In a joint statement, the companies said that Virgin was ready to sign up to the BT Movio broadcast digital TV and radio service for mobile phones
The deal was simultaneously announced at the 3GSM World Congress 2006, the biggest industry event being held in Barcelona, Spain, where BT and Virgin have also launched a new phone, the Trilogy, to receive the TV service.

This would allow them access to a wide range of digital TV content and more than 350 DAB digital radio stations nationwide broadcasting twenty-four hours per day, it added.

On Tuesday sales and marketing director of Virgin Mobile Graeme Hutchinson said, “Virgin Mobile customers will be the first people in Europe to watch real broadcast TV over their mobile phones.”

“Its not downloaded… its real TV just like you get at home, and its real DAB digital radio — crystal clear sound.”

The companies did not disclose financial details of the agreement nor the cost to customers of the new package.

BT said that BT Movio was the first wholesale TV offering of its kind in Europe and would be available in the future to all mobile operators in Britain.