News 2005
Virgin Mobile brings the future of television to your mobile!
02/06/2005
- Virgin Mobile and BT Livetime team up to pilot live digital mobile TV
- UK’s first mobile Electronic Programme Guide (EPG)
- Virgin Mobile TV service to use DAB technology
- Partners include Microsoft, Sky, Arqiva, GCap Media
- UK’s first mobile Electronic Programme Guide (EPG)
02.06.05: Have you ever…
…longed to be watching the opening minutes of the England game, as your bus is sat stuck in traffic?
…wanted to catch the latest news headlines or weather forecast while on the move?
…been desperate to keep up to date with your latest soap but are nowhere near a television set?
Well, this could all be coming to a mobile near you soon!
Virgin Mobile today announces a partnership with BT Livetime in order to offer Virgin Mobile’s customers a revolutionary, live, digital television service, broadcast straight to their phones.
The television service offers Virgin Mobile’s customers access to live digital TV 24-hours a day, and features the UK’s first mobile Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), so customers can see what’s on now, what’s on later and even set an alert to remind them when a favourite programme is about to start, up to a week ahead. Ultimately, Virgin Mobile TV will also let customers record their favourite programmes to watch later on their mobile.
Virgin Mobile and network partner BT Livetime will this month pilot the service over a four-month trial in the M25 region. The TV service will be broadcast over the DAB digital radio network.
Initially, the pilot will provide selected Virgin Mobile customers with access to Sky Sports News, Sky News and Blaze, a new music channel designed specifically for mobile television, and to more than 50 digital radio channels. Customers will also be able to enjoy the UK’s first mobile Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) and an interactive ‘red button’, which enables more services. The technology allows for significant channel expansion after the commercial launch.
Alongside BT Livetime, other key partners for the pilot are Microsoft, Sky, Arqiva (formerly NTL Broadcast), HTC, GCap Media and its subsidiary Digital One.
Graeme Hutchinson, sales and marketing director at Virgin Mobile, said: “This exciting new technology is a landmark in television broadcasting; it marks the coming together of the twenty-first century’s two most popular technologies – television and mobile phones. Digital mobile TV will revolutionise how, when, where and why we watch television and how we use our mobiles to communicate.
“People don’t just want to watch TV when they are at home; now they can watch it any time, any place, any where."
Chris Hutchings, director ventures for BT Wholesale said: “BT Livetime wants to be Europe’s first broadcast mobile TV service and it’s great to have a brand such as Virgin Mobile to deliver the service during this pilot. We think Virgin Mobile’s customers will really enjoy this service.”
Notes to Editors:
For more information please contact:
Virgin Mobile Press Office: 0845 6006272 or pressoffice@virginmobile.com
Alison Bonny: 07802 430276 or alison.bonny@virginmobile.com
Jo Baker: 07941 233300 or jo.baker@virginmobile.com
About Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile Holdings (UK) plc, the UK’s largest mobile virtual network operator, is majority owned by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and uses T-Mobile’s network. Since its launch in November 1999, Virgin Mobile has attracted more than 5.3 million customers.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600; on the web at www.virginmobile.com or on the high street at approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Stores within Virgin Megastores, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Dixons, Phones 4 U, Curry's, Comet, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis, Argos, TOMO, Woolworths, Toys R Us and Ryman plus hundreds of independents mobile phones dealers and available via Shop Direct, Littlewoods, Grattan and Empire home shopping channels.
Virgin Mobile employs approximately 1,400 staff at three sites, Trowbridge, London and Daventry, and has an outsourced customer service centre operated by approximately 200 staff in Middlesbrough.
Virgin Mobile’s customers were found to be the most-satisfied mobile consumers in the pre-pay sector for two years running in 2004 and 2005, according to the surveys by J.D. power and Associates. Virgin Mobile is also featured in ‘The Sunday Times’ 100 Best Companies to Work For’ list 2005 and is part of the FTSE4Good Index.
