One year of TV on your mobile
Exactly one year ago Go Mobile became the first mobile operator in Malta to launch a live TV streaming service, named TV On Your Mobile, where users could watch TV wherever they wanted. During the past year the service has increased in popularity and...
Exactly one year ago Go Mobile became the first mobile operator in Malta to launch a live TV streaming service, named TV On Your Mobile, where users could watch TV wherever they wanted. During the past year the service has increased in popularity and the number of channels on air has also increased to include a Maltese reality show.
"The reaction was positive while at the same time people showed themselves flabbergasted that mobile phone technology had advanced this much, especially as it was a Maltese operator that was offering it," revealed Kenneth Spiteri, senior executive sales and marketing at the mobile company. "Not only were we (and still are to this day) the only operator in Malta to offer the service but we were also one of the first in Europe."
The channel line-up includes TVM, One TV, Net TV, Fashion TV, BBC World, MTV and the 24-hour L-Ispjun reality show channel which is exclusive to Go Mobile users.
These channels can be watched from EDGE-enabled or 3G mobile handsets. The streaming facility is extremely easy to use - all you need to do is access the Go Live portal (WAP) on the mobile phone and click on the TV On Your Mobile icon.
"We always knew that take-up would not be numerous due to the limited amount of suitable handsets on the market at the time of launch," admitted Mr Spiteri. "Nowadays buying a mobile phone that supports this service is within the budget of most people. All in all we are doing everything in our power to make this service more accessible to our subscribers and our efforts are leaving a positive effect on the market."
When i-Tech tried the service immediately after the launch a year ago, it was positively surprised by the quality of the picture, given that everything is squeezed in a screen that is not much larger than a stamp. So why would anyone decide to watch TV that way when in tiny Malta you are never too far away from a TV set at home or in a public place?
According to Mr Spiteri, "when the service was first launched, sceptics commented that it would not achieve popularity because people much prefer to watch TV in the comfort of their own home. Our experience with the service has shown us that this is no longer true and that subscribers look at it from a different perspective".
He said mobility has today become an essential part of all aspects of life. Most individuals - especially professionals - find it essential to be surrounded by services that are mobile and which they utilise from any location. "TV On Your Mobile service offers incomparable convenience. It's not just a question of not missing those programmes you enjoy - the service can be considered a necessity for professionals."
Yet the target audience of this service is not just professional.
Martin Zammit, senior executive for engineering insists that "while it's true that TV on Your Mobile is a technologically advanced service, it doesn't follow that it's out of reach of the ordinary consumer. Go Mobile offers different tariff plans not only to suit different budgets but also to cater for the individual subscriber according to how heavy a user he is".
Go Mobile is expected to launch its 3G service in the coming weeks. How will this affect the TV On Your Mobile service?
"3G being a faster bearer than Edge, the quality of the stream itself should be even better than what it is today. The quality is already very high, mind you," said Mr Zammit.
Go Mobile's strategy is to introduce additional channels and to increase the variety of content that is available.
"We make it a point to include content that appeals to a vast audience in order to cater for the tastes of as many of our subscribers," concluded Mr Zammit.
Apart from live TV streaming the mobile operator also offers an extensive video on demand portfolio that ranges from entertainment to comedy and even the latest movie trailers. The latter is an especially useful service that has been eagerly taken up by regular cinemagoers. Topical content related to what is currently happening in Malta is also provided. For instance, at the moment the choice includes the video of the winning entry of the Go Mobile Malta Song For Europe.
More information on TV on Your Mobile service at www.go.com.mt
"The reaction was positive while at the same time people showed themselves flabbergasted that mobile phone technology had advanced this much, especially as it was a Maltese operator that was offering it," revealed Kenneth Spiteri, senior executive sales and marketing at the mobile company. "Not only were we (and still are to this day) the only operator in Malta to offer the service but we were also one of the first in Europe."
The channel line-up includes TVM, One TV, Net TV, Fashion TV, BBC World, MTV and the 24-hour L-Ispjun reality show channel which is exclusive to Go Mobile users.
These channels can be watched from EDGE-enabled or 3G mobile handsets. The streaming facility is extremely easy to use - all you need to do is access the Go Live portal (WAP) on the mobile phone and click on the TV On Your Mobile icon.
"We always knew that take-up would not be numerous due to the limited amount of suitable handsets on the market at the time of launch," admitted Mr Spiteri. "Nowadays buying a mobile phone that supports this service is within the budget of most people. All in all we are doing everything in our power to make this service more accessible to our subscribers and our efforts are leaving a positive effect on the market."
When i-Tech tried the service immediately after the launch a year ago, it was positively surprised by the quality of the picture, given that everything is squeezed in a screen that is not much larger than a stamp. So why would anyone decide to watch TV that way when in tiny Malta you are never too far away from a TV set at home or in a public place?
According to Mr Spiteri, "when the service was first launched, sceptics commented that it would not achieve popularity because people much prefer to watch TV in the comfort of their own home. Our experience with the service has shown us that this is no longer true and that subscribers look at it from a different perspective".
He said mobility has today become an essential part of all aspects of life. Most individuals - especially professionals - find it essential to be surrounded by services that are mobile and which they utilise from any location. "TV On Your Mobile service offers incomparable convenience. It's not just a question of not missing those programmes you enjoy - the service can be considered a necessity for professionals."
Yet the target audience of this service is not just professional.
Martin Zammit, senior executive for engineering insists that "while it's true that TV on Your Mobile is a technologically advanced service, it doesn't follow that it's out of reach of the ordinary consumer. Go Mobile offers different tariff plans not only to suit different budgets but also to cater for the individual subscriber according to how heavy a user he is".
Go Mobile is expected to launch its 3G service in the coming weeks. How will this affect the TV On Your Mobile service?
"3G being a faster bearer than Edge, the quality of the stream itself should be even better than what it is today. The quality is already very high, mind you," said Mr Zammit.
Go Mobile's strategy is to introduce additional channels and to increase the variety of content that is available.
"We make it a point to include content that appeals to a vast audience in order to cater for the tastes of as many of our subscribers," concluded Mr Zammit.
Apart from live TV streaming the mobile operator also offers an extensive video on demand portfolio that ranges from entertainment to comedy and even the latest movie trailers. The latter is an especially useful service that has been eagerly taken up by regular cinemagoers. Topical content related to what is currently happening in Malta is also provided. For instance, at the moment the choice includes the video of the winning entry of the Go Mobile Malta Song For Europe.
More information on TV on Your Mobile service at www.go.com.mt