Under the patronage of Nabeel Bin Yacoub Al Hamer, Bahrain’s Minister of Information and in the presence of Shaikh Ahmed Bin Ali Al Khalifa, Chairman of MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain), the Kingdom witnessed the launch of the Middle East’s First Live TV to Mobile services.
For the first time in the Middle East, MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain)’s customers are able to view live TV on their mobile handsets. This innovative service from MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain) also allows customers the downloading and viewing of music videos, movie trailers and other audio and video content on their handsets.
MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain), introduces Live TV as part of the recently re-launched ‘World of WoW’, the Middle East’s most innovative entertainment services. Customers now have the option of watching live TV broadcasts on to their mobiles and a variety of music clips.
Customers can enjoy this service on selected handsets such as the Sony Ericsson P800/P900, Nokia 6600, Nokia 7650, Nokia 3650, Siemens SX1 and soon many others such as Nokia 7610 and Pocket PC devices. In order to be able to use this service, customers only need to download the WoW Media Centre onto their handsets, this simple application is available on the MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain) Web site and at any of the MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain) experience stores. The WoW Media Center application is available with NO extra charge. MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain) now has 7 experience stores across the Kingdom: Exhibition road, Manama, Isa Town, Budaiya, Hamad Town, Arrival Lounge at the Bahrain International Airport and Arad.
Commenting on this announcement, Mahmoud Hashish, Chief Commercial Officer and Acting Chief Operating Officer at MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain) said: “Once again the Kingdom of Bahrain underlines its position on the regional technology map as it hosts the launch of the Middle East First’s Live TV to Mobile services. MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain) is once again demonstrating its position as a pioneer in the development of innovative mobile services and is showing the way forward on the market again with this service,” Hashish concluded.
“It is a new way of life.” Said Dr. Eddine Salman, Senior Advisor for MTC group, Mobile Data Services, “We are at MTC group following a vision of our General Director, Dr. Saad Al Barrak, in fulfilling, a first step, or a small building block of giant structure of a future vision for MTC to be an Entertainment and Media company, where we need to provide the tools for instantaneous information, entertainment, excitement to our customers. We want to be the harbinger of good change while we are cognitive of the emerging future of the telecom whereas, Mobile Data Service “revenue is expected to reach 27% of total mobile voice customer revenue by 2007.”
Providing MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain) with the service platform, David McKenna, Chief Executive Officer at MIS – Mobile Integrated Solutions, commented: “MIS is proud to provide a state-of-the-art live TV and media distribution system to MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain). This system is unique, providing live television streaming at 10 frames per second. This high quality at a moderate bandwidth has so far not been seen anywhere else in the world. The advanced GPRS, EDGE and 3G networks of MTC-Vodafone have made Bahrain an excellent country of choice for MIS to introduce our advanced mobile services.”
MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain) customers will have the choice to choose between a wide range of Live TV to Mobile services, where they can choose between entertaining Programs and local News from Bahrain Television, Live regional Arabic news from Al Arabiya, Music Video Clips from Rotana.
"We believe in the convergence of Telecom and Media and mainly in broadcasting that is why we eagerly signed this agreement with MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain) and look forward to more partnership opportunities that will fulfill both our business plans. We hope that this new, creative and most advanced technology will bring both the viewer and mobile user closer to their needs as far as accessing news, music and sports activities," stated Maria Khoury, Head of Marketing & Corporate Services at Bahrain Radio and TV Corporation (BRTC).
Ismael Fikree, MTC-Vodafone’s Chief Technology Officer added : "MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain)’s announcement marks the first step on the road of true mobile and multimedia convergence. Our aim is to redefine the wireless future to further open up the endless services available to customers via their mobile phone, using MTC-Vodafone’s GPRS, EDGE and 3G services," he added: “The MTC-Vodafone World of WoW is proving to be very popular and making a difference in what people are now expecting from their phone. We have said before that the mobile phone is no longer a method of communicating as it is increasingly becoming a way of life.” (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
