A new study on mobile TV in Europe offers a reality check for anyone getting giddy about the emerging medium in the United States. A survey conducted by M:Metrics and commissioned by telecom giant
Tellabs found that former mobile TV users in Europe outnumber current users by nearly 20%. Price, reliability and quality were cited as the main reasons that users abandoned the service. Among the
22,000 Europeans surveyed for the study, 45% said price was an issue, while nearly a quarter dropped mobile TV because of concerns about service quality. Mobile TV is just getting off the ground in
the U.S. as technology providers such as Qualcomm's MediaFlo unit and Modeo, already operating in Europe, begin to forge alliances with U.S. wireless companies to deliver broadcast-quality video via
handsets.
