Qualcomm UBM Chip to Support Top Three Mobile TV Standards

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Qualcomm UBM Chip to Support Top Three Mobile TV Standards

6:00 am on May 29, 2006 | Category: Wireless Technology, Mobile Devices, Cell Phones

Wireless chipmaker, Qualcomm, revealed late last week that it plans to deal with conflicting mobile television standards by developing a new chip that supports all three leading formats.

The forthcoming chip, called the Universal Broadcast Modem (UBM), will support Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld (DVB-H), Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting - Terrestrial (ISDB-T), and Forward Link Only (FLO) standards.

Although Qualcomm has primarily championed the FLO specification, it has dabbled in other technologies as well, creating separate chips that are compatible with DVB-H mobile TV networks.

“Mobile TV on handsets is gaining momentum in the wireless industry, even as network operators continue to evaluate the various standards available,” said Qualcomm vice president, Mike Concannon, in a statement. “Our UBM solution addresses the industry’s need by providing a single universal chip that supports three of the world’s leading standards, enabling mobile handsets to receive real-time content regardless of the broadcast technology selected by operators.”

The new chip is being designed to work with the company’s Mobile Station Modem solution, but will also be compatible with a number of other wireless chips. The first UBM sample chips are expected to see the light of day sometime in early 2007.