Abuja — Nigeria attained another technological height yesterday, with the launch of Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H) by Details Nigeria Ltd, one of the licenced pioneers of Multi-point Multi-channel Distribution Services (MMDS) in the country.

The first of its kind in Africa, the DVB-H is a technological standard that allows digital terrestrial broadcast of live television and audio channels to a mobile phone.

In simple words, subscribers can watch their favourite Dstv channel on their mobile phones while on the move.

The technology, which will be rolled out commercially by December this year, will afford subscribers the opportunity to view 12 Dstv channels on their phones. Such channels include CNN, Big Brother Africa, NTA, African Magic, Trinity Broadcasting service, Supersport 3, and E entertainment.

Other channels include supersport update, channel O, Cartoon network, Supersport 9, and M-Net movies channels.

Acting Director-General, Nigeria Broadcasting Commis-sion (NBC), Yomi Bolarinwa, commended the development, syaing it was in line with Nigeria's target of seamless transmission from analogue to digital by 2012, ahead of the International Telecommu-nications Union's (ITU) 2015 target.He said the innovation buttresses the notion that technological development is the way forward, if the country is to rub shoulders with developed economies of the world in the digital transmission across the diverse cultural background.

The acting D-G also said that the corporation has given January 1, next year as deadline for all TV licenses to translate to digital noted that the communication and broadcast industry have greatly availed the country various platforms for sustainable and genuine development engendering higher degrees of economic empowerment, freedom of choice and global awareness for the citizens.

He however warned that Nigeria is not a dumping ground for obsolete technological equipment in the name of counterpart funding but rather ensure that only the best is good enough for the country especially in the quest for national pride and cultural relevance.

The Chairman of Details Nigeria, Adewumi Ogunsanya, told the audience that the innovation has cost the company $60 million adding that additional roll out will jerk up the cost because of the number of cities to be involved. He revealed that Details Nig, Ltd is already holding talks with telecommunications/service providers for the billing which will be handled by the mobile operators though subscribers will have a choice of either voice or mobile television

He added that the service will initially be available to subscribers in Abuja and subsequently will be rolled out in Ibadan and Lagos and others across the federation.