Nokia launches mobile TV service

updated 3:13 p.m. ET March 8, 2005

HELSINKI, Finland - Nokia Corp. on Tuesday launched a pilot project enabling cell phone users to watch television broadcasts on their handsets in the Helsinki region.

In the first venture of its kind in Finland, Nokia is working with the country's largest broadcaster, the Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE, and leading commercial TV channels and major mobile service providers, including TeliaSonera and Elisa, the world's largest cell phone maker said.

Besides Finnish TV programming, 500 test users in the capital region can also watch international television broadcasts, such as BBC World and CNN, and tune into radio programs.

Nokia tested the system last year before launching Tuesday's pilot project, scheduled to continue until June, the Finnish company said.

The company's research found people like to watch mobile TV in cars and public places, such as cafes. Watching mobile TV at home and in workplaces was also common.

Test users were most interested in news, weather, sports, current affairs and entertainment, according to the research.

Nokia, based in Espoo just outside the Finnish capital, has sales in 130 countries with some 55,500 employees.

The Nordic region's largest telecommunications operator, TeliaSonera Corp., has almost 3 million mobile customers in Finland, while Elisa Corp. has 1.4 million Finnish mobile subscriptions.

YLE TV is watched daily by some two-thirds of the Finnish population of 5.2 million.

MORE FROM WIRELESS

Wireless Section Front

Texting drivers six times more likely to crash Maine to consider cell phone cancer warning Verizon defends higher smart phone fees BlackBerry users dealt with e-mail outages Teen runs up dad's cell bill to nearly $22,000 Google sharpens mobile focus with 'Nexus One' Nearly 1 in 3 older teens gets ‘sexting’ messages McDonald's to lift fee for Internet access Popularity of texting edging out cell phone calls Google may sell its own phone Wireless Section Front   Add Wireless headlines to your news reader: