By Kim Tae-gyu
Staff Reporter


Free video-on-the-move services will start Dec. 1, wrapping up a half-year delay, but start-up glitches are still expected due to a lack of proper terminals.

Korea’s three major broadcasters _ KBS, MBC and SBS _ and two smaller licensees will begin transmitting airwaves for five video and 11 audio channels of the terrestrial digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB).

``The services will be available in Seoul and the surrounding Kyonggi Province next month. We seek to make it a nationwide offering next year,’’ said Kim Hyuk, an official of the Special Committee for Korean Terrestrial DMB.

DMB enables people on the road to enjoy crystal-clear video and CD-quality audio and data through in-vehicle terminals or handheld gadgets like cell phones.

There are two versions: satellite DMB enabled by signals beamed from satellites and terrestrial DMB based on over-the-air frequencies. The former is already underway here for a fee of 13,000 won a month on top of a one-time sign up fee of 20,000 won.

The biggest advantage of terrestrial DMB is that the service is free of charge. As soon as people buy terrestrial DMB terminals, they can enjoy the mobility-specific broadcasting.

But the downside is that terrestrial DMB-enabled phones are not likely to hit the market this year due to opposition from wireless carriers, which are wary that the go-anywhere TV would chip away at their bottom lines.

``Korean handset makers have already developed five terrestrial DMB-capable phones but mobile carriers are reluctant to market them. As a result, phone makers now have no channel to sell them,’’ Kim said.

Mobile carriers present the rationale that the debut of free go-anywhere TV would influence people to watch videos in their spare time instead of sending messages or enjoying games through cell phones, which offer some profits for them.

In addition to cell phone-type gizmos, reception of terrestrial DMB signals are possible with the latest laptops, in-automobile terminals and dedicated terminals.

But Kim said terrestrial DMB phones are the mainstream device and delaying their introduction would make a substantial dent on the commercial viability of the upcoming services.

voc200@koreatimes.co.kr