Albania private media group launches mobile television

TIRANA, April 23 – Albania on Monday launched television broadcast for mobile phones to become the second country in Europe after Italy, a private media group said. DigitAlb Mobile, part of the private Top Media group, went commercial Monday with LG handhelds providing 16 television channels online. Its managers considered that as the last technology and a service that can be followed even while driving in high speed. Italy rolled out mobile TV broadcasts for the soccer World Cup last year. The company has applied the digital video broadcast handheld (DVB-H) technology considered as the most updated in that sphere.
The television service, that is free this year, will be offered only through LG handset, which will cost 74,500 leks ($843; or 620.7 euro). That was considered a profitable investment after the DigitAlb experience. DigitAlb television service was launched three years ago through terrestrial and satellite link reaching about 100,000 clients countrywide with 32 television channels, three radio stations and another sport package.
The launch was among a senior crisis between the media group and the government accusing it of fiscal evasion. The parliament is also debating on a law on digital services which has sparked a row between the two opposing political groupings.