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DVB-SH ("Digital Video Broadcasting - Satellite services to Handhelds") is a physical layer standard for delivering IP based media content and data to handheld terminals such as mobile phones or PDAs, based on a hybrid satellite/terrestrial downlink and for example a GPRS uplink. The DVB Project published the DVB-SH standard in February 2007.
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The DVB-SH system was designed for frequencies below 3 GHz, supporting UHF band, L Band or S-band. It complements and improves the existing DVB-H physical layer standard. Like its sister specification (DVB-H), it is based on DVB IP Datacast (IPDC) delivery, electronic service guides and service purchase and protection standards.
DVB-SH specifies two operational modes:
Comparison with DVB-H
The DVB-SH incorporates a number of enhancements when compared to DVB-H:
Recently, results from BMCO forum (Alcatel April 2008) shows a radio improvement of at least 5.5 dB on signal requirements between DVB-H and DVB-SH in the UHF frequencies. The improvements to signal requirements translates to better in-building penetration, better in-car coverage and extension of outdoor coverage. DVB-SH chipsets are being developed now by DiBcom and NXP Semiconductors, and are expected to be available in beginning of 2008. Initial specifications show that the chipsets supports both UHF and S-Band and are compatible with DVB-H.
DiBcom has announced a DVB-SH chip with availability in 2008 Q3. Dibcom DVB-SH 2008 Q3. The chip "has dual RF tuners supporting VHF, UHF, L-Band and S-Band frequencies".
Project organization
French Agence de l'innovation industrielle is now financing this effort through TVMSL, a project led by Alcatel-Lucent that plans to develop a DVB-SH standard suitable for hybrid satellite and terrestrial transmission. Other partners involved in TVMSL are Sagem Wireless, Alenia, RFS, Philips, DiBcom, TeamCast, UDcast, CNRS, INRIA, CEA-LETI.
Satellites
ICO, one of the biggest satellite operators in the United States, in 2007 announced a nationwide deployment of an hybrid satellite/terrestrial network in DVB-SH with Alcatel-Lucent and Expway. ICO G1 satellite carrying DVB-SH technology on board was launched on April 14, 2008. It is the world's first DVB-SH satellite in orbit.
Eutelsat W2A satellite carrying a Solaris Mobile (a Eutelsat and SES joint venture, now EchoStar Mobile) DVB-SH S band payload was launched on 3 April 2009. It will cover Western Europe. S-band payload was scheduled to enter into service in May 2009 but this not occurred due to an anomaly currently being investigated. On 1 July 2009, Solaris Mobile filed the insurance claim. The technical findings indicate that the company should be able to offer some, but not all of the services it was planning to offer.
Inmarsat's S band satellite programme, called EuropaSat, will deliver mobile multimedia broadcast, mobile two-way broadband telecommunications and next-generation MSS services across all member states of the European Union and as far east as Moscow and Ankara by means of a hybrid satellite/terrestrial network. It will be built by Thales Alenia Space and launched in early 2011 launched by ILS.
Trials
DVB-H/SH trials are now underway in many cities and countries: Ireland, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Singapore, Helsinki, Berlin, Cambridge, Pittsburgh, Paris, Tehran, Madrid, Sydney, South Africa, Taiwan, The Hague, Brussels, Bern, Vienna, New Zealand, Philippines, Copenhagen, Budapest, Erlangen, Sri Lanka, Roeselare, and India.
DVB-SH in S-band is seen as an alternative in Europe. Recent field trials and studies showed better performance in radio than DVB-H standard that would lead to much cheaper costs for network deployments.
In France again, SFR and Alcatel-Lucent teamed up to deploy a DVB-SH trial. The results confirmed the theorical assumptions on the superiority of the DVB-SH to DVB-H, being the natural evolution of this legacy one.
In Italy, 3 Italia, RAI and Alcatel-Lucent joined forces for the first DVB-SH trial in Italy.
In United States, Dish Network and Alcatel-Lucent joined forces for the first DVB-SH trial in US.