Hong Kong – Mobile TV can be a ‘huge’ revenue source for network operators, TV content owners, technology services providers and advertising agencies, although user experience and content remain as the two major challenges before mass consumer adoption of mobile TV services. That’s according to 40 senior representatives from content owners, mobile communications carriers and service providers in attendance at the Mobile TV CXO Summit, jointly organized by the Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) and the Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) in Hong Kong on Dec 3. The interactive Summit gathered industry players to brainstorm on how best to grow mobile TV in Asia. Participants included executives from Sony Pictures Television International, STAR Group, Turner International, Bloomberg Television, Discovery Networks, Granada International, Walt Disney Television, SwissCom Mobile, Telia Sonera, MediaQuest, PCCW, StarHub, SmarTone, Hutchinson Telecom, CSL, 3 Hong Kong, Nokia, Qualcomm, Irdeto, NagraVision, NDS, Speedcast, ITSun, Dada Asia, IMG, MIH and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Participants agreed that although the capability to deliver content is available, user experience remains very dependent on technology being able to provide better networks with higher video quality and resolution; better devices with larger screens; longer battery life and affordable handsets across a widely varying Asian landscape. As for content, some saw news and sports as driver genres while others claimed entertainment can drive up to 80% of take up. Content localization was also identified as a key factor as content preferences differ across markets and are largely driven by consumer lifestyles. In addition, strategic and highly targeted marketing plans were also found to be essential to launch mobile TV services.