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FREMONT, CA - August 24, 2006-
Network equipment vendors looking to profit from
the build-out of Forward Link Only (FLO) multicast
networks have available a new tool thanks to a
specification from the FLO Forum. The Multiplex
Subsystem-to-Transmit Station Interface (MTI)
allows transmit stations from multiple manufacturers
to be part of a single MediaFLO broadcast network.
Transmit stations must be compliant with the MTI
protocol to correctly broadcast a FLO waveform.
"The MTI specification allows
equipment providers like Thomson to build interoperable
equipment that will function properly in any FLO-based
network," said Brett Jenkins, vice president
of engineering for Thales Broadcast & Multimedia,
a business within Grass Valley. "As the first
release of a specification at a layer higher than
the air interface, it is a major accomplishment
in itself and a foreshadowing of work that is
forthcoming from the FLO Forum members."
"Envivio is bringing its extensive
experience in mobile encoding and standards work
to the FLO Forum," said Julien Signès,
President of Envivio Inc. "As an active member
in standards bodies and promoter of open standards-based
solutions, Envivio supports the forum's goal of
creating an interoperable ecosystem for FLO-based
products."
The MTI outlines the protocol for
communicating FLO multiplex and control information
from a FLO multiplexer subsystem in a FLO aggregation
segment, to a transmit station. The FLO system
supports multiple services including the video,
audio, text and signaling components of a mobile
multimedia multicast service. Technical requirements,
such as the MTI specification, form a compatibility
standard for FLO multimedia multicast systems.
Verizon Wireless Discusses FLO
Plans, Decision Process
FLO Forum members attending the group's third
quarter meeting in Toronto this month heard a
presentation by Verizon Wireless executives regarding
the evolution of video services within the Verizon
network, why Verizon chose FLO technology, and
how the company views the future growth of the
mobile multicast market. In December 2005, Verizon
Wireless announced that it is working toward launch
multicast multimedia services using via the MediaFLO
network in 2007.
FLO Forum Continues Rapid Growth
With the addition of 16 new members including
Agilent Technologies, Inc., Anritsu Corporation,
CETECOM Inc. Chyron Corporation, conVISUAL AG,
Envivio Inc., GCT Semiconductor, Inc., Hantro
Products Oy, Imagination Technologies Ltd., Korea
Electronics Technology Institute, MaxLinear, Inc.,
M.B. International Telecom Labs, NDS Limited,
Siano Mobile Silicon LTD., tps Consulting, LLC
and Widevine Technologies, Inc., the FLO Forum
has grown to 60 members.
About FLO Technology
FLO technology is a new air interface with multicasting
capabilities designed to increase capacity and
reduce content delivery costs to mobile handsets.
FLO technology enables mobile users to see and
hear a variety of relevant content for the mobile
consumer.
Designed from the ground up specifically to multicast
significant volumes of rich multimedia content,
FLO enables wireless operators to cost-effectively
deliver clips and streaming video to millions
of mobile users at once. FLO provides the technology
for distributing multimedia content efficiently
and economically without impacting current networks.
About the FLO Forum
The FLO Forum is a multi-company initiative committed
to advancing the global standardization of FLO™
technology. Composed of industry-leading organizations,
the FLO Forum works to develop products and services,
based on FLO technology, to enable the delivery
of advanced multimedia services to wireless consumers.
The FLO Forum is organized to promote the global
standardization of FLO technology, including compliance
and certification benchmarks for the technology.
For more information on membership and the FLO
Forum, please visit www.floforum.org.
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FLO is a trademark of QUALCOMM Incorporated. All
other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
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