The interactive mobile TV service builds on NRK's successful Svisj TV format, an interactive service based on games, chat and messaging.  Together, Ericsson and NRK have launched a downloadable client for the existing interactive TV format, Svisj. As a result, viewers can vote for which music video is to be played next by the touch of a button, and may also chat with each other or the host of the program – all at the same time, and all on their mobile.

The service was an instant hit with users. The client was downloaded several hundred times during the first week, without any marketing.

User statistics show very good results. Average viewing time is five minutes per occasion, about twice as long time as times for NRK's traditional mobile TV offerings The first results also show that 20 percent of users of the interactive mobile TV application use it on a daily basis. The trial demonstrates that a new way of using mobile TV is an attractive option for mobile phone users.

Bjarne Andre Myklebust, director for mobile content and services for NRK, says interactivity is a natural extension of mobile TV. "This is an easier way for viewers to participate in the Svisj shows," he says. "It is also a way to strengthen viewer loyalty and build the company brand. Young people increasingly rely on their mobiles and, ultimately, this is a question of survival for us."

NRK is one of the most innovative broadcasters in the world. The company was among the first to broadcast live mobile TV, providing coverage of last year's Swedish Vasaloppet ski race via a 3G phone attached to a reporter's ski pole.

NRK's mobile offering has also recorded some interesting figures outside of interactive mobile TV. In the last few months, the number of viewers for "traditional" mobile TV has doubled every month. In September, 34,000 streams were started. In October, the figure was 64,000 and in November, 90,000. And this in a market where there are only 100,000 3G subscribers. A Christmas sales campaign was expected to lift traffic even more, with operator Telenor using NRK's mobile offering as a selling point for its 3G services.

The service is also generating good revenue. The interactive "traditional" TV show Svisj generated EUR 1.5 million last year from messaging. This came mainly from SMS, but users can also send MMS messages and video clips to the show. Some of the most popular subjects are cars, babies, pets and snowmobiles.

The mobile TV service is billed in two ways. One is a fee of up to EUR 1 per minute, the other is a subscription model where users pay about EUR 3 per week to watch or listen to content from one provider. After that, revenues are split. "This is probably the best way to get this service working," Myklebust says. "Charging for data transport is not a good way because it is hard for users to calculate the cost."

The possibilities for the technology are limitless and Myklebust says NRK is already planning the next step, including more TV shows, add-on information such as news and sports, and radio, where a webcam shows the host and pictures of the CD covers are shown in the display.

The interactive mobile TV solution is an end-to-end solution developed by Ericsson and partners, based on existing technology.