As much as things change, so much stays the same. Consider the latest events in the tussle over a global standard to deliver mobile TV to wireless devices. The European Union is moving early to enforce a single standard structure in Europe.
This is not good news for the companies that make mobile devices, especially those that have developed the standards that the EU doesn't favor.
The approved standard is called DVB-H (for digital video broadcasting-handheld), which the EU actually helped to develop by providing funding to Nokia (NYSE:NOK).
The recommendation will call on EU member nations to encourage the use of DVB-H at the expense of other standards such as T-DMB, deployed successfully in South Korea, and the MediaFLO standard developed by Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM). Verizon Wireless, a joint venture between Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE:VOD), has already deployed MediaFLO-based services in the U.S., and AT&T (NYSE:T) has selected the technology for the delivery of mobile video to handsets, as well.
Essentially, this means that device manufacturers such as Samsung and Motorola (NYSE:MOT) will once again have to develop their products with multiple technologies from different vendors. Much like the dual-mode or tri-mode phones of the past, multiple receivers will need to be integrated into devices if they are to roam among networks.
But there's nothing surprising about the move by the European regulatory body, and the choice was largely predicted in the industry. In fact, there was little hope of there ever being a single global standard for mobile TV. Qualcomm investors will recognize this latest spin on an old script. The European Union also pushed to make GSM (and succeeding technologies) the standard for cellular services to keep out Qualcomm's alternative CDMA technology.
Characterizing the news as a "blow to Qualcomm," as some media outlets have, is a bit of a stretch, though. While Qualcomm and vendors supplying alternative technologies will not have their favored technologies "encouraged" for use in the EU, they have DVB-H products in their portfolio. So while some suppliers will have to shift gears, none are being forced off the road.
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Fool contributor Dave Mock doesn't watch TV, so he has little use for it on his cell phone. He owns shares of Motorola and Qualcomm. He is also the author of The Qualcomm Equation. The Fool's disclosure policy is broadcast 24/7 in high-def.
