Vivo to Use ZTE's 3G Modem Card to Boost Mobile Digital TV in Brazil

Vivo - Brazil's largest mobile operator - is now offering the ZTE 3G modem card equipped with Siano mobile TV receivers, in order to provide South America's first massive digital TV experience, according to a company statement.

ZTE and Vivo have introduced the first 3G modem that is capable of providing mobile digital TV to Brazil's mass market. The product allows consumer to view up to 13 DTV channels including sports, news and entertainment. The alliance was made in time to provide soccer fans varied platform options from where to enjoy the upcoming World Cup's matches, including notebooks and netbooks.

This new card was designed by ZTE based on Siano's SMS1130 multi-standard receiver chip's high performance, supporting Brazil's integrated services' digital terrestrial transmission system (ISDB-T), DTV. According to the aforementioned statement, the card provides superb performance with record sensitivity levels that allow for practically perfect mobile TV quality. The card is also compatible with all notebooks, netbooks and standard desktop PCs.

Vivo was the first operator to launch mobile plans - for both cell phones and modems - compatible with ISDB-T, Brazil's digital TV standard. Argentina and Chile have already adopted the Brazilian standard and Uruguay, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia and Paraguay could all be following suit in the next few years. This would create one of the biggest mobile digital TV markets in the world, with around 300 million potential users.