Source says Sistema unit to launch mobile TV in 2008

MOSCOW, Nov 22 (Prime-Tass) -- Digital Television Broadcasting, an affiliate of major Russian holding AFK Sistema, is currently buying companies that hold frequencies for mobile TV broadcasting in 16 Russian cities and plans to launch the service in 2008, a source with Sistema said, Kommersant business daily reported Wednesday.

Digital Television Broadcasting is controlled by Sistema Mass Media, the media arm of Sistema.

The source said that Digital Television Broadcasting planned to create broadcasting systems in cooperation with South Korean operator SK Mobile and Deutsche Telekom's T-Systems.

"We plan to launch the service in 2008, by the summer Olympic Games in Beijing," the source said, the daily reported.

Market experts estimated the necessary investments at U.S. $1 million in each city, the daily reported.

Sistema Mass Media's representatives said earlier that they planned to broadcast eight channels just after the launch, increasing the number to 16 channels later, the daily reported. The monthly subscription fee will vary between $5 and $15 and the company plans to sign up over 500,000 users by 2010, representatives said earlier, the daily reported.