DStv Mobile can be accessed on a DVB-H enabled cellphone or via MultiChoice’s newly introduced mobile TV decoder, the Drifta.

The DVB-H enabled cellphones currently available in the South African market are the Nokia 5330, Nokia N96 and ZTE F900, MultiChoice said in a statement. The pay-TV operator added that it is in discussion with various cellphone manufactures and is confident that more DVB-H enabled phones will be available in the South African market soon.

The new mobile TV decoder, the Drifta, is a separate device that receives the DStv Mobile broadcast signal and relays it over Wi-Fi to a range of Wi-Fi-capable laptops, PCs, tablets and smartphones.

At launch the Drifta supports Windows and iOS devices such as the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Blackberry OS, Symbian 3 and Android applications are in development and more devices that work with the Drifta will be enabled soon.

According to MultiChoice, network coverage is available in the major centres of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Soweto, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Polokwane, Mbombela, Rustenburg, Bloemfontein and Durban. The frequency spectrum allocated to mobile broadcasting currently enables 15 channels via DVB-H technology. This spectrum was licensed to both MultiChoice (60%) and e.tv (40%) who will be offering pay and free-to-air services respectively.

The channel line-up on the DStv Mobile bouquet will initially include a selection of SuperSport channels (1, 2, 3 and Blitz), Africa Magic, Cartoon Network, Trace and a DStv Events Channel. The e.Mobile bouquet contains The eNews Channel and Channel O. MultiChoice promised that more channels on both services will be announced soon.

The DStv Mobile bouquet will cost subscribers R36 per month from 1 April 2011. The service will be free until March 2011. The Drifta is available for R599 from major retailers and the service can be activated via the MultiChoice call centre or the DStv Mobile website. DVB-H cellphones will be made available through mobile network operators, Vodacom, MTN and Cell C and the subscription is activated directly off the handset.