LG and Samsung will collaborate on developing technology that they intend to propose for adoption as the mobile digital TV standard for the North American market.

The combined technology will be presented to the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), the international organisation which is establishing broadcasting standards for digital television, before 2009, they said.

"LG and Samsung are already world-class in digital TV and mobile communications, said LG President and Chief Technology Officer Woo Paik. "Through this collaboration, we also have an opportunity to lead the North American mobile DTV market."

ATSC is expected to adopt a mobile/handheld DTV standard for the North American market in early 2009 following technology trials conducted by the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC), a group of leading U.S. broadcasters who are vigorously promoting the development and early deployment of mobile DTV.

"Our collaboration on North American mobile DTV standardization will help accelerate the ATSC standardization of mobile TV technology, which will benefit both consumers and broadcasters," said JongWoo Park, President of Samsung Digital Media Business.

According to a study commissioned by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), with the adoption of a single ATSC mobile/handheld DTV standard, the U.S. market for mobile DTV phones will reach 130 million units by the end of 2012.

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