IMB sends data using spectrum reserved for Time Division Duplex (TDD) services, which most operators in Europe received when they were awarded 3G licenses. TDD uses the same channel to alternately send and receive data, and lets the operator configure the network to use the available spectrum for sending data to the subscriber, which a good fit for broadcast services. That compares to Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) which is used by most current 3G networks and sends data to and from the subscriber using separate channels, and doesn't allow the same flexibility. However, the amount of spectrum each operator has for TDD services is so small that they have to work together in order to have enough to deliver broadcast TV services, according to Bellégo.

In total, 3G TDD spectrum is available to over 150 operators across 60 countries covering more than half a billion subscribers, according to the operators. So far, it has remained largely unused because of a lack of appropriate technology, they said.

In September, the GSM Association (GSMA) got involved at the behest of some of its member operators. The standards work had reached a blocking point between Ericsson and IPWireless and the GSMA helped solved those issues, it said at the time.

Today, the good thing is that the industry is working together on one technology for broadcast services, which wasn't the case in the past, according to Bellégo.