informitv reports that Mobile TV services are to reach half a billion users by 2011, up from just over 6 million at the end of 2005. This according to a Report from ABI Research.

The business will be worth several hundred billion dollars, says the report, but advertising revenue will significantly exceed that from subscriptions.

There three companies planning to introduce mobile video broadcast services in the United States over the next 12 to 18 months.

Qualcomm plans to launch its MediaFLO services before the end of 2006, followed by Hiwire from Aloha Partners and Modeo from Crown Castle in 2007. The report concludes that most markets will not be able to support more than two broadcast networks.