3 Italia has revealed that its DVB-H mobile TV service has helped boost ARPU levels by 60%. The data, revealed in an Unstrung report, is taken from the operator’s 800,000 mobile TV customers as of the end of last year. The operator has approximately 8 million customers in total. One third of the extra ARPU is generated directly from the DVB-H service and two-thirds of the extra revenue comes from additional voice and data services.

The mobile TV sector is in its infancy, with its potential yet to be fulfilled. Analysts believe there are still technology issues to overcome before global commercial success is achieved. In addition, many operators are reviewing which pricing models are most attractive to users. However, analysts remain positive on the sector’s future: according to ABI Research, mobile TV subscribers will grow to 462 million by 2012.