While the concept of watching television on today's handsets is nothing new thanks to wireless web and streaming video apps, WRAL and CBS are testing a new mobile digital TV technology that can potentially turn a cell phone into a literal mobile television set.

This technology would send specially encoded signals to receivers built into devices such as cell phones like the Nokia N97 (and PDAs). The digital waves would be sent over the same signals as local HDTV broadcasts (openly over the air).

The early field tests are currently supported by a number of companies, including Harris Corporation, LG Electronics and Zenith. They, along with WRAL and CBS, are hoping to deploy mobile digital TV as early as next year. This technology would provide access to local digital TV on your handset: A little piece of home even when you are not.

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