Rival phone makers Nokia and Motorola today said they would cooperate to ensure interoperability among their new digital video broadcast-handheld (DVB-H) devices and network equipment in an effort that could be the first step toward creating an interoperability certification process.

While DVB-H is a standard defined by digital TV standards bodies, DVB-H has not yet produced a certification organ like that of the Wi-Fi Alliance for 802.11 technologies. Organizations like the Mobile DTV Alliance were created to promote the technology but have not been yet given a standardization role.

But as the two top handset makers Nokia and Motorola may be moving to create a de facto interoperability standard ensuring that their devices can be used interchangeably on any commercial DVB-H network launched.

So far two operators and the U.S. have announced DVB-H networks: Crown Castle, which will launch a service called Modeo and Aloha Partners, deploying a network it calls Hiwire. Qualcomm is backing its own home-grown technology called Forward Link Only (FLO) and is planning its own commercial launch of the technology. So far only one carrier has agreed to carry a mobile TV service: Verizon Wireless will use Qualcomm’s MediaFLO network.

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