Mobile TV network Yamgo has launched its 100th channel after securing a worldwide distribution deal with media giant Sony.

The launch of Sony SAB, a hugely successful Indian focused entertainment channel with a strong youth following, gives the strong Yamgo Asian content portfolio another boost.

As mobile TV usage explodes the Yamgo viewing figures in India, Pakistan and other Asian countries continues to see rapid growth.

Yamgo CEO Ian Mullins said: “We’re constantly adding the best quality content to our channel line-up and hitting the 100th channel landmark with such a prestigious and popular partner is great news.

“Since the creation of Yamgo in 2006 the mobile industry has grown at an incredible rate. We’re giving people access to TV on mobile devices – in many countries this is a breakthrough that is seeing TV go mainstream.

“What we are doing at Yamgo is offering the type of channels that people are used to watching in the home, but with advanced compression technologies that make them easily watchable on a wide range of mobile devices, from feature phones to smartphones.

“We believe that the future is all about allowing people to watch what they want when they want and mobile TV enables that. Advertisers understand this and there is already a huge amount of interest from the advertising industry about what we are doing on mobile.”

With over 35 million views per month, over a million smartphone app downloads and 100 channels across 6 different genres Yamgo is now one of the world’s leading mobile TV providers.

Yamgo’s technology platform has been designed to maximise the compatibility across networks and phones. It does this by dynamically adapting video streams to address the different needs of thousands of mobile devices and networks from 2.5G, 3G and 4G to Wi-Fi and broadband. Yamgo delivers the experiences of live television, primetime programming and video-on-demand services on all major device platforms including Java, Android, iPhone, iPad, Symbian and more.

The company now has distribution deals with some of the major TV broadcasters and rights owners, including Sony, France24, Trace Sports and Fashion TV.

Tony Lit the Vice President Head of UK & Europe for Sony SAB said, “We are excited to announce the launch of Sony SAB on Yamgo that will see our content reach new audiences and allow our viewers even more ways to access the award winning family entertainment channel.”

Juniper forecasts that due to the increase in smartphone usage, the number of people streaming TV to their smartphones will reach 240 million by 2014. An article recently published by Mobile Marketer also reported: “The number of mobile users will grow from the 174 million in 2011 to 265 million by 2016.”

The same article from Mobile Marketer also states that: “68 percent of mobile advertising spending in the U.S. was for ads that appeared on mobile phones, 23 percent on media tablets and e-readers and 9 percent on other mobile devices such as the iPod touch.”

It’s clear that it isn’t just the way people watch TV that’s changing. Several major brands are adapting their marketing campaigns to capture the attention of their increasingly mobile audience. Businesses can advertise on mobile for a fraction of the cost they would have to pay to place the same ad on television. Mobile advertising can also provide the same audience levels as traditional television but allow interactive ads, making the advertising effectiveness more measurable.

In 2011 the IDC (International Data Corporation) forecasted that worldwide business-to-consumer m-commerce would increase from the $80 billion in 2011 to $554.7 billion in 2016, reflecting an annual compound growth rate of 47 percent. One of the main factors for driving this demand is through video advertising on mobile TV, which allows brands to play interactive ads. This has already proved to be 27 times more successful for click-through rates than static ads.

The important challenge for brands concerning mobile TV is finding premium, quality content to play their ads alongside. Yamgo is the market leader in having the best channels for genres such as Bollywood, Music and Fashion. Yamgo currently offers seven genres in total, including Fashion, Bollywood and Music, there are also channels containing News, Sport, Bikini and Entertainment. A Lifestyle category is currently being contracted.

As a mobile TV distribution network Yamgo TV allows viewers to watch live and linear channels through Internet enabled mobile devices and desktop computers. Yamgo TV is available on all leading mobile platforms and devices including iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch via the app store), Android (phones and tablets via the Google Play store), Nokia, Blackberry, HTC, Samsung and HP webOS.

Yamgo TV is available anytime, worldwide. Viewers can watch direct from their mobile at www.yamgo.mobi or download the application from leading app stores or www.facebook.com/YamgoTV