In order to give tough competition to Qualcomm’s MediaFlo Mobile TV service in the US, Samsung and LG have joined forces to develop a new standard for mobile TV broadcasts.

The key elements of the technology will be provided by an American broadcast technology company, Harris Corp. which will allow cell phones to receive signals sent out by local TV stations.

The TV standard developed by the two companies will compete with French video technology company Thomson and Qualcomm Inc.’s MediaFLO video service. The decision of setting one technology as standard for mobile TV rests on the TV industry''s technical standards-setting body for digital broadcasts.

The standard-setting body, the Advanced Television Systems Committee, is expected to finalize a standard by early next year.