Television on your mobile phone is yet another technological advance that Asia has been able to sample ahead of the Western world.

Until now that is with Virgin unveiling plans to launch the first UK mobile television network, offering several digital network channels such as E4, Sky News and ITV2.

The Guardian reported that people with compatible handsets will have to own a TV licence to qualify for the service. The paper found they also face an estimated network charge of around five to eight pounds per month.

Virgin, now part of cable company NTL meanwhile has been testing the waters with digital mobile television for sometime, as has O2. Vodafone and 3 already offer their customers streamed or downloaded television services, proof they think that a market does exist for mobile television.

How popular this service will actually be in the long term is another issue - the cost has proved to be a disincentive in parts of Asia and mobile reception and battery life have also been barriers. TV is notorious for consuming large amounts of electricity.

Nevertheless mobile television is slowly advancing its way westwards even if there are serious factors that still hinder us from watching our favourite programmes wherever we happen to be.