Sharp, Japan's leadingmobile handset maker, is in negotiations with up to 30 European companies, including mobile phone operators, to supply its dual-mode tuner chip for television-equipped mobile phones.

Demand for TV-equipped mobile phones is forecast to grow 10-fold in the next five years, and their usageis widespread in Japan, South Korea and parts of Europe. Until now, competing standards in different countries have made it impossible to receive digitalTV broadcasts on a single phone in more than one country.