BBC iPlayer offered on Nokia N96 from 1 st October

From 1 October a purpose-built application will be available to download via the BBC website and will also be pre-loaded on some handsets.

The software will enable recent BBC TV and radio content to be streamed to the Nokia phone. Although iPlayer is already available as a streaming service to iPhone and iPod Touch users, the BBC said its Nokia N96 collaboration is the first time handset users will be able to download shows too.

The BBC’s iPlayer app for the N96 will be available to download for free from 1 October. It’s also expected to come pre-installed on other phones in future.

Within the capacity of the deal, users will be able to download and stream their favorite BBC programs on their handsets via iPlayer service, which enables people to catch up on TV and radio programs broadcast over the past seven days.

A Nokia spokesman said the service would be 3G and wireless compatible and that Nokia would not charge to use it.

Erik Huggers, BBC Director of Future Media and Technology, said the deal was "critical" to reach out to as many people as possible.

In a statement he said: "Over the past eight months we have worked tirelessly to ensure BBC iPlayer is available on as many platforms as possible, from the PC and TV to games consoles and mobiles.

Nokia’s N96 has a DVB-H TV tuner and supports most common video formats, including MPEG 4, WMV and Flash. Content can be stored on the phone’s 16GB of internal memory and watched back on the 2.8in display.

Since iPlayer is paid for by the license fee, it cannot be accessed outside the geographical boundaries of UK.

"This partnership is critical to ensuring we continue to reach out to audiences wherever they are and allow them to catch-up on their favourite BBC programmes," added Mr Huggers.

Simon Ainslie, managing director at Nokia UK, said: "The Nokia N96 is going to provide a gateway to quality viewing on the move.

"The enormous success of iPlayer has demonstrated the desire audiences have for accessing programmes at a time and a place that suits them," he added.

A BBC spokeswoman said the iPlayer is already available on the iPhone and iTouch, but only for streaming programmes. The Nokia N96 will be the first phone that enables users to download programmes as well, she said.

Some of the programmes available through the iPlayer include EastEnders and Dragon's Den, as well as documentaries such as Who Do You Think You Are? and radio programmes such as The Chris Moyles Show and The Archers.

Although Nokia will offer free access to the iPlayer, owners of the N96 may have to pay for it depending on the deal they have with their network provider.

The BBC will see this as another avenue opened for the iPlayer as they continue to look for new audiences.

Through Nokia, they will have access to a completely new range of people and therefore this is a good deal for them and the future of mobile TV.