D2M broadcast moving closer to launch in India

India appears to be moving closer to a commercial roll-out of the direct-to-mobile ( D2M) technology, having completed significant preparatory work, including pilot projects, tech development and compatible devices, industry executives said, adding that final regulatory approvals, particularly from the information and broadcasting ministry, are still awaited.

D2M technology delivers broadcast content directly to mobile devices without a SIM, using terrestrial broadcast infrastructure. It aims to lower data costs, reduce network congestion and improve access to content across regions, particularly in media-dark areas.

Tejas Networks, through its subsidiary Saankhya Labs, has developed the SL3000 chip, which enables mobile phones to receive television and video content without internet connectivity.

Chris Ripley, president and CEO of US-based Sinclair Broadcasting, a global leader in D2M, said the company has invested tens of millions of dollars to support the roll-out of D2M in India.

Last year, Sinclair Broadcasting partnered with Saankhya Labs and Free Stream Technologies, incubated at IIT-Kanpur, to co-develop affordable mobile phones with integrated D2M capabilities. "India has all three ingredients needed for D2M: over 100 MHz of unused spectrum held by Prasar Bharati, one of the world's largest content markets, and a largely free ad-supported ecosystem," Ripley told ET. "This makes the consumer proposition particularly strong-users don't need to pay for data or content."

However, policy approval remains the missing link, he said, adding, "A full commercial deployment should be sometime next year, assuming the government process works its way through this year."

Government officials indicated that D2M broadcast technology will need to align with a regulatory framework that is still under development. Information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had stated in the Lok Sabha last year that IIT-Kanpur released a white paper and demonstrated a large-scale proof of concept for D2M using Prasar Bharati infrastructure in Bengaluru and Delhi.

Former Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati expressed confidence that policy clearance would follow soon, saying the ministry's nod is "procedural".

"Prasar Bharati is already authorised for terrestrial broadcast, and the spectrum is earmarked for this use. I don't see any issues," he said.

The SL3000 chip developed by Saankhya Labs remains central to the D2M rollout. Mobile manufacturers such as HMD Global and Lava are preparing to launch feature phones with built-in support for D2M broadcasts.

"We've effectively cellularised the broadcast architecture," said Saankhya Labs CEO Parag Naik. "We've developed a 5G-like radio, which will be installed on cellular towers. Using this, we can push content to phones-even in airplane mode."