The government is investigating the potential of broadcasting live TV channels on mobile phones that do not have a data connection. The D2M (direct-to-mobile) technology will allow consumers of mobile phones to watch TV on their mobile phones in the same way cable or DTH users do.
The government is in discussions with stakeholders, including telecom carriers, about how to apply the technology. However, telecom companies may resist the move since D2M could reduce their data revenue, according to an ET story quoting sources.
A conference has been set for next week, with officials from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), and IIT Kanpur, as well as representatives from the telecom and television industries, expected to participate.
The government believes that, with the debut of 5G, there should be a convergence of content delivery via television and broadband.
With TV limited to roughly 210-220 million households, India has nearly 800 million smartphone users, with the number predicted to reach 1 billion by 2026, according to Deloitte’s 2022 Global TMT (Technology, Media and Entertainment, Telecom) report. According to the same estimate, video accounts for more than 80% of internet traffic, making mobile a viable platform for delivering broadcast TV content.
According to the paper, the government intends to use D2M for content delivery, particularly educational and other critical information such as emergency alert systems.
What Is D2M, the Government’s Next-Generation Broadcast Technology?
IIT Kanpur published a whitepaper on India’s D2M broadcast and 5G convergence strategy in June. For hardware requirements, IIT Kanpur has worked with the telecom company Saankhya Labs.
The NexGen Broadcast technology could be viewed as an extension of content delivery networks (CDNs), allowing for seamless integration into the OTT ecosystem and architecture. DTM providers may now use the current CDN infrastructure and edge computing capabilities to create a TV viewing experience on mobile.
According to a whitepaper from IIT Kanpur, a broadcaster can use a Direct-To-Mobile network once it is set up as a data pipe to deliver a variety of applications aside from conventional TV and radio, such as educational content, emergency alert systems, disaster management updates, Video on demand, as well as FOTA (firmware update over the air for automobiles).
Also, Read Gov Restricts Imports Of Laptops For Security & Domestic Manufacturing
Theoretically, the technology provides for more viewership, improved advertising revenue, personalized news and adverts, and mobile network optimization. To test the concept, IIT Kanpur has built up a three-site live Proof-of-Concept (PoC) using low-power BRHs (Broadcast Radio Heads) on cell towers in Bengaluru.
