Direct-to-mobile tech to allow users stream videos without internet

Mobile users in India might soon be able to stream videos without an internet connection or a SIM card through the use of Direct-to-Mobile broadcasting technology. Trials of the home-grown Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technology would soon be held in 19 cities. The D2M technology would help reach nearly 8-9 crore households.  

Last year, pilot projects to test the technology were carried out in Bengaluru, Kartavya Path and Noida.  

The D2M broadcasting technology has been developed by Saankhya Labs and IIT Kanpur. This technology uses existing land-based communication systems and special frequencies assigned to public broadcasters to send video, audio, and data signals straight to mobile phones and smart devices that can handle them. 

The tech has the potential to reach over a billion mobile devices. Its adoption promises transformative benefits, including cost reductions in data transmission and access, improvements in network efficiency and resilience, and potentially leading to the establishment of a nationwide emergency alert system. 

Addressing a Broadcasting Summit, Information and Broadcasting Secretary Apurva Chandra made a strong pitch for reserving the 470-582 MHz spectrum for this emerging technology. 

In his address, Chandra argued that there exist over 80 crore smartphones in the country and 69 percent of content accessed by users is in video format. He further said heavy use of video led to the clogging of mobile networks, which resulted in the buffering of content. 

He argued that a shift of 25-30% of video traffic to D2M would unclog the 5G networks and accelerate the nation’s digital evolution and democratise content delivery.