Following what officials have described as “reasonably successful” preliminary trials, public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has submitted a comprehensive proposal to the government, outlining the findings and requesting approval for large-scale testing to assess the technology’s commercial viability, according to a New Indian Express report. Direct-to-mobile (D2M) technology enables the live telecast of TV channels on smartphones without the need for an internet connection.
In November, Storyboard18 had exclusively reported that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has completed the ‘proof of concept’ of D2M technology at this stage. The consultation with the industry stakeholders is going to understand its impact.
Read more: EXCLUSIVE: Going through rigor of understanding how to roll out D2M: MIB’s Sanjay Jaju
The MIB is reportedly giving the proposal serious consideration, with an approval expected within the next two months, the NIE report stated. Following the policy decision, the tendering process to select agencies for the trials will commence, though fieldwork may not begin until 8-10 months later, depending on the government’s timeline, it added.
A month ago, Storyboard18 had exclusively reported that MIB has referred the Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcasting proposal to a committee of secretaries. According to sources, this committee includes representatives from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Department of Space (DoS), and MIB. Initially, the D2M broadcasting proposal was intended to go directly to the cabinet.
Direct-to-Mobile is a broadcasting technology that enables users to receive multimedia content on their phones without an internet connection, similar to FM radio, where signals are transmitted and received by a device’s receiver. The government plans to roll-out D2M nationwide especially in tier II and III cities.
Prasar Bharati, in partnership with IIT Kanpur and Saankhya Labs (Tejas Networks), is currently testing D2M technology in over 19 cities in India. This technology could allow the government to broadcast content in areas lacking internet connectivity, focusing on educational programming and emergency broadcasts.
Read more: MIB, TRAI put weight behind D2M Broadcasting, says trial in progress
Read more: EXCLUSIVE: MIB refers D2M broadcasting proposal to committee of secretaries