Prasar Bharati will call for bids within a year to rollout large scale testing of Direct to Mobile (D2M) technology in the country to establish a viable business model. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had referred the Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcasting proposal to a committee of secretaries.
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.
On the sidelines of FICCI Frames 2025, Gaurav Dwivedi, Chief Executive Officer, Prasar Bharati said, “The proof-of-concept testing has been completed successfully across 19 cities using both high-power and low-power transmitters. Now, we are looking at a slightly longer-term model to establish its business viability. Within a year, we will invite bids from technology companies for large-scale testing over a period of three to five years to establish viable business model.”
Read More: EXCLUSIVE: MIB refers D2M broadcasting proposal to committee of secretaries
Discussing the relevance of D2M, Dwivedi highlighted, “While there is a belief that streaming is replacing broadcast, we see the broadcast sector as still very vibrant. So the D2M idea essentially is that on the mobile devices, for people who want to consume content on the move, this provides them an option whether they would want to consume content through data download or whether they want to consume it in a broadcasting mode. So as far as the technology is concerned, as I mentioned, the proof of concept testing has been completed satisfactorily.”
Dwivedi said, “As we move forward in the next few months towards rolling it out across these 19 cities with formalized private sector participation, then the picture should become clearer. (3:56) And based on that result, I think the players in the market can then devise their own strategies and then we should see how the sector evolves over the next few years.”
With multiple ministries involved such as Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Department of Space (DoS), and MIB, Dwivedi said, “This technology impacts multiple ministries—not just Information & Broadcasting. A decision can only be made after considering all stakeholder concerns. These discussions are progressing satisfactorily.”
Experts suggest that the entire spectrum from 472 MHz till 582 MHz should be reserved for D2M technology. Currently, a part of this spectrum is being reserved for mobility use.
Telecommunications companies have voiced opposition to the D2M initiative, citing potential business losses in video consumption, one of India’s fastest-growing market. However, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has supported D2M technology as a means to expand digital terrestrial broadcasting, allowing it to coexist alongside cable and satellite.
The MIB has strongly advocated for D2M, highlighting that, of the 280 million households in India, only 190 million have a television, leaving the rest “TV Dark.” In contrast, there are approximately 800 million smartphone users and 250 million feature phone users in the country.
Read more: Prasar Bharati’s WAVES vs D2M: Committee of Secretaries meet to discuss D2M tech
Regarding telecom operators’ concerns about potential data usage impacts, Dwivedi emphasized, “Ultimately, the decision must be taken in the best interest of consumers. They should have the option to choose whether they want to stream content via data or access it through broadcasting.”
When asked about the concerns regarding D2M affecting Waves OTT’s growth in the long run, Dwivedi stated, “The public broadcaster must be present across all platforms—radio, television, set-top boxes, D2M, and streaming. It is up to the consumer to decide which mode they prefer.”
Growth of WAVES OTT
Further, Dwivedi spoke about the concept of keeping WAVES OTT as an ad supported platform, “The basic idea behind keeping an ad-supported platform is that as a public service broadcaster, Prasar Bharati has an obligation to reach the largest number of audiences across the country. Having an entry barrier, such as high subscription fees, runs contrary to that spirit.”
On the growth of advertisers, he added, “We are seeing a good trend in daily viewership. Since we present a diverse range of content—audio, video, archives, new content, gaming, and more—we are witnessing engagement across different categories. This has, in turn, attracted significant advertising spends, including from major brands like Amul.” Looking ahead, Dwivedi is optimistic about the platform’s future trajectory, “In the coming months, we expect stronger growth. Our objective is to reach every last member of the audience, and we are working towards that.”