The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in association with public service broadcaster Prasar Bharat, is exploring the feasibility of a Direct-To-Mobile’ (D2M) technology.
What is Direct-to-mobile (D2M) technology?
- The D2M technology allows to broadcast video and other multimedia content directly to mobile phones, without active internet connection.
- It is based on the convergence of broadband and broadcast. Using this technology, mobile phones will be able to receive terrestrial digital TV.
- It is similar FM radio on mobile phones, in which phone can tap into radio frequencies.
- It improves utilisation of spectrum and consumption of broadband.
What are the uses of D2M technology?
- This technology can be used to directly broadcast content related to citizen-centric information.
- It will help in countering fake news, issuing emergency alerts as well as offering assistance in disaster management.
- It can also be used to broadcast live sports and news on mobile phones.
Significance of the D2M technology
- Through the D2M technology, consumers would be able to access multimedia content from Over The Top (OTT) or Video on Demand (VoD) content platforms without exhausting mobile data.
- This service would be provided at a nominal rate. It will also allow people from rural areas, where internet access is not present or is limited, to watch video content.
- D2M technology will also enable the telecom service providers to offload video traffic for businesses for their mobile network on the broadcast network. It will thus help them in decongesting valuable mobile spectrum.
- The technology would improve usage of mobile spectrum and free up bandwidth, thus reducing the call drops and increasing data speeds etc.
What are the challenges?
To bring key stakeholders like mobile operators onboard is going to be “biggest challenge” in launching D2M technology on a wider scale.
Initiatives by Government
A committee has been set by Department of Telecommunications (DoT), to study the feasibility of spectrum band, in order to offer broadcast services directly to smartphones of users. Band 526-582 MHz is envisaged for working in coordination with broadcast services and mobile services.