Streaming Live TV Without Internet To Become Easier; HMD, LAVA To Launch D2M Feature Phones In India Soon

Human Mobile Devices (HMD) and Lava have also unveiled plans to roll out feature phones with Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technology, in partnership with FreeStream Technologies, Tejas Networks, and Sinclair Inc. The news comes in advance of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, which will be held from May 1 to 4 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.

What is D2M Technology?

D2M technology allows devices to access live TV, OTT video, audio, and emergency alerts over-the-air through terrestrial broadcast signals directly, without using the internet or Wi-Fi. D2M holds special importance in India, which has more than 230 million users who use feature phones that still do not have internet and Wi-Fi as an option. D2M gives these customers access to multimedia content, government messages, and educational content at no cost from data.

HMD, LAVA Working On D2M Phones

Lava has launched a new D2M-enabled feature phone with Tejas Networks. The phone is based on the MediaTek MT6261 platform and features Saankhya Labs' SL3000 software-defined receiver chip. It features a 2.8-inch QVGA screen, 2,200 mAh battery, and a specific UHF antenna to pick up broadcast signals. The phone is also equipped with GSM capability for voice services and Saankhya's SDK for smooth multimedia streaming.

HMD has also announced its involvement in launching D2M phones to market, although its details are not publicly disclosed. Similar to Lava's phone, HMD's new phone will be based on the SL3000 chip and is intended to increase access to low-cost multimedia content for consumers without internet.

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The technology is ATSC 3.0 standard-based and has already seen successful field trials in India, spearheaded by Prasar Bharati with IIT Kanpur and Tejas Networks. Tejas has also built the underlying network infrastructure to enable services like targeted advertising, CDN offload, and application delivery.

D2M will be pivotal in filling the digital divide, increasing safety through emergency alerting, and supporting the Indian government's 'Make in India' and 'Digital India' programs. With global support from organisations such as Sinclair Inc., D2M technology will soon be a worldwide standard for mobile-first broadcasting.

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