Telcos readying for another challenge, proposed D2M expansion beyond initial 19 cities

A decision has been taken to extend the ongoing pilot project for testing Direct to Mobile (D2M) technology beyond the initial 19 cities. This was decided at a recent inter-ministerial consultation on the issue, officials said.

“There is wide consensus among ministries that D2M technology will be beneficial for India. The pilot testing currently being run by Prasar Bharti will be now expanded to Tier-II and -III cities, from where much of the demand is expected to be generated in the event of a nationwide D2M rollout,” a Department of Telecommunications (DoT) official said requesting not to be named.

However, there is no proposal yet to make it mandatory for handset manufacturers to incorporate D2M technology in mobile phones in India, officials added.

“We have earlier said a scheme can be brought in to aid domestic production of handsets and related equipment needed for D2M technology support. That option remains open going forward. No mandate is proposed so far,” the DoT official added. The DoT did not respond to a query seeking comment.

D2M is a proposed broadcasting technology capable of transmitting multimedia content to consumers’ smartphones without requiring an active internet connection. Once handsets are allowed to capture terrestrial television (TV) signals, it can stream live TV. But there is a lack of such handsets in the Indian market.

Meanwhile, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has backed D2M in India as part of its recommendations on the National Broadcasting Policy. The use and expansion of digital terrestrial broadcasting to television and mobile devices should be considered as a complementary broadcasting technology to co-exist with cable and satellite broadcasting. TRAI officials indicated that no further consultations on the matter are scheduled so far.

Concerted push
The government hopes to leverage the technology to provide a large chunk of the population still using 3G services with digital streaming. In areas such as education, D2M is expected to provide rural populations with quality video content without putting load on the already stretched spectrum.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has, in particular, pushed D2M technology, arguing that of the 280 million households in India, only 190 million have a television, with the rest being “TV dark”. Meanwhile, the growing number of smartphones stands at 800 million, alongside 250 million feature phones.

The technology can also be utilized to lay off the stress being put on telecom networks by India’s burgeoning mobile data consumption, MIB officials believe.

But while the government has backed the technology, mobile phone manufacturers and telecom operators remain against D2M. Telecom operator body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has said spectrum allocation, network integration, and regulatory and cost arbitrage for D2M need to be re-evaluated. “Building a dedicated D2M network by earmarking spectrum specifically for the broadcasting infrastructure providing competing/complimentary services would lead to breach of level-playing field,” it had said earlier this year.

A key point of contention would be spectrum. The proposed D2M network operates in the sub-GHz band (526MHz-582MHz). It is currently used by Prasar Bharati, along with many analogue and digital terrestrial TV transmitters. It was decided in 2021 that this be shared between broadcasting services and 5G telecommunication services. COAI has called for a transparent auction of spectrum in the band, and a “technology-neutral approach with a focus on seamless integration into the existing mobile networks”.

Telcos are also concerned about losing revenue from video consumption, a key segment that continues to grow. The technology may also force a rethink on the 5G strategies of telcos. Business Standard