MIB sends D2M broadcasting proposal to a committee of secretaries for review

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has referred the Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) proposal to a committee comprising DoT, MeitY, DoS, and MIB. TRAI joins MIB and supports D2M for expanding digital broadcasts.

The telcos, chipset, smartphone, and telecom equipment makers have opposed the initiative. They argue that establishing a dedicated Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) network by allocating spectrum specifically for broadcasting infrastructure and offering competing or complementary services would result in an unfair advantage and breach the principle of a level playing field.

The government plans to roll out D2M nationwide, especially in tier II and III cities. It is a broadcasting technology that allows subscribers to receive multimedia content on the phone without an internet connection. It works much like FM radio, where signals are transmitted and picked up by a receiver in the device. The government plans to utilize the 526 MHz-582 MHz frequency band currently allocated to Prasar Bharati,

Prasar Bharati, in partnership with IIT Kanpur and Saankhya Labs (Tejas Networks), is currently testing D2M technology in over 19 cities in India.
BCS Bureau