Rapid urbanisation in India is arguably the most intriguing aspect, given that the nation only began participating in the global economy forty years ago. In spite of the fact that there are more than 190 million TV-connected households in the United States, an astounding 90 million remain without power.
In order to tackle this concern, the Indian government intends to implement an innovative technology called Direct-to-Mobile (D2M), which will enable handsets to broadcast live television channels even in the absence of an internet connection. Everything you need to know about it is provided below.
Define direct-to-mobile.
D2M, akin to FM Radio, operates by means of a receiver integrated into a device or smartphone in order to retrieve a multitude of radio frequencies. You may, however, wonder why, in the age of 4G and 5G, such technology is necessary. The answer can be found in the fact that although a considerable proportion of the Indian populace is equipped with high-speed networks, a substantial segment continues to depend on 3G services.
Furthermore, due to the dearth of televisions in these Indian households, these individuals are unable to obtain the most recent news or information regarding the nation.
The photograph is Statista
This is precisely the purpose of D2M, which enables the government to extend digital streaming services to remote regions, thereby expanding their ability to engage with a significant viewership. Moreover, the technology possesses the capacity to mitigate strain on telecommunications networks by as much as 69%. These networks are already contending with the anticipated upsurge in mobile data usage, which is projected to amount to 44.3 exabytes monthly by 2024.
Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology S. Krishnan, on the other hand, stresses that consumer preference is the determining factor in D2M adoption, as government mandate of the technology in smartphones would be unnecessary.
Possible obstacles that may intervene
Notwithstanding the fervour expressed by the government, mobile phone manufacturers and telecom operators, as advocated by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), maintain a prudent stance on account of potential repercussions on data revenue and preexisting business strategies. A significant area of disagreement pertains to the distribution of spectrum, specifically in the sub-GHz range (526 MHz-582 MHz).
The 112 MHz spectrum, which is presently utilised by Prasar Bharati for terrestrial TV broadcasting, is to be utilised in its entirety by the Indian government for D2M. However, the COAI proposes an impartial approach that emphasises the seamless integration of this spectrum into pre-existing mobile networks.