What is D2M technology, which enables mobile users to stream videos without an internet connection, is explained

The federal government has said that 19 cities would soon host trials of the domestic Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technology, which was created by Saankhya Labs and IIT Kanpur. With the help of this technology, users of smartphones will be able to watch movies without requiring an active internet connection.

In June of last year, Prasar Bharti and the Telecommunications Development Society worked with IIT-Kanpur to create a white paper on D2M broadcasting that provided an explanation of the technology.
The Ministry of Communications identified its use cases in a letter dated August 2023. These use cases might include education, content distribution, and information dissemination in emergency or crisis circumstances.
This provides an overview of the technology, including its features, advantages, and underlying technologies that will shape media consumption in the future.
What is D2M?
The letter claims that Direct to Mobile (D2M) is a content distribution strategy that emerged in response to consumer demand for personalized, on-demand content. With the use of this technology, consumers can now access a vast array of multimedia material straight on their smartphones and tablets, doing away with the need for more conventional broadcasting techniques, which include sending signals from a broadcasting station to devices like radios and TVs.
How D2M will operate
Similar to an FM radio, D2M technology sends signals via a station, which FM radios then receive on certain frequencies. In a similar vein, direct-to-home (DTH) broadcasting sends broadcast signals straight to your set-top box from satellites using a dish antenna.
D2M aims to convey signals to receivers, which in this instance will be smartphones, by using the best aspects of both technologies. The system will send data signals straight to mobile phones using allocated spectrum and terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure.
Apurva Chandra, the secretary of information and broadcasting, said the government would set aside the 470–582 MHz spectrum for this new technology. Users won’t need to utilize the internet to directly stream multimedia material like live TV matches thanks to D2M.
How consumers and telecom providers will benefit
This technology is expected to help telecom carriers as well as smartphone consumers. By rerouting 25–30% of video traffic to free up 5G networks, D2M technology will contribute to the nation’s digital transformation and democratization of content distribution.
The government claims that 69% of the information on India’s 80 crore cellphones is seen in video format. In addition to providing service to TV owners, the technology will assist in reaching approximately 8–9 crore “TV Dark” households nationwide.
It is estimated that 190 million of the 280 million homes in the nation already own televisions.