Offline video streaming on the horizon; D2M testing to begin 19 cities

Homegrown direct-to-mobile (D2M) broadcasting technology is finally going to undergo testing in 19 cities. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s Apurva Chandra announced at a broadcasting summit.

Through this, India’s mobile users will be able to stream videos and its likeness without an internet connection or a SIM card.

According to Chandra, there are around 80 crore smartphones in India. Out of this, 69 percent of all content consumed is in video format. Due to the heavy use of video, mobiles networks would get clogged, leading to buffering of content, Chandra added.

If 25 to 30 percent of video traffic is shifted to D2M, it would not only unclog the 5G network but subsequently, accelerate digital evolution and democratise content delivery. India has around 280 million households and only 190 million have TV sets. D2M tech would help reach around 8-9 crore such homes in India.

D2M tech has the potential to reach a billion mobile phones. Adoption will result in reduced costs in data transmission, increase network efficiency and can also potentially provide for a nationwide emergency alert system.