TEC, BECIL join hands to shape India’s next gen broadcast standards

MUMBAI: The future of broadcasting is tuning in and this time, the signal is carrying much more than television. As telecom and media continue to blur into one digital highway, India is laying the technical groundwork for the next generation of content delivery.

In a move that could accelerate the country’s broadcast modernisation drive, the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), the technical arm of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL) to jointly develop technical standards for emerging technologies such as Direct-to-Mobile (D2M), IPTV and 5G Broadcast.

The partnership comes as India explores new-age broadcasting models that promise to reduce dependence on traditional terrestrial and satellite infrastructure while improving spectrum efficiency and expanding digital content distribution.

Under the agreement, TEC and BECIL will jointly undertake technical studies, research and standardisation activities across a wide range of broadcast and convergence technologies. The collaboration will also strengthen India’s participation in global standards bodies, including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T and ITU-R) and the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).

A key focus of the collaboration will be Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcasting, which allows live television, multimedia content and emergency alerts to be delivered directly to compatible smartphones without relying on mobile data networks. The two organisations will work on developing India-specific standards and testing frameworks for both D2M and 5G Broadcast, technologies increasingly seen as critical for large-scale public content distribution, disaster communications and more efficient use of spectrum.

The partnership extends beyond mobile broadcasting. TEC and BECIL will also collaborate on Digital Rights Management (DRM) technologies for IPTV and digital content platforms, supporting secure content delivery as IPTV adoption gathers pace alongside cable and satellite television.

The scope of work further includes studies on Conditional Access Systems (CAS) and Subscriber Management Systems (SMS), two core technologies underpinning pay television distribution and subscriber authentication.

Looking ahead, the collaboration will also examine future-facing technologies such as Further evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (FeMBMS), AI-enabled broadcasting, integrated broadband cable network enhancements, digital accessibility features and intelligent user interface technologies. Studies on Digital Sound Broadcasting (DSB) also form part of the roadmap, reflecting the government’s broader push to modernise television, radio and digital multimedia infrastructure.

Officials said the MoU creates a formal mechanism for the two organisations to jointly conduct technical studies and provide expert recommendations on matters referred by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), DoT and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Beyond technology, the collaboration is expected to strengthen India’s indigenous capabilities in broadcast innovation as global telecom and media ecosystems continue to converge. It also aligns with the government’s Digital India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives by supporting home-grown standards while enhancing India’s contribution to international standardisation efforts.

The agreement was signed in New Delhi by Devendra Singh, Deputy Director General, TEC, and Ramit Lala, Deputy General Manager (Projects), BECIL, in the presence of Syed Tausif Abbas, Senior Deputy Director General and Head of TEC.