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C-DAC Chennai partners with Nav Wireless for groundbreaking Li-Fi technologies
Mumbai: The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Chennai, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), signed a transfer of technology (ToT) agreement with Nav Wireless Technologies Pvt. Ltd. for the deployment and commercialisation of two cutting-edge technologies: NLOS VICINITY and ILLUMINATE. The agreement was formalised on 28 November 2024 at Electronics Niketan, New Delhi, by C-DAC Chennai, scientist F & centre head, D. Ethirajan and Nav Wireless Technologies Pvt. Ltd, head of the embedded department, Hardik Raval.
MeitY secretary, IAS, S. Krishnan applauded the partnership, highlighting its transformative potential. “These technologies embody the power of public-private collaboration in fostering innovation,” he stated. He praised the perseverance of C-DAC over two and a half years in developing these solutions and the entrepreneurial initiative of Nav Wireless Technologies in embracing them for deployment.
The two technologies, developed under the R&D project titled ‘Visible Light Communication-Based LED Lighting Solutions’, are set to revolutionise communication and lighting control.
. NLOS VICINITY: A Non-Line-Of-Sight Visible Light Communication (VLC) system designed for indoor positioning, proximity advertising, and navigation.
. ILLUMINATE: A VLC-enabled smart indoor lighting and control system ideal for RF-free zones.
Both technologies leverage Visible Light Communication (VLC)/Li-Fi, which uses light waves instead of radio waves for data transmission. Li-Fi offers faster speeds, enhanced security, and greater energy efficiency, making it a transformative alternative to Wi-Fi. It is especially valuable for applications in smart cities, hospitals, airports, and defence sectors, thanks to its minimal electromagnetic interference and robust security features.
The agreement aims to make these solutions widely available and highlights India’s capacity to lead the global Li-Fi market amidst growing digital economy and infrastructure initiatives.
C-DAC Chennai and Nav Wireless Technologies will collaborate to drive the commercial success of these innovations, creating scalable solutions for industries ranging from advertising to critical infrastructure.
The event was attended by key dignitaries, including MeitY additional secretary, IAS, Bhuvnesh Kumar; MeitY, JS&FA, Rajesh Singh; MeitY, scientist G & group coordinator (R&D in CC&BT), S. K. Marwaha; and other senior officials from MeitY and C-DAC, alongside representatives from Nav Wireless Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
New Delhi: Prasar Bharati has thrown open applications for fresh capacity on DD Free Dish, signalling a timely opportunity for broadcasters looking to expand reach without long-term lock-ins. The public service broadcaster has issued a dual notice for its 95th and 96th online e-auctions, aimed at filling vacant MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 slots on a pro-rata basis for February and March 2026.
The two auctions are tentatively scheduled to begin on January 27, with allotments valid from February 1, 2026. Applications for both auctions close on January 21 at 3 pm, giving channels a narrow window to get their bids in.
The 95th e-auction will cover vacant MPEG-2 slots, while the 96th will focus on MPEG-4 capacity. Participation is limited to satellite television channels holding valid downlinking and uplinking permissions from the ministry of information and broadcasting. International public broadcasters cleared by the ministry are also eligible.
As with previous rounds, channels have been grouped into buckets based on genre and language, with sharply differentiated reserve prices reflecting reach and demand.
For the MPEG-2 auction, Hindi and Urdu general entertainment channels sit at the top of the pile. The starting reserve price for bucket A+ in the first round is Rs 2,63,48,000. Movie, music and sports channels in Hindi and Urdu follow in bucket A at Rs 2,10,14,000. Bhojpuri channels and other Hindi and Urdu genres, excluding devotional content, fall under bucket B with a reserve of Rs 1,78,62,000. Hindi and Urdu news channels in bucket C start at Rs 1,33,27,000, while bucket D, which includes regional language channels, English news and devotional or spiritual channels, begins at Rs 1,13,96,000.
The MPEG-4 auction comes in at a far leaner price point. News and current affairs channels in Hindi, English or pan-India languages, grouped under bucket G1, start at Rs 13,41,000. Non-news genres under bucket G2 have a reserve of Rs 8,80,000. Regional languages such as Marathi, Punjabi and Gujarati in bucket R2 begin at Rs 4,84,000. Southern language channels in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, grouped under bucket R1, start at Rs 81,000, the same reserve price set for other scheduled 8 regional languages in bucket R3.
Prasar Bharati has underlined that compliance will be closely watched. Broadcasters must ensure that at least 75 per cent of their monthly programming, excluding advertisements, aligns with the declared genre and language. Any deviation could trigger show-cause notices or even removal from the DD Free Dish platform.
For channels chasing reach in a crowded market, the message is clear. The window is brief, the prices are set and the audience is waiting. On DD Free Dish, visibility still comes cheap, but only for those ready to move fast.
