iWorld
India tunes into the future: D2M phones set to beam broadcast content straight to mobiles
MUMBAI: Say hello to television without the internet. At Waves 2025, India’s flagship World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit to be held at Jio World Centre in Mumbai, a game-changing coalition of technology players will unveil the roadmap to bring direct-to-mobile (D2M) broadcasting to the fingertips of Indian consumers.
The ambitious push is led by FreeStream Technologies, an IIT Kanpur-incubated deeptech startup, alongside mobile giants Lava International and HMD Global, powered by chipsets and infrastructure from Tejas Networks (formerly Saankhya Labs), with global validation from US-based broadcasting behemoth Sinclair Inc.
The tech, hailed as a breakthrough in both communications and accessibility, allows live TV, emergency alerts, educational content, and multimedia programming to be delivered directly to mobile phones via terrestrial broadcast signals — bypassing internet or mobile data altogether.
“This is India’s moment to lead the world in next-gen broadcasting. Lava and HMD are laying the foundation of a robust device ecosystem, and their commitment to scaling up proves D2M is more than a proof of concept — it’s a national opportunity,” said FreeStream Technologies director Sumeet Nindrajog.
Lava, known for its made-in-India ethos, is ensuring that the price-point doesn’t become a hurdle. “Our D2M featurephone design cleverly integrates the modem and apps in a way that keeps costs low — something that has always defined Lava,” said Lava International executive director Sanjeev Agarwal.
HMD — the home of Nokia phones — is matching that energy. “HMD has always been about delivering meaningful innovation. With D2M, we’re enabling consumers to access live content and alerts on their devices, without needing Wi-Fi or mobile data,” said HMD CEO & VP India & APAC. Ravi Kunwar. “This is a global first, and we’re proud to be building it in India.”
Behind the scenes, it’s Tejas Networks’ award-winning SL-3000 D2M chipset — the tech’s beating heart — that makes it all possible. A product of Saankhya Labs (now part of Tejas and the Tata Group), the chip is designed for mobile broadcast reception, even in dense or low-connectivity environments.
“This isn’t just about watching TV — this is about creating a national broadcast backbone that can deliver everything from emergency alerts to targeted education, from CDN offload to next-gen advertising,” said Tejas Networks EVP and co-founder of Saankhya Labs Parag Naik. “It’s an empowerment platform, aligned with PM Modi’s vision of a digitally empowered India and Viksit Bharat.”
Tejas has also built out the full core network platform to support nationwide rollout — integrating both broadcast and broadband layers, a capability rare even by global standards.
From the other side of the Atlantic, Sinclair Inc, a pioneer of ATSC 3.0 — the broadcasting standard enabling D2M — praised India’s swift strides. “The adoption of ATSC 3.0 in affordable mobile devices underscores the foresight of our global investments, and vindicates our ‘mobile-first’ strategy,” said Sinclair Inc president & CEO Chris Ripley. ““India is now in the driver’s seat. Our next focus is B2X — Broadcast to Everything — which will be vital to achieving the goals of 6G and next-gen applications.”
Sinclair’s One Media unit has been working with Indian partners to future-proof mobile broadcasting as a core digital infrastructure. Their role isn’t just investor — they’re co-developers and global evangelists.
Backed by policy momentum and partnerships with Prasar Bharati, the D2M ecosystem has already undergone field trials across live networks. The next step? Nationwide field deployment, with Lava and HMD readying devices for market at scale.
D2M is now not just a tech demonstration — it’s a political, social and commercial opportunity:
* To decongest mobile data networks,
* To deliver content equitably across rural and urban India,
* And to anchor India’s leadership in media-tech manufacturing.
With global standards, Indian R&D, and mass-market readiness coming together, Waves 2025 could well be remembered as the moment India turned its phones into broadcast hubs.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
