HMD announces plans to launch Direct-to-Mobile phones in India ahead of field trials
- Sub Editor
- Apr 28
- 4 min read
HMD, in collaboration with Free Stream Technologies (incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur) and other D2M partners, announces launch plans underway to meet mass consumer demand for Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) phones ahead of large-scale field trials in India. The announcement will be made at the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 held at Jio World Centre, Mumbai.
Direct-to-Mobile is a breakthrough Next-Generation Broadcasting technology that delivers OTT & live TV, video, audio, and text messages directly to mobile phones without requiring Wi-Fi or internet service. This aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for Viksit Bharat (economic transformation of India) and supports the 'Make in India' and 'Design in India' initiatives.
Giving a boost to the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Design in India’ efforts, low-cost feature phones, smartphones and tablets are powered by Tejas Networks. This technology has undergone extensive testing in live networks by Prasar Bharati in collaboration with IIT Kanpur and Tejas Networks for several years.
On this occasion, Ravi Kunwar, VP and CEO, HMD India and APAC, expressed, "HMD has always been committed to staying ahead of the innovation curve and delivering the best consumer experience. With this philosophy at the core of our mission, we're excited to be a part of the D2M journey. This groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind platform worldwide enables our consumers to access a vast array of multimedia content."
"Sumeet Nindrajog, Director of FreeStream Technologies, said, “D2M is a technology that can transform how content & data gets consumed by the end users and the commitment from companies like HMD to establish the foundation for a robust device ecosystem is instrumental for our nationwide deployment strategy. Their ability to supply devices at scale demonstrates strong confidence in D2M’s future success.”
Parag Naik, co-founder of erstwhile Saankhya Labs and Executive Vice President, Tejas Networks, said, “The phones are powered by Saankhya Labs’ award-winning SL-3000 chipset, which is the foundational D2M enabler. We have also developed the Core Network platform that will enable delivery of targeted Ads, CDN offload, educational content, emergency alerts and other apps that will empower the consumers furthering PM Modi’s vision of a digitally empowered India. Our collaboration with HMD has truly been path breaking and we truly expect the best out of it.”
Chris Ripley, President and CEO, Sinclair Inc., expressed, “Large scale adoption of ATSC 3.0 in affordable mobile devices vindicates Sinclair’s forethought in leading US and global deployment of this broadcast standard as “mobile first” and in investing in Made by India technology. To meet future 6G goals, we are spearheading the next release of the standard - “Broadcast to everything” (B2X) which will unleash next generation broadcast apps for numerous verticals. We are proud to have companies like HMD as our partners in this initiative.”
The implementation of D2M technology will enable Indian consumers to access entertainment, sports, educational programming, and emergency alerts directly on their mobile devices through terrestrial TV broadcast airwaves. This technology has been under development and testing in India for several years, with HMD now positioning itself as one of the first device manufacturers ready to bring this capability to market.
About Human Mobile Devices
We are HMD, Human Mobile Devices. At HMD, we start by tuning into what people really want. Our consumers are passionate about the planet, often feel swamped by digital overload, and are keeping a close eye on their budget. That’s why we are thrilled to be Europe’s largest smartphone maker, championing repair-at-home phones, and a go-to for much needed digital time out.
Coming this year, you can expect to see a new portfolio of HMD original mobile devices, as well as Nokia phones and exciting new partnerships. For further information, see www.hmd.com
About FreeStream
Incubated at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK), Free Stream Technologies Pvt. Ltd. is India's first and only 'Chips to Platform' DeepTech start-up that is focused on developing, deploying, and managing nationwide network infrastructure for cutting-edge Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcast technology and related platform services. We communicate our growth strategy at www.freestream.ai.
About Tejas Networks Limited
Tejas Networks (BSE: 540595) (NSE: TEJASNET), Tejas Networks Ltd. designs and manufactures high-performance wireline and wireless networking products for telecommunications service providers, internet service providers, utilities, defence and government entities in over 75 countries. Tejas Networks Ltd. is a part of the Tata Group, with Panatone Finvest Ltd. (a subsidiary of Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd.) being the majority shareholder. Tejas Networks acquired Saankhya Labs, an innovative, leading-edge technology company with a breadth of wireless communication system solutions. Saankhya Labs offered a wide range of communication products for 5G NR, Broadcast and Satellite Communication applications. With over 100 international technology patents and unique 'chipset-to-systems' expertise, Saankhya’s solutions included the award-winning SDR chipsets for communication, next-gen Open RAN Solutions for 5G networks, multi-standard direct to mobile (D2M) broadcast and Satcom solutions. For more information, visit www.tejasnetworks.com.
About Sinclair
Sinclair, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI) is a diversified media company and a leading provider of local broadcast television, including news and sports. Sinclair’s Hunt Valley, Maryland-based ONE Media subsidiary, has a vision to build and globally deploy innovative “Next Generation” platforms and technologies for wireless broadcast of enhanced video, data, and nationally important services. Sinclair and ONE Media regularly use their websites as key sources of company information, which can be accessed at www.sbgi.net and www.onemediallc.com, respectively.
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