New Delhi: Telecom operators have objected to the government’s recent technical tests on direct-to-mobile (D2M) broadcasting, alleging that the process was opaque, incomplete and excluded key stakeholders.
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), representing Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, stated that telecom companies and device makers were not involved and that the terms of reference were not shared in advance.
COAI warned that D2M, which allows TV content to be delivered directly to smartphones without mobile data, could significantly impact spectrum use, networks, devices and consumer safety. It stated that the tests focused on limited parameters while ignoring critical issues, such as certification, licensing, chipset readiness, and India-specific deployment conditions.
The association also flagged the lack of technology neutrality, urging the government to re-run the evaluation through a transparent, inclusive and holistic consultation process.
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