NEW DELHI: State-run telecom operator BSNL and the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur have signed an agreement to jointly develop, test and commercialize India’s indigenous Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technology, aiming to transform digital content delivery to hundreds of millions of mobile users.
Under the memorandum of understanding, the two institutions will collaborate on D2M broadcasting, next-generation telecom technologies, AI-enabled network analytics, cybersecurity, cloud and edge computing, and strategic digital infrastructure projects.
D2M technology, pioneered by IIT Kanpur with industry partners, enables multimedia content, educational material, public information and emergency alerts to be delivered directly to mobile devices without adding traffic to cellular networks. The technology could potentially reach 800-900 million users over the next decade, according to the partners.
The collaboration will also explore pilot projects, field deployments and commercialization opportunities, while allowing BSNL to leverage its nationwide network of telecom towers and fibre assets for large-scale D2M rollout and new revenue streams. Commercial field trials are expected to begin in major Indian cities before broader expansion.
The partners said the initiative would advance India’s self-reliance goals and position the country as a global leader in next-generation broadcasting technologies.
