HMD, Lava join hands to launch ‘Direct-to-Mobile’ phones in India

The D2M technology is expected to be revolutionary, enabling affordable feature phones, smartphones, and tablets to receive broadcasted content directly

Hyderabad: Finnish mobile phone maker HMD and Indian smartphone manufacturer Lava on Monday announced that they will jointly launch Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) phones in India. This initiative is part of a joint venture with Free Stream Technologies (incubated at IIT-Kanpur), Tejas Networks, and Sinclair.

The D2M technology is expected to be revolutionary, enabling affordable feature phones, smartphones, and tablets to receive broadcasted content directly. Through TV broadcast airwaves, users will be able to access a wide range of services including sports broadcasts, emergency notifications, and more — without requiring mobile internet or Wi-Fi connectivity.

The official unveiling of this technology is expected to take place at the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, scheduled to be held at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai.

What is D2M?

Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) is a broadcasting technology that delivers OTT content, live TV, SMS, audio, and video messages directly to mobile phones — without relying on Wi-Fi or mobile data services. This can be a game-changer, especially in areas with limited internet access or during network outages.

The D2M initiative gives a boost to several of India’s strategic goals such as ‘Viksit Bharat,’ by contributing to the economic transformation of India, ‘Make in India,’ by emphasizing on domestic manufacturing and ‘digital inclusion,’ by providing access to information and entertainment in areas with limited internet connectivity.