BSNL, IIT Kanpur eye D2M broadcast to ease congestion during IPL & other live events

State-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur on Wednesday formalised a strategic partnership that could potentially reshape the way high-demand video content is delivered to mobile users in India, with one of the key use cases centred around easing congestion on cellular networks during marquee events such as the Indian Premier League (IPL).

At the signing ceremony held at BSNL Bhawan in New Delhi, NITI Aayog member Prof. Abhay Karandikar highlighted how Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcasting technology could complement existing telecom infrastructure by shifting broadcast-heavy traffic away from conventional mobile networks.

e4m was the first to report about the collaboration between IIT Kanpur and BSNL to boost D2M technology in the country. 

One of the most compelling applications of D2M, according to Karandikar, would involve delivering popular live broadcasts directly to mobile devices, thereby reducing the burden on 4G networks during periods of peak consumption.

"During IPL seasons or other such events, broadcast-only shows can be offloaded to D2M. This can free up spectrum from 4G and improve the customer experience for regular internet browsing," Karandikar said.

D2M could ease 4G congestion during major live events

The concept addresses a longstanding challenge faced by telecom operators: the surge in data traffic generated by millions of users simultaneously streaming the same content over mobile networks. In the current model, each user effectively receives an individual stream, consuming valuable network capacity. D2M broadcasting, by contrast, allows a single broadcast signal to reach multiple devices simultaneously.

Karandikar said the technology could help operators optimise the use of scarce spectrum resources while creating new opportunities for service innovation.

"This will actually give BSNL an opportunity to design a new product over and above the standard OTT products which run these streaming broadcast media over the cellular spectrum and consume bandwidth," he said.

He added that the approach could be particularly relevant for BSNL, which is in the process of expanding its 4G and future 5G footprint across the country.

"I have been associated with BSNL for a long time and I know specific pain points, particularly in a congested spectrum scenario in 4G. This may actually give an opportunity for BSNL to free up some of the traffic from 4G in times of congestion and give an improved experience to customers," Karandikar noted.

BSNL links D2M ambitions with BharatNet rollout

The D2M initiative forms a central component of the broader collaboration between BSNL and IIT Kanpur, which will also focus on next-generation telecom technologies, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity and indigenous innovation.

BSNL Chairman and Managing Director A. Robert J. Ravi said the company viewed D2M as part of a wider strategy to build an integrated digital ecosystem spanning multiple access technologies.

"We have already been doing a lot of work in direct-to-mobile technology. We have already launched some services on D2M. It will be a complementary effort in that particular sphere," Ravi said.

He outlined BSNL's vision of developing what he described as a "Bharat Mesh Network", integrating different wireless technologies to ensure seamless connectivity across the country.

"What we want is to be a complete umbrella of wireless technology across the country where anybody having a mobile will have access to it, irrespective of the technology," Ravi said.

The executive linked the initiative with the government's BharatNet programme, which aims to provide broadband connectivity to gram panchayats across India.

"We have started rolling out the BharatNet project. We are connecting every gram panchayat through fibre, and all the 18 packages are up and running," he said.

IIT Kanpur says D2M is nearing deployment

IIT Kanpur director Prof. Manindra Agrawal said the partnership had evolved over several years and had now reached a stage where technologies developed within academic settings were moving closer to real-world deployment.

"We are very happy that we have reached a stage when we have some technologies which are coming to a point of actual deployment, specifically the D2M technology," Agrawal said.

"It is quite a unique technology which can really make a difference to access of internet to our rural population across the country," he added.

Agrawal noted that IIT Kanpur's relationship with BSNL extends back nearly two decades through the BSNL-IIT Kanpur Telecom Centre of Excellence, which supported multiple research and startup initiatives.

"It is very nice that we are re-igniting that same flame which we had earlier," he said.

Converged networks to define the future of telecom

Karandikar emphasised that D2M should not be viewed as a replacement for cellular technology but rather as another component within a converged telecom architecture.

"Cellular access is one radio technology, Wi-Fi is another, and digital radio broadcasting through mobile is also becoming another radio access technology," he said.

He said future networks would integrate diverse access technologies—including 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi, satellite communications and D2M broadcasting—through a unified core infrastructure.

The NITI Aayog member also pointed to potential applications in education and public service delivery, particularly when combined with BharatNet's expanding rural fibre backbone.

Government to create enabling framework, not mandates

Responding to questions about whether the government would mandate D2M adoption among smartphone makers or telecom operators, Karandikar clarified that policymakers would focus only on creating an enabling framework.

"The government is not going to issue any mandate. The market will decide," he said.

He said decisions relating to technology standards, commercial viability and consumer adoption would be left to ecosystem participants.

"The operators have to decide. The customers have to decide whether they are getting value," Karandikar said.

He acknowledged that private telecom operators may still be evaluating business models associated with D2M but rejected suggestions that the industry had categorically opposed the technology.

"This technology is still at a pilot stage because the government has not yet framed the contours of the policy," he said.

BSNL to adopt cautious approach towards field trials

While BSNL did not specify timelines for commercial rollout, Ravi indicated that the company would proceed through proof-of-concept validations before scaling deployments.

"We need to cautiously move on. First, we will do proof-of-concept checks. There is no defined timeline," he said.

Industry experts believe that if D2M succeeds in enabling large-scale delivery of live sports and entertainment content without overwhelming mobile networks, it could alter the economics of content distribution and spectrum management in India. For BSNL, the collaboration offers an opportunity to position itself at the forefront of an indigenous technology ecosystem that seeks to address India's unique connectivity challenges while creating exportable solutions for global markets.