HMD & Lava Will Stream Content Into Phones Without Internet — Here's How It Works

HMD is collaborating with FreeStream Technologies, Sinclair, and Tejas Networks to introduce D2M-powered feature phones, smartphones, and tablets.

Lava will also debut a D2M feature phone built in partnership with Tejas Networks.

Source : Lava

HMD and Lava are gearing up to launch phones that can receive live TV, videos, and other digital content without needing Wi-Fi or mobile data. The new Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technology will be showcased at the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, starting May 1 at Mumbai’s Jio World Centre.

No Data? No Problem

HMD is collaborating with FreeStream Technologies, Sinclair, and Tejas Networks to introduce D2M-powered feature phones, smartphones, and tablets. These devices will receive over-the-air content directly, bypassing the internet entirely. According to HMD, D2M is a "next-generation broadcasting technology" that enables direct delivery of OTT, live TV, audio, video, and even text messages to mobile phones.

This game-changing tech is expected to offer major benefits in areas with poor connectivity, while also supporting India’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Design in India’ initiatives.

Lava’s D2M Feature Phone Unveiled

Lava International, the homegrown handset maker, will also debut a D2M feature phone built in partnership with Tejas Networks. The device runs on a MediaTek MT6261 SoC and includes the SL3000 chipset by Saankhya Labs. Key features include a 2.8-inch QVGA screen, 2,200mAh battery, and a UHF antenna for TV reception, along with standard GSM support for voice calls.

The company highlighted that this phone was developed by Lava’s in-house R&D team, underscoring its commitment to local innovation. Field trials for the D2M tech are expected to begin across India shortly.

Global Collaboration, Indian Focus

American telecom firm Sinclair Inc. is also on board, contributing ATSC 3.0 broadcast capabilities to the mix. The standard, widely used in digital terrestrial TV in the US, will be paired with India’s own tech ecosystem to bring advanced broadcasting to mobile devices. “Sinclair is working on the next version, Broadcast to Everything (B2X) technology, with a focus on future 6G needs,” the company stated.

Tejas Networks EVP Parag Naik added that HMD’s upcoming phones will integrate Saankhya Labs' SL-3000 chipset and a “Core Network platform for targeted ads, CDN offload, educational content, emergency alerts, and more.”

With testing already conducted in live networks by Prasar Bharati, IIT Kanpur, and Tejas Networks, the upcoming D2M devices aim to deliver affordable, accessible content, even where mobile data can’t reach.

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