Thu Sep 19 05:07:00 UTC 2024: ## Indian Tech Firms Team Up to Bring Affordable Direct-to-Mobile Devices to Market
**New Delhi, India** – In a major move to democratize access to high-quality multimedia content, Indian tech firm Saankhya Labs has joined forces with US-based Sinclair and FreeStream Technologies to develop low-cost Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) devices. The partnership aims to bring a range of affordable mobile phones, USB dongles, feature phones, and set-top boxes (STBs) to Indian consumers, all powered by Saankhya’s ‘Designed in India’ Pruthvi-3 ATSC 3.0 chipsets.
The initiative, which aligns with the Modi government’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision to boost India’s semiconductor industry, will see consumer trials commence in 2025. These trials, conducted across India, will test the delivery of multimedia content and datacasting directly to mobile devices, enabling users to experience smooth streaming even in areas with limited internet connectivity.
“We are fully equipped to rapidly validate end-to-end performance and gear up for launch,” stated Parag Naik, CEO of Saankhya Labs.
The D2M technology, which utilizes ATSC 3.0’s unique time and frequency interleaving, ensures high-performance streaming even on low-cost devices. It has already been successfully tested in Bengaluru, Delhi, and the United States.
With over 300 million feature phone users in India, Chris Ripley, CEO of Sinclair, believes D2M technology will encourage users to upgrade to these new broadcast-enabled phones at minimal cost. “D2M will ride on the tremendous momentum to expand the mobile technology supply chain in India,” added Sumeet Nindrajog, Director of FreeStream.
This groundbreaking development promises to revolutionize multimedia consumption in India and beyond, making high-quality content accessible to everyone. The launch of these affordable D2M devices, expected in 2025, marks an exciting new chapter in India’s tech journey.
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