India is building TV for your phone, testing YouTube's ad monopoly

Direct-to-Mobile broadcasting, or D2M, is being positioned as India’s next disruptive leap in content delivery — one that could reshape the advertising ecosystem and challenge the dominance of platforms like YouTube, industry leaders told CNBC-TV18.

D2M promises something deceptively simple but potentially transformative: delivering live and free-to-air broadcast content directly to mobile phones without requiring Wi-Fi or an internet connection.

And if nurtured well, experts believe it could mirror the trajectory of India’s digital payments revolution — where UPI began as a niche innovation before becoming ubiquitous.

“This is like UPI — it started one way, but it has gone all pervasive,” said Shashi Sinha, Strategic Advisor at Omnicom Media India, in a conversation with CNBC-TV18.

A uniquely Indian innovation with global potential

Padma Shri Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Co-Founder of Deep Tech for Bharat, described D2M as a “uniquely Indian innovation” emerging from the broadcasting sector.

Drawing parallels with the shift from rooftop antennas to modern delivery systems, Vempati said spectrum once used for traditional Doordarshan-era broadcasting could now enable a new model of mobile-first broadcast distribution.

“India is one of the largest markets for mobile phones and mobile devices… this ability to broadcast directly to people on their devices has strategic value, national value, as well as social value,” he said.

Vempati also argued that India has a rare head start in the global race.

“This Indian chip is ready to go today, while international chips won’t be ready till 2028. We have a three-year window to establish a global standard,” he said.

Could D2M disrupt YouTube’s advertising dominance?

The most striking takeaway from the discussion was the advertising opportunity D2M could unlock — and the disruption it could bring to existing digital video platforms.

Sinha pointed out that YouTube is currently the single biggest platform for monetising content through advertising, larger than any broadcaster.

But D2M could provide a powerful alternative.

“Today, content is monetised on the biggest platform… YouTube. I think this could be an alternative for that,” he said.

He added that D2M could potentially disrupt the revenue structure that has long favoured digital monopolies.

“So, if I was YouTube, I’d be very concerned,” Sinha said bluntly.

Unlike OTT platforms that rely entirely on mobile data, D2M’s broadcast-based model could enable advertisers to reach mass audiences directly, especially in underserved segments.

The Free Dish-to-mobile pathway

Vempati said the most immediate commercial parallel is DD Free Dish, the free-to-air satellite television platform.

“One way to think about D2M is: can we potentially replicate the DD Free Dish model on mobile devices?” he said.

Sinha echoed this bottom-up approach, noting that D2M could begin with audiences currently outside the television ecosystem.

“There are many people who don’t have TV connections — maybe 30 million or more. It will start from there, but it will work its way up,” he said.

Technology is ready — trials already underway

From a technical standpoint, experts say D2M broadcasting has already been proven.

Parag Naik, a wireless semiconductor professional who has worked with Sankhya Labs, explained that D2M relies on mini transmitters installed on mobile towers, similar to base stations used in 4G and 5G networks.

“With a multitude of these, you can ensure coverage into a phone irrespective of where it is in the coverage area,” Naik said.

He added that trials have been running for years.

“We have been doing trials for five or six years… in Bengaluru and Delhi. From a tech point, everything has been proven out,” Naik said.

Scaling, he noted, will depend largely on manufacturing capacity — potentially requiring one to two lakh transmitter boxes.

Regulatory friction and telco resistance

Despite readiness on the network and device side, D2M faces pushback from telecom operators.

Industry body COAI has opposed D2M, citing spectrum concerns and interference risks.

Vempati suggested such resistance is expected when disruptive technologies emerge.

“There is a disruptive technology, and certain incumbent players who have long dominated the mobile space may feel threatened,” he said.

He urged industry stakeholders to view the technology through the lens of national interest.

“If India has come up with an innovation, why can’t we make it the global standard?” Vempati said.

Beyond entertainment: a larger national use-case

While much of the discussion has focused on entertainment and advertising disruption, experts stressed that D2M’s applications could go far beyond YouTube-style content.

Sinha pointed to opportunities in agriculture, business information, and B2B broadcasting.

“You could have farmer-related content, business content — huge opportunity,” he said.

Vempati, meanwhile, underscored D2M’s strategic value in a diverse, mobile-first country like India.

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The road ahead

With chips already integrated into smartphones, dongles and even laptops, and technology trials demonstrating feasibility, D2M’s next chapter will be shaped by regulation, industry alignment and viable revenue models.

But the promise is significant: a broadcast innovation born in India, capable of transforming how content — and advertising — reaches the next billion screens.

If successful, D2M may not just complement India’s digital ecosystem. It could redefine it.

Watch accompanying video for entire discussion.