GatesAir said a three-year direct-to-mobile field trial in Delhi demonstrated how a hybrid ATSC 3.0 transmission architecture could support national-scale multimedia delivery to mobile and consumer devices. GatesAir is discussing the trial at BroadcastAsia 2026, as well as how the enabling technology can support D2M deployment opportunities.
The project was conducted with India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati and Tejas Networks, an Indian telecommunications and networking technology company. GatesAir said the trial combined its Maxiva XTE ATSC 3.0 exciter with Tejas Networks’ Broadcast Radio Head platform.
According to the companies, the Delhi deployment combined a high-power, high-tower transmission system with low-power, low-tower broadcast radio heads operating in single-frequency network mode. GatesAir said the architecture delivered outdoor and indoor coverage across devices, including televisions, smartphones, tablets, laptops and feature phones. The companies say the deployment marked the first hybrid HPHT/LPLT direct-to-mobile network of its kind globally.
Direct-to-mobile technology uses terrestrial broadcast signals based on the ATSC 3.0 standard to deliver multimedia content to mobile devices without requiring an internet connection. GatesAir said the technology could support live video, audio, educational content and emergency alerts while reducing congestion on cellular and broadband networks. The company added that the field trial also demonstrated that existing DVB-T2 infrastructure could be upgraded to ATSC 3.0 by replacing the exciter, while preserving existing transmission infrastructure investments.
The project has validated a scalable approach for delivering multimedia content, educational services and emergency communications to millions of users
Jacky Yee, head of APAC sales at GatesAir
Jacky Yee, head of APAC sales at GatesAir, said the Delhi trial showed how ATSC 3.0 broadcasting could extend beyond traditional television services. “By combining the reliability and efficiency of over-the-air broadcasting with direct mobile reception, the project has validated a scalable approach for delivering multimedia content, educational services and emergency communications to millions of users, including populations in areas with limited internet connectivity. We are proud to collaborate with Prasar Bharati and Tejas Networks on this groundbreaking initiative,” Yee said.
The Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting worked with IIT Kanpur and Tejas Networks to evaluate direct-to-mobile technology as part of wider digital inclusion initiatives. The companies said the technology could also support emergency information delivery even when mobile networks are unavailable.
Dr. Kanwar Jit Singh, vice president, Satellite, Broadcast & Semiconductors of Tejas Networks, said the hybrid network demonstrated the potential of direct-to-mobile services for digital inclusion and next-generation content delivery.
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