The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has expressed strong concerns over the manner in which the recent technical tests on Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcasting were conducted, saying the exercise was not comprehensive, incomplete and inconsistent with the advisory framework envisaged by the government.
According to COAI, D2M broadcasting has significant impacts on spectrum management, telecommunications networks, device ecosystems and consumer safety. Given the potential impact, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had directed at a stakeholder meeting in September 2025 that a comprehensive technical assessment should be conducted with clearly defined Statements of Work (ToR), involvement of all stakeholders and inclusion of all relevant technology options.
Lieutenant General Dr. SP Kochhar, Director General, COAI, said, “Direct-to-mobile broadcasting has far-reaching implications on spectrum, networks, devices and consumer safety. Any technical assessment of such technology at the national level must be transparent, inclusive, technology-neutral and actively involve all concerned stakeholders. COAI strongly believes that policy decisions of this magnitude must be based on comprehensive technical assessments to ensure network integrity, efficient spectrum utilization and long-term digital growth.”
COAI said the telecom industry was surprised when a technical test report was released without involvement of telecom service providers or device ecosystem partners. The association also pointed out that the ToR for the tests were not communicated to stakeholders before the assessment, raising questions about transparency and procedural fairness.
COAI also noted that the scope of the tests appeared to be limited, focusing mainly on parameters such as interference and device heating, while excluding several critical aspects. These include electromagnetic field (EMF) compliance, device certification requirements, regulatory and licensing implications, real-world usage scenarios, and device and chipset ecosystem readiness.
The association also highlighted that the testing methodology did not adequately reflect India-specific spectrum allocations and deployment conditions, potentially limiting the relevance of the results to actual operational telecommunications networks in the country. Another major concern for COAI was the lack of technology neutrality in the assessment.
The tests reportedly focused on a single technology standard without evaluating other globally relevant alternatives such as mobile-based broadcast technologies. COAI warned that selective assessment could prejudge results and have unintended consequences on India’s digital and telecom ecosystem.
The telecom industry highlighted the impact of D2M on spectrum bands dedicated to current and future IMT/5G services and reiterated the need for active participation by telecom operators and regulators to address coexistence challenges, interference risks and long-term spectrum planning considerations.
COAI has urged the government to re-conduct the technical assessment with a ToR finalized by stakeholders, ensure a technology-neutral assessment of all relevant options and involve telecom operators, device manufacturers, chipset vendors, regulators and accredited laboratories in the entire process. The association has also called for a structured public consultation under the auspices of DoT and TRAI and development of standards and performance benchmarks through an open consultation process led by the Telecom Engineering Center (TEC).
Published on January 5, 2026