Lava to launch India’s first D2M-enabled feature phones in partnership with Tejas and Free Stream

Lava International has announced a partnership with Tejas Networks and Free Stream Technologies to manufacture India’s first Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) enabled feature phones. These handsets, designed to receive live TV content and emergency alerts without internet or Wi-Fi, will be unveiled at the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 in Mumbai. The project is in line with the Government of India’s Digital India and Make in India missions.

The D2M technology allows terrestrial TV broadcasts to be transmitted directly to mobile phones, delivering live TV, OTT content, audio, and messages without requiring internet connectivity. It has been jointly developed at Lava’s R&D lab in collaboration with the engineering team at Tejas (formerly Saankhya Labs). The initiative aims to provide critical services and infotainment to users in areas with limited internet access, enhancing national security and digital accessibility.

The upcoming feature phone is built on the MediaTek MT6261 platform and integrates Saankhya’s SL3000 software-defined receiver chip. It comes with a 2.8-inch QVGA display, a dedicated UHF antenna for content reception, GSM support for voice calls, and a 2200mAh battery for extended usage. The phone can stream TV channels and receive alerts directly, making it suitable for remote and underserved regions. Lava’s custom software has been optimised with Saankhya Labs’ SDK for seamless TV tuner operations, ensuring stable broadcast and real-time updates.