Tag: HMD Global

India tunes into the future: D2M phones set to beam broadcast content straight to mobiles

MUMBAI: Say hello to television without the internet. At Waves 2025, India’s flagship World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit to be held at Jio World Centre in Mumbai, a game-changing coalition of technology players will unveil the roadmap to bring direct-to-mobile (D2M) broadcasting to the fingertips of Indian consumers.

The ambitious push is led by FreeStream Technologies, an IIT Kanpur-incubated deeptech startup, alongside mobile giants Lava International and HMD Global, powered by chipsets and infrastructure from Tejas Networks (formerly Saankhya Labs), with global validation from US-based broadcasting behemoth Sinclair Inc.
The tech, hailed as a breakthrough in both communications and accessibility, allows live TV, emergency alerts, educational content, and multimedia programming to be delivered directly to mobile phones via terrestrial broadcast signals — bypassing internet or mobile data altogether.

“This is India’s moment to lead the world in next-gen broadcasting. Lava and HMD are laying the foundation of a robust device ecosystem, and their commitment to scaling up proves D2M is more than a proof of concept — it’s a national opportunity,” said FreeStream Technologies director Sumeet Nindrajog.

Lava, known for its made-in-India ethos, is ensuring that the price-point doesn’t become a hurdle. “Our D2M featurephone design cleverly integrates the modem and apps in a way that keeps costs low — something that has always defined Lava,” said Lava International executive director Sanjeev Agarwal.

HMD — the home of Nokia phones — is matching that energy. “HMD has always been about delivering meaningful innovation. With D2M, we’re enabling consumers to access live content and alerts on their devices, without needing Wi-Fi or mobile data,” said HMD CEO & VP India & APAC. Ravi Kunwar. “This is a global first, and we’re proud to be building it in India.”

Behind the scenes, it’s Tejas Networks’ award-winning SL-3000 D2M chipset — the tech’s beating heart — that makes it all possible. A product of Saankhya Labs (now part of Tejas and the Tata Group), the chip is designed for mobile broadcast reception, even in dense or low-connectivity environments.

“This isn’t just about watching TV — this is about creating a national broadcast backbone that can deliver everything from emergency alerts to targeted education, from CDN offload to next-gen advertising,” said Tejas Networks EVP and co-founder of Saankhya Labs Parag Naik. “It’s an empowerment platform, aligned with PM Modi’s vision of a digitally empowered India and Viksit Bharat.”

Tejas has also built out the full core network platform to support nationwide rollout — integrating both broadcast and broadband layers, a capability rare even by global standards.

From the other side of the Atlantic, Sinclair Inc, a pioneer of ATSC 3.0 — the broadcasting standard enabling D2M — praised India’s swift strides. “The adoption of ATSC 3.0 in affordable mobile devices underscores the foresight of our global investments, and vindicates our ‘mobile-first’ strategy,” said Sinclair Inc president & CEO Chris Ripley. ““India is now in the driver’s seat. Our next focus is B2X — Broadcast to Everything — which will be vital to achieving the goals of 6G and next-gen applications.”

Sinclair’s One Media unit has been working with Indian partners to future-proof mobile broadcasting as a core digital infrastructure. Their role isn’t just investor — they’re co-developers and global evangelists.

Backed by policy momentum and partnerships with Prasar Bharati, the D2M ecosystem has already undergone field trials across live networks. The next step? Nationwide field deployment, with Lava and HMD readying devices for market at scale.

D2M is now not just a tech demonstration — it’s a political, social and commercial opportunity:
* To decongest mobile data networks,
* To deliver content equitably across rural and urban India,
* And to anchor India’s leadership in media-tech manufacturing.

With global standards, Indian R&D, and mass-market readiness coming together, Waves 2025 could well be remembered as the moment India turned its phones into broadcast hubs.

April 29, 2025
Channelplay to enhance semi-permanent flanges for HMD in 6,000 stores

Mumbai : Channelplay Ltd, a visual merchandising and retail execution, has been awarded the mandate by HMD Global to enhance the brand’s in-store visibility through the installation of lit hanging flanges. This initiative will span 6000 stores across India, positioning HMD as a leading presence within the multi-brand outlet (MBO) landscape and providing a long-term branding solution in-store.

The project will commence with a pilot phase in 500 stores, where Channelplay will manufacture and install premium, lit hanging flanges designed to achieve sustained brand visibility. This initial deployment, set for completion within a targeted 45-day period, marks a forward-thinking approach by HMD Global to leverage semi-permanent branding solutions that will stay relevant in-store for extended periods.

“We are thrilled to partner with HMD Global on this impactful initiative. The deployment of lit hanging flanges serves as a semi-permanent in-store branding tool, providing lasting visibility and brand presence for HMD in stores across India,” said Channelplay Ltd vice president of visual merchandising business Yasir Hussain “Flanges are increasingly becoming a preferred choice for brands, particularly in MBO channels, as they offer an effective, long-term visibility solution that integrates seamlessly with the retail environment. HMD’s decision to adopt this approach highlights their agility and commitment to staying ahead of industry trends by investing in innovative in-store branding strategies that engage customers and enhance brand recall.”

This pilot project will not only set the groundwork for an expansive rollout to the remaining 5500 stores but also demonstrate the effectiveness of flanges as a durable branding medium that offers continued impact over time. By choosing this route, HMD Global showcases their quick-thinking and dedication to staying ahead of industry shifts, making a strong, lasting impression on customers within the competitive retail market.

This collaboration solidifies Channelplay’s role as a trusted partner for retail and visual merchandising solutions, catering to some of the most recognized brands in the market.

November 27, 2024
The Coca-Cola Company names Aditi Anand as head of creative strategy

Mumbai: The Coca-Cola Company has appointed Aditi Anand as the head of creative strategy for brand Coca-Cola for India and South-West Asia.

Before joining Coca-Cola, Aditi was HMD Global’s head – brand, media, and digital marketing where she was at the helm of brand and media strategy for Nokia mobiles in India.

Aditi brings with her 14 years of industry experience in large-scale global and Indian brands like Flipkart, Bharti Airtel, and Micromax Informatics. She has led teams across multiple marketing sub-functions like brand strategy & media, digital content & experiences, consumer insights, retail, eCommerce, and marketing analytics.

“Excited to start a new inning with The Coca-Cola Company as Head of Creative Strategy on Brand Coke for India & Southwest Asia,” Aditi wrote in a LinkedIn post.

July 6, 2021
WATConsult adds HMD Global to its client roster

Mumbai: WATConsult, the globally awarded hybrid digital agency from the house of Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) India, has won the Online Reputation Management (ORM) and Digital Listening duties for HMD Global, the home of Nokia Phones. Headquartered in Finland, Europe, the company has been focusing to scale up its digital footprint across multiple platforms and geographies.

WATConsult bagged the account following a multi-agency pitch and will now handle the brand from its Mumbai office.

As per the mandate, the agency will focus on managing end-to-end ORM for the brand along with Digital and Social Listening duties for its set products. The scope covers all consumer touchpoints including digital media, review sites and e-commerce platforms. Apart from this, the agency will also utilise Image Recognition (IR) and Audio Fingerprinting technologies to enhance the brand’s digital listening efficiencies. This will be done by tracking visual-first content on platforms like Tiktok, YouTube and Instagram, to name a few.

HMD Global CMO – India, Ruchira Jaitly said, “I am excited to have WATConsult on board on this journey. Nokia phones are one of the most trusted and revered consumer tech portfolios in India and I cannot emphasise enough the need for us to continue building this trust into every aspect of our digital marketing efforts as we grow. We hold WATConsult to our highest expectations and know they will help us to maintain and build our credentials with our consumers and fans, bringing top skills and latest tech to the table.”

WATConsult CEO Heeru Dingra added, “It is our pleasure to have partnered with HMD Global for Nokia Phones, one of the most renowned brands in the mobile segment. This boosts our ORM vertical’s brand bouquet along with our capabilities in technology as we bring in more Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the listening business. With digital and social listening emerging as essential tools for brands, we look forward to assisting them in their digital voyage with the best of our solutions and strategy.”

June 29, 2020
Kolkata Knight Riders, Nokia reunite after 3 years for IPL

MUMBAI: Nokia is back after an absence of three seasons at the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has reunited with former partner Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the next two seasons.

Nokia is the principal sponsor of the Shah Rukh Khan-owned KKR in the IPL.The duo unveiled the new official team jersey for the 2018 season sporting the Nokia logo.

HMD Global VP and country head India Ajey Mehta said, “Nokia brand and KKR have a history together and we are delighted to reunite the two again. KKR is amongst the most successful IPL franchisees and teams on the IPL circuit and like Nokia brand enjoys a pan India appeal.”

Nokia was the principal sponsor of KKR from 2008 till 2014.

Meanwhile, KKR has revealed all nine sponsors and six commercial partners for the IPL 2018 season. In addition to the title sponsors Nokia, it has signed on board Jio Digital Life, LuxCozi, Excide batteries, SRMB TMT, Royal Stag, Greenply, Khadim’s and JBL Harman as official sponsors.

IPL 2018 commences on 7 April and the first KKR match is scheduled on 8 April with the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Dinesh Karthik will be captaining KKR.

Also Read:

IPL 2018: Team sponsorship deals may see an uptick

Mumbai Indians gets Goibibo as principal sponsor for IPL 2018

IPL gets 34 major brands on board this season

April 2, 2018
Nokia’s new phone with 2 days battery life

MUMBAI: HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones has launched Nokia 2, that will come power packed with two days of battery life. The phone comes with a 5 inch high quality display with the latest Android software. The smartphone comes with a 8MP rear camera featuring automatic scene detection and auto focus and a 5MP front camera. It is also loaded with a high capacity 4100 mAh battery.

HMD Global chief product officer Juho Sarvikas said, “People rely on their phones so much these days with many people subconsciously rationing their battery life when out and about so they can last the day, which is why we created a smartphone that can power through when other devices need a pit stop.”

Qualcomm India vice president Larry Paulson adds, “Mobile is the key device for over 90 per cent Indians to access the internet. India is now the leading mobile data consumption market in the world. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile Platform, the new Nokia 2 brings reliability, affordability and cutting-edge battery life to meet the requirements of the new age smartphone user.”

Nokia 2 will be available in Pewter/Black, Pewter/White and Copper/Black for a global average retail price of Rs 7500.

November 1, 2017