TEC–BECIL MoU targets India-specific convergence standards

The Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), the technical arm of the Department of Telecommunications, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL) to drive collaborative research, standards development and technical contributions in convergence and broadcasting technologies. BECIL, a Mini Ratna CPSE under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, will partner TEC in developing India-specific standards, test frameworks and expert inputs for government and regulator-driven initiatives.

The collaboration is positioned as a key enabler for Digital India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat, with a clear emphasis on building indigenous capabilities in next-generation broadcast–telecom convergence.

D2M and 5G broadcast: Direct content-to-device
A major focus area of the MoU is Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcasting and 5G Broadcast, which aim to deliver multimedia content directly to mobile handsets using broadcast spectrum rather than unicast mobile data. Joint TEC–BECIL studies will look at India-specific deployment models, international standards and test regimes, and how D2M and 5G Broadcast can be integrated into existing telecom and broadcast networks.

For broadcasters and mobile operators, this work is expected to shape reference architectures, spectrum strategies and quality-of-service benchmarks, potentially easing large-scale rollouts of linear TV and radio services over 3GPP-based broadcast bearers.

DRM, DSB and CAS/SMS: Securing and structuring digital delivery
The MoU explicitly covers Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems for IPTV and other content distribution platforms, Digital Sound Broadcasting (DSB), and Conditional Access System (CAS) and Subscriber Management System (SMS) for TV service providers. TEC already plays a central role in CAS/SMS testing and certification under the TRAI Interconnection Regulations framework, and the new collaboration can further refine test guides and compliance procedures for addressable systems.

For distribution platform operators, more robust and standardized CAS/SMS and DRM frameworks mean clearer compliance pathways, tighter control over piracy, and greater confidence for broadcasters on revenue assurance in a highly fragmented pay-TV and OTT environment.

Future broadcast & network technologies: FeMBMS, AI and accessibility
Beyond immediate deployment domains, the TEC–BECIL partnership will explore future broadcast and network technologies including Further evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (FeMBMS), application accessibility for digital inclusion, intelligent user interfaces for broadcast services and AI-enabled functions over integrated broadband cable networks. These areas point to an emerging ecosystem where broadcast streams, broadband connectivity and AI-driven personalization converge to support new service formats and business models.

Such work is likely to inform industry practices on accessible UIs, multi-device service orchestration and intelligent content distribution, especially as cable, IPTV and OTT operators look to unify their infrastructure and analytics layers.

International standardization: Taking India’s requirements global
The MoU aims to strengthen India’s participation in international standardization bodies, including ITU-T, ITU-R and 3GPP, via joint technical studies and contributions. This complements ongoing efforts by national SDOs like TSDSI to transpose and localize global standards to Indian conditions, ensuring that interoperability, spectrum use and service models reflect domestic needs.tsdsi+1

For the broadcast-technology ecosystem, enhanced Indian input into global specifications can reduce the need for later retrofits, lowering integration costs and accelerating time-to-market for devices, head-ends and middleware targeted at India’s converged networks.