I’ve spent a lot of time talking with people in our industry and writing here about mobile digital TV becoming the next big thing. Sounds cliché? Maybe so, but one thing I do know for sure - MDTV is already a mega breakthrough for broadcasters in the digital world. They are busy plugging away and expanding broadcast TV coverage across all 50 states, now that DyleTV^TM is more than just a myth.

I think we’ve been so intent on getting digital over-the-air signals onto our smartphones and tablets, that we’ve ignored one of the fastest-growing mobile TV markets on the planet – India. By end 2013, India is expected to overtake China to become the world's largest mobile market. We will witness a total mobile subscriber base of over 1.160 billion. Enter Doordarshan. Known as “DD” to the locals, they’re a colossal public service broadcaster and part of the largest broadcasting organization in India. And they’ve just jumped head first into mobile TV.

DD provides TV, radio, online and mobile services and have expanded its mobile TV service to smartphone, tablet and laptop users in 50+ major cities. Digital video broadcasting (DVB-T2) services will be running rampant by year end. There’s great potential for mobile TV, especially for sports and Bollywood’s film-based content, a multi-billion dollar industry. Since users are not keen on paying for subscription-based services, the adoption of live, free-to-air broadcast TV will quickly attract those one billion mobile users… on the move.

Consumers in India are already primed and ready for culturally-relevant content and services. Operators have started offering a variety of services, including local broadcasts, social networking, matrimonial services, astrology, mobile radio, and religious programming. Next up? Watching Wimbledon or the Tour de France – live on your mobile device – at a bus stop in Bangalore.