As India moves forward with the implementation of Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) networks, a critical design challenge arises, especially for budget smartphones. These devices, often compact, face significant reception issues due to their limited capacity to incorporate antennas of the optimal size, a factor vital for efficient and low-loss signal reception.
The heart of this issue lies in the D2M networks’ designated frequency range of 526 to 582 MHz, substantially lower than standard mobile network frequencies. This lower spectrum necessitates larger antennas, adhering to the core relationship between wavelength (lambda) and antenna size. Antennas that fall short of the ideal size could result in considerable signal coverage challenges, potentially demanding a denser network of towers to maintain seamless service.
