The DRM Consortium (represented by over a dozen Indian and foreign experts) participated in the event called by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on January 8. This event is chapter 3 of the regulator consultation that started with the Consultation Paper (CP) regarding the formulation of a Digital Radio Broadcast Policy for private radio broadcasters, released on September 30, 2024.
During the two-phase written submission process in 2024, TRAI received 43 comments and 13 counter-comments. The Open House Consultation gave many of those who submitted their answers to the about 30 questions posed by TRAI to freely express their arguments, as well. Over 90 participants were involved in the debate.
This complex consultation process started more than 6 years ago, and, on several occasions, TRAI has urged the government to issue a detailed policy framework for Digital Radio Broadcasting in India, which should provide a detailed and timely roadmap for rolling out digital radio broadcasting services.
Private radio broadcasters are currently transmitting in the FM frequency band (88-108 MHz) only and their coverage is limited to big metros and cities with the third phase of allocating FM licenses to smaller places still unfinished.
In the 6 hour-long virtual free discussion the DRM presented strong facts in favour of DRM – already being broadcast on about All India Radio 40 transmitters on mediumwave and short wave to being extended to FM.
The DRM digital radio is the most modern, non-proprietary, open digital radio standard. It is recognised and endorsed by relevant organisations namely ITU and ETSI. DRM works in all the broadcast bands. A major DRM advantage is its capability to broadcast in AM and FM three to four audio channels on a single frequency carrier (and an additional data channel), while ensuring excellent quality of audio for all the channels. In the analogue mode only one channel is possible on a frequency carrier.
The DRM arguments were underlining the open and global nature of the ITU-endorsed standard, the indisputable value of having only one digital standard available in all frequency bands and already introduced in India to cover the whole of the country and deliver information, education, entertainment, distance learning, emergency warnings, several times mentioned during the January 8th event. Emergency Warning Functionality (EWF) is a native core feature of DRM. The EWF programme comprises both audio and text/visual information via Journaline. The audio is enhanced by the audio text which provides detailed information on the screen of the radio set (without the need for the Internet), also in multiple languages simultaneously.
DRM was not the only one contingent that opposed the idea of several standards being deployed (and confusing) the Indian market. Many speakers expressed strong opinions against the idea of implementing a mixture of two standards for digitising FM in India. The arguments were mainly linked to cost, technical reasons, and implementation.
There was also a vigorous debate about “letting the market” – i.e. either the private broadcasters or the listeners – decide which technological platform to be used. This is an argument sometimes invoked but never applied anywhere in the world, since private broadcasters are very aware of the costs and listeners do not care about technology if the quality is good, the content is attractive, and the receiving platform is affordable.
The cost-effectiveness of the DRM digital standard was presented in relation to transmissions. DRM is not only green, and its proven multi-channel option can be applied in white spaces or in flexibly chosen and available spaces in the FM band, without the need to have the digital channels stuck to the analogue signal, as in the case of the other technology presented, HD IBOC.
Not only does DRM provide high-quality audio, but it also offers a range of additional services. One DRM digital service offers up to 4 services (3 audio and 1 multimedia service such as Journaline) on a single transmission frequency (one DRM block). DRM offers the flexibility to also operate as “Single-Transmitter Simulcast” with digital sidebands and analogue signal originating from the same transmitter (Fig 1).
In addition, DRM can operate as “Pure Digital Transmission” while providing simulcast to existing analogue transmission via Alternative Frequency Signalling (AFS).
Importantly, DRM digital radio is scalable both in terms of service offering and spectrum usage. This scalability makes DRM digital radio a highly spectrum-optimal and energy-efficient system. Here is a typical scenario (Fig 3) where a side-by-side combination of multiple DRM blocks fills the gap between the analogue FM transmissions. All these DRM blocks are jointly amplified by a single FM-band transmitter for maximum efficiency and cost-saving. Each DRM block represents a single broadcaster or user with full ownership of the transmission content and configuration. Each of these DRM blocks offers up to 3 audio programmes and additional multimedia services like Journaline. Up to 5 DRM blocks can be provided in the white space of 600 kHz between two high-power analogue FM transmitters. This DRM Multichannel approach allows the effective use of spectrum, which is currently technically not usable by analogue FM transmissions and not available with other in-band standards.
DRM ensures improved coverage with minimal interference as it utilises digital modulation and sophisticated error correction techniques and incorporates efficient audio coding with xHE-AAC. These mechanisms ensure robust and reliable reception.
A theme of the debate was that of DRM as an open standard, stimulating competition, versus the proprietorial HD which might be restrictive and, in the opinion of some, lead to monopoly. Several DRM representatives stressed that DRM can be implemented by anyone as manufacturers do not require licenses (i.e., ask any single entity for permission – which could then be rejected), resulting in free and full access to technology.
Only an openly standardised technology such as DRM with full and unrestricted access to all its components by all stakeholders is suitable for these purposes.
In particular, for information, education, and entertainment its built-in advanced text service Journaline meets the requirements of India’s diverse cultural and linguistic landscape, and natively supports the many different scripts used across the country.
DRM also supports a scalable, cost-effective, and competitive receiver ecosystem. DRM has all the tools for the development of a design Ecosystem and local production. DRM receiver chipsets, developed and designed in India, are being exported for the world market and specifically also drive Chinese DRM receiver models and DRM in cars. DRM is a true success story for cutting-edge technology: Make in India for the world market.
As mobile phones were often mentioned, advocates of the DRM digital standard pointed out that, with its bandwidth of only 100 kHz, DRM is the only digital standard supported by current mobile/cell phone hardware and built-in FM tuner designs without requiring dedicated or special hardware or chips, as existing FM front ends may be configured to capture the DRM on-air raw signal. In other words, if the selected tuner provides access to raw on-air information – implementation of full-featured DRM radio as a default feature on future phones is a mere software app integration.
Android apps too take care of the full-featured DRM decoding from such a raw signal are available in Indian app stores (Google, Amazon, Huawei) today, proving the claim made above. DRM FM-band reception is ready for native integration by mobile phone manufacturers after India has taken a decision on digitising the FM band. In addition, these Android apps allow to even upgrade existing phones (via external USB tuner), so interested parties have access to today’s and future DRM transmissions at very low cost.
The automotive Indian industry is a success story for DRM because about 7 million cars with AM band DRM reception have been installed by automobile brands in India in only a few years. The DRM reception in cars comes at no extra cost to car buyers. The growth, already impressive is continuing as most of the big brands in India are fitting DRM receivers. The automotive industry has proven during the recent DRM FM-band on-air trails in Delhi and Jaipur that car receivers can be software upgraded for DRM FM-band reception without hardware modifications – offering almost an immediate automotive receiver population for DRM services in the FM band.
Indian start-ups like Inntot and OptM have innovated and developed receiver and transmission solutions for India and global market. Other well-known players like NXP, RF2Digital and Mobis too have developed/implemented solutions which have resulted in cost-effective solutions for automotive OEMs whilst consumers pay nothing extra.
And DRM desktop radios in India today already support DRM in the FM band.
Today, DRM is the preeminent digital broadcasting standard in Asia being adopted and rolled-out in major countries Indonesia across Asia; including the recent policy publication of the Indonesian regulator, Pakistan’s roll-out of DRM and China’s government request to all domestic manufacturers and international importers to support DRM in the country – in addition to all major domestic car brands having cars with DRM radio functionality on the road in India based on AIR’s AM-band DRM services.
In conclusion the DRM speakers explained that DRM is made for India as it aligns with India’s goals for technology independence and global competitiveness in digital broadcasting. And this seems to be consensus among the companies and individuals who had submitted their written comments with many more details in support of DRM.
