Pakistan has officially adopted DRM for all frequency bands (AM and FM) and is now moving ahead with its phased implementation.
In the past, DRM in FM has also been tested using a digital transmitter installed at the headquarters of the public broadcaster, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation – PBC. Under the heading ‘All available resources being utilized to modernize Radio Pakistan’ PBC has just announced on their website that more DRM-ready mediumwave and FM transmitters will be acquired for various regions of Pakistan as part of the digitisation of radio project.
According to additional information received by the DRM Consortium from PBC management, the details about these transmitters are as follows:
- A 100 kW DRM-ready transmitter along with the antenna system has been ordered and is expected to reach the scheduled site within the next one to two months.
- A 100 kW DRM-ready transmitter is planned for installation next year.
- A 300 kW DRM-ready transmitter is also scheduled for next year.
- More than 20 new FM transmitters are also in the pipeline, all of which will be DRM-ready.
PBC’s management wishes to ensure that the DRM implementation can happen once all installations of the necessary transmitters are complete and when receiver manufacturers, based on substantial orders, commit to producing mass market DRM radios for the country’s large population.
