The adoption by India of DRM (in AM and primarily by the public broadcaster AIR) provides digital radio coverage for over 900 million citizens. 4 transmitters, one each in 4 metro cities, are now carrying pure DRM transmissions – round the clock (except 3 – 5 pm). Mumbai and Kolkata (100 kW each), Delhi and Chennai (20Kw each). The remaining 34 transmitters are working in simulcast mode - with 1 hour in pure DRM. Transmission details at Prasar Bharati official website: https://prasarbharati.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/19-LIST-OF-EXISTING-STATIONS-AND-TRANSMITTERS-18092025.pdf
This ensures all people regardless of income, geography and status can receive high quality free to air digital radio content. The adoption of DRM AM has also resulted in the significant development of essential, innovative solutions by companies based in India and there are now 13.2 million cars on Indian roads (one in three new cars sold in India) with DRM fully integrated into their entertainment systems. Many of these using IP and expertise created by Indian companies. The emerging DRM eco-system in India is, therefore, a success story which needs to be nurtured.
Having adopted DRM in the medium wave or ‘AM band’ and short waves, there is now an open consideration of how digital radio broadcasting may be adopted in the VHF or ‘FM’ band for private broadcasts as well as public and community broadcasters. This would lead to an open freely available standard that could be used by any broadcaster irrespective of frequency band and could deliver a single free-to-air, cohesive market across the entire country giving listeners, and broadcasters a vibrant and secure radio broadcasting future. A single open unified standard brings digital benefits for all of India.
The assumption that private commercial stations digitisation can be done at no cost or that the cost will be borne by somebody else is false. The introduction of a private monopolistic proposal would seriously undermine broadcast radio in India. It must be stressed that there are no technical or commercial features of the closed standard apparently endorsed by some private stations that is not fully matched or exceeded by the open DRM standard. Based on our own internal expertise, CML Micro can categorically say there is no operational basis for choosing a monopoly over the open non-proprietary DRM alternative. Indeed, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI’s) study of the alternatives did not identify any reasons to choose the monopoly.
A poorly researched decision influenced by external biased input will have serious consequences:
• All the car radios which include DRM today will be made useless or obsolete (13.2 crore). If DRM is adopted, these new cars will likely be upgraded to DRM in VHF(FM) at their next routine service.
• The investment made by AIR in DRM MF transmission will be rendered obsolete, and all the taxpayers’ money invested so far will be squandered. If new ‘closed spec’ digital receivers are introduced, they will not be able to receive public DRM digital broadcasts.
• Dual mode (open-closed digital technology) radios do not exist anywhere, and there are no plans to create such a pairing as the costs and legal complications are prohibitive.
• Broadcasting standards need to be selected for the entire broadcast landscape: public, private, and community, as no regulator or government would go with the idea that one single group of stakeholders has the ultimate word and vote.
• All investments made in IP development and affordable Make-in-India receivers become a net loss. There are several examples supplied by DRM member companies but as a genuine real-world example, my company, CML Micro has spent considerable effort and investment to develop a low cost ‘core technology’ component to enable the simple development and manufacture of suitable mass market receivers in India. These receivers support the ‘Make in India’ objective. As volumes of Indian-made receivers using our devices increase, we are ready to also manufacture our component in India and seek strategic partners for this objective. Our R&D effort took several years and considerable financial and human investment. We have created a world leading device (shown and demonstrated in India) with a specification that meets the needs of radio manufacturers based in India. We are very proud that one of those companies is in the process of mass producing a low-cost DRM radio receiver in India. These will be simple to use, yet fully featured mass market DRM capable receivers. These and other products now in development will create a portfolio of exciting world-class consumer electronic products from companies fully based in India. DRM is also slated for adoption in many markets outside India thus offering lucrative export opportunities. The emerging DRM eco-system in India is a success story which needs to be nurtured, not accidentally damaged by a lack of good information.
- Matthew Phillips, Product Director for Broadcast & Maritime
