A Digital Radio Mondiale radio transmission went live on air in Delhi in mid-February as part of a DRM trial conducted by Prasar Bharati and its radio arm, All India Radio (AIR).

The transmission was launched with three audio services and Journaline advanced text information in the FM band, alongside the existing analogue FM radio transmissions.

The test was requested by the regulator TRAI and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting as part of their deliberations that will lead to the recommendation of the most suitable radio standard to digitise the FM band in India.

The transmission is part of an extensive trial and demonstration of DRM conducted by Prasar Bharati and AIR with the help of the DRM Consortium and its local and international members.

The trial is being carried out in two locations. The first phase, in Delhi, will demonstrate and test the key features of DRM, its efficient coverage potential and flexible on-air signal configurations.

The second phase, in Jaipur, is designed to prove the compatibility with the FM band channelisation in India, where DRM fills the gaps between existing analogue FM services that are not otherwise usable, as well as the existing shared FM transmitter infrastructure.

“We hope for good results at the end of this test where DRM has to be judged on its own merits and unmatched capabilities,” Ruxandra Obreja, the DRM Chairman, said.

“We hope that the expected good results will convince the Indian authorities that DRM is the right standard to upgrade All India Radio’s already established country-wide DRM services in the AM bands to the FM band.”

Yogendra Pal, Honorary Chairman of the DRM India Chapter, said: “This demonstration of DRM services in the FM band will be a feast of ‘firsts’ for digital radio services and features in India, including the multi-DRM transmissions on a single transmitter or the distance learning enabled by the non-proprietary, open-to-all DRM radio standard.”