Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on July 10 issued a consultation paper on issues related to digital radio broadcasting in India.

TRAI said the broadcasting industry can submit their suggestions – by 4 September 2017 – to SK Gupta, Pr. Advisor (B&CS), TRAI, on the e-mail [email protected] or [email protected]. They can also contact TRAI at 91-11-23220018.

ALSO READ: TRAI consultation paper on radio broadcasting

The public broadcaster AIR has already started migration to digital broadcasting by replacing and upgrading its MW and SW transmitters with digital transmitters. AIR has not indicated any plan for digitalization of its FM transmitters. There appears to be no initiative for digital broadcasting by private FM radio broadcasters.

AIR has 420 radio stations (AM & FM) that cover almost 92 percent of the country by area and more than 99.20 percent of the country’s population.

Private sector radio broadcasters transmit programs in FM mode only and presently operate through 293 radio stations. Private sector radio broadcasters are licensed to operate in FM frequency band (88-108 MHz).

History of radio broadcasting

In Phase-I of FM Radio, India Government auctioned 108 FM radio channels in 40 cities. Out of these, only 21 FM radio channels became operational and subsequently migrated to Phase-II in 2005.

Phase-II of FM Radio commenced in 2005 when a total of 337 channels were put on bid across 91 cities having population equal to or more than 3 lakhs. Of 337 channels, 222 channels became operational. At the end of Phase-II, 243 FM Radio channels were operational in 86 cities.

In Phase-III expansion of FM radio, 966 FM radio channels are to be made available in 333 cities. In the first batch of Phase-III, 135 private FM Radio channels in 69 cities were auctioned in 2015. Out of these, 96 FM Radio channels in 55 cities have been auctioned.

In the second batch of Phase-III, 266 private FM Radio channels in 92 cities were auctioned in 2016. Out of these, 66 FM Radio channels in 48 cities have been auctioned. As on 31st March 2017, 293 FM radio stations have been made operational in 84 cities by 32 private FM Radio broadcasters.

There are 206 operational Community Radio Stations (CRS) at present.

Issues for consultation

Is there a need to encourage or facilitate introduction of digital radio transmission at present? What measures do you suggest and in which market?

Is there a need to frame a roadmap for migration to digital radio broadcasting for private FM broadcasters?

Should single digital radio technology be adopted for entire country or choice of technology should be left to radio broadcasters?

In case a single digital radio broadcast technology is to be adopted for the entire country, which technology should be adopted for private FM radio broadcasting?

How issues of interference and allocation of appropriate spectrum allocation can be settled in case the option to choose technology is left to radio broadcasters?

Should the permission for operating FM channel be delinked from technology used for radio broadcasting?

Should the existing operational FM radio channels be permitted to migrate to digital broadcasting within assigned radio frequency? Should there be any additional charges as number of available channels in digital broadcasting will increase?

Should the future auction of remaining FM channels of Phase-III be done delinking it from technology adopted for radio broadcasting?

In case future auction of remaining FM channels of Phase-III is done delinking it from technology, should the present auction process be continued?

What modifications need to be done in FM radio policy to use allocated FM radio channels in technology neutral manner for Radio broadcasting?

What measures should be taken to reduce the prices of digital radio receivers and develop ecosystem for migration to digital radio broadcasting?