Countries broadcasting and planning to roll out DRM
Pakistan
- Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) has approved DRM as the radio standard for use in all frequency bands (AM and FM) already in January 2020.
- Approval was given by the Ministry in June 2023 for the acquisition of a 1000 KW DRM medium wave transmitter to be installed in the country.
- The Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Marriyum Aurangzeb has reconfirmed on 9th July 2023 that the government had approved the DRM project so that future broadcasts can be heard in clear sound in the entire country and beyond.
- After successfully testing DRM for FM from the PBC HQs some years back, the broadcaster has acquired 20 FM (DRM ready) transmitters installed in various cities. Currently they broadcast in analogue with DRM to be switched on during the second phase of the project.
Indonesia
- The policy for radio digitisation has been issued by the Ministry of Communication and Informatics in August 2023. Indonesia has announced the adoption of DRM for both medium wave (526.5 – 1606.5 kHz) and FM (DRM in VHF Band II (87.0 – 108 MHz) and DRM in VHF Band III (174 – 202 MHz) with the rest of Band III allocated to DAB+.
- RRI have purchased and installed five DRM FM transmitters installed in strategic locations. They have also acquired the necessary Content Servers. The transmitters are capable of broadcasting emergency alerts by using DRMs Emergency Warning Functionality (EWF), integrated in the national disaster warning infrastructure. Transmissions started in 2020.
- This follows the successful DRM tests/demonstrations carried out by the public broadcaster, Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI), in both the AM and FM bands over the last few years and which are now ITU reference documents.
- RRI is also planning to install five DRM mediumwave and one shortwave transmitter in key locations (ring of fire) in the country. RRI proposes the procurement of transmitters for 52 disaster-prone locations in 2024 as a national priority.
- The Ministry of Communication and Informatics is drafting the comprehensive digital radio policy now.
China
- Three government organisations, NRTA, MIIT and SAMR officially published a joint document in September 2023, actively guiding the Chinese automotive industry to support DRM in AM band and encourage province transmission stations to broadcast domestic DRM services.
- The country has installed and uses seven DRM shortwave transmitters domestic coverage (aimed for the large populous region of eastern China primarily, but also for the rest of the country). They can also be used for overseas transmissions by China Radio International (CRI).
Russia
- Due to the current political circumstances, the DRM activity in the FM band has been suspended there.
(DRM was endorsed for the AM bands some years ago. Successful demonstrations took place in Siberia for the AM bands previously and in St. Petersburg – for DRM in FM – in the period 2019 – 2021).
Brazil
- Brazil has carried out successful DRM high-power and low-power demonstrations in both AM and FM bands over the last few years.
- EBC, the public broadcaster, wishes to transmit in both analogue and DRM (simulcast) towards the large Amazonian basin in the north of the country.
South Africa
- The SA government has recommended officially both DRM and DAB+ as solutions for the radio digitisation of the country. The double-headed solution is called Digital Sound Broadcasting (DSB). DSB Services Regulations were issued by the South African Regulator (ICASA) in April 2021.
- This follows the DRM successful demonstrations in both AM and FM bands over several years, proving that the standard works very well and without interferences. The DRM FM demonstration showed there was no interference at all to analogue FM broadcasts in the very crowded spectrum of Johannesburg. It also showed that in the full FM spectrum of Johannesburg up to extra 48 DRM FM stations could be fitted, as well. These DRM demonstration reports are now ITU reference documents.
Germany
- The country has demonstrated extensively the features and benefits of DRM in all frequency bands. DRM is being used by the German Navy for distribution of data to ships navigating around the world.
- SE-TA 2 is a private, German shortwave station broadcasting via DRM from Waldheim, the Saxony region in East Germany since August 2023 on 6195 kHz.
- “Funklust”, a campus broadcaster at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg has been broadcasting in DRM for FM since 2023. Reception reports received so far confirm that the programmes can be received not only in Germany but also in Russia, the USA, Norway, Finland, and New Zealand.
Romania
- Radio Romania International (RRI) is one of the most active international broadcasters using DRM in shortwave with an extensive DRM schedule in several languages, being often listened to and commented on in countries as far apart as India, United States and Brazil.
- Recently Radiocom, the country’s network operator for Radio Romania, has upgraded its DRM ContentServer to the latest audio codec, xHE-AAC, including the use of Journaline for their broadcasts.
Kuwait
- Radio Kuwait has regular DRM broadcasts in shortwave targeting the Middle East and Europe.
New Zealand
- The country uses DRM in shortwave for rebroadcasting to the Pacific Islands. Radio New Zealand has recently acquired a new state-of-the-art Ampegon shortwave transmitter, which will improve RNZ’ long-distance broadcasts to the region: https://s.drm.org/mU2R
Countries considering the adoption of DRM
Southern Africa
- The Southern African Development Community (SADC), representing sixteen African countries, in conjunction with the Communications Regulators’ Association of Southern Africa (CRASA), representing their thirteen states, have also recommended DRM and DAB+ for their sixteen member countries.
- The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) is considering making the same recommendation.
North and Central Africa
- In North Africa, Algeria is still expected to make progress with the DRM roll-out.
- Nigeria – Voice of Nigeria (VoN) has shortwave DRM capability and is known to broadcast towards Europe from Abuja with reception in Europe and even in North America.
- Central African countries like Chad, Mauritania, Congo etc. have also shown interest in adopting DRM for their domestic and international broadcasts and intend to upgrade their infrastructure to achieve this.
USA
- DRM was used during a successful test by the US Coast Guard for data transmissions in the Arctic region.
- DRM in shortwave was used by Radio Marti for broadcasts to Latin America from North Carolina.
- TransWorld (TWR) have regular shortwave transmissions from Tashkent towards India, Japan, China and other Asian countries.
- KTWR broadcasts in DRM over vast areas of Asia (India, China, Japan etc.)
Australia
- Stakeholders in Australia have successfully tested DRM in mediumwave (Wangaratta) and FM (Baranduda) between 2019-2022. The demonstrations were carried out using a variety of desktop and professional receivers as well as in cars and on Android devices. A report on the has been shared with the Regulator.
Countries with interest in DRM
Europe
Hungary
- Antenna Hungaria, the local network provider installed a few years ago a DRM capable medium wave transmitter with a power of two megawatt.
Denmark
- The country was testing successfully the use of DRM in the FM band in Greater Copenhagen (reaching even southern Sweden) in 2022.
Czech Republic
- DRM was on a medium wave trial a year ago that used to carry a powerful AM signal. The broadcast was on 954kHz (power reported as 3kW) from the České Budějovicetransmitter site, located in the South Bohemian region and re-using the old AM antenna with a modulator connected to the existing 30 kW AM transmitter.
Middle East
Middle East
- Some countries in the region have shown interest in the standard with no formal decision yet and contacts with the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) are continuing.
- Radio Kuwait have regular transmissions in shortwave towards Europe.
Asia
Sri Lanka
- The international service of the Sri Lankan Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) recently doubled its Tamil Service airtime to two hours, on 873 kHz AM (medium wave) from their Puttalam transmitter. Colombo International Radio also announced that shortly they are going to use DRM on 1548 kHz! This will be done by using the old transmitter of Deutsche Welle located in the north of Sri Lanka, at Trincomalee.
Malaysia
- The country has been showing interest in DRM and in acquiring AM DRM equipment, as some stakeholders have found it the most suitable radio digital standard for future country-wide deployment.
Nepal
- Radio Nepal is testing DRM in the FM band in the country’s capital.
Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand
- These countries have shown interest in adopting DRM. However, there is no formal decision towards its roll-out, even though they have some equipment either ready for DRM or ready to be upgraded to DRM broadcasting.
Additional Information
Countries using the DRM standard for shortwave broadcasts
Broadcasters around the world (such as the BBC World Service in the UK) using the DRM standard in shortwave are listed on the DRM website under the heading ‘Broadcast Schedules’.
DRM field trials and demonstrations
Extensive DRM tests have been conducted throughout the world over many years. The results confirm that the DRM standard (both in the AM and VHF/FM bands), enjoying the same features and benefits across all broadcast bands, performs according to the specifications and that it can be rolled out to meet a wide range of broadcasters’ requirements, coverage needs and in all types of environments.
Please visit our DRM website where all trials and demonstrations are listed: trials.drm.org.
