On Monday 8th November All India Radio organised a roundtable in NewDelhi with chipset and radio manufacturers interested in the

DRM solution. The major chipset manufacturers and the number one radio manufacturer in India attended in person and on Skype. The Consortium helped with the organisation of the event and four senior members of the Consortium attended.

         A short update on DRM activity around the globe was given by the DRM chair, Ruxandra Obreja, and you can read more about what happened by reading her report.....

        This meeting was a follow-up to the initial roundtable with the industry in May last year. This time the AIR chief-engineer, Mr. M.C.
Agarwal, outlined a clear roadmap for the introduction of DRM with a target of achieving 70% coverage of the country by 2015. AIR plan to
commence digital terrestrial broadcasting in 2011, starting with Delhi and other mega cities, expanding to tier II and tier III cities in
2012 and then to all other areas in 2013. At the roundtable AIR was very clear about their strategy, roll out and transition period from
analogue to digital. The timescale will be very short with a proposed switch off date timetabled for 2015 which realistically, might be
around 2017. The roundtable was a real exchange of opinions and tough questions (on switchover date, government subsidies, new digital
content) and answers were given. AIR hopes to have the first new DRM transmitters (following the current tender) in the country by the
beginning of summer with broadcasts and marketing to start in the autumn. Those present underlined that the mobile handset and car
industries need to be involved in the digital project in India. After the excellent AIR event, there is now a real willingness to get
together the top 4 car manufacturers in India in the next month to discuss the introduction of DRM receivers (possibly helped by the
aftermarket sales, much favoured in India). The Consortium will continue to support the activity of AIR, whose aim is at the moment to
build confidence and trust in their digitisation plans, through sponsorship and direct support of events such as Radio Asia and BES.