[cma-l] Ofcom and DRM

[Two Lochs Radio]

Just as Ian says. There are some relatively affordable small DAB solutions 
possible, but if there are already other 'conventional' DAB licences in 
place, then getting it licensed might be hard as a service carrying one or 
two stations essentially occupies as much bandwidth on air as a full 
multiplex.

The existing multiplex operators have, in my personal opinion, been far too 
keen on making big early profit from the multiplexes, leading to wholly 
unreasonable carriage charges. Investments in transmitter chains are more 
reasonably written of over 12 or even 20 years, but the present investors 
want a payback within 2 or 3 years. As 'gatekeepers, they also sometimes 
seem to act rather like the owners of large fancy shopping centres who would 
rather have a few empty units (multiplex slots) than let them out at reduced 
rents to small or low budget companies, because these might bring down the 
'image' they want for their centre (multiplex), even though it woudl add 
value for their shoppers.

In a 'green field' site for DAB of course it may be different. We are 
examing the options here on the north-west coast of Scotland for a community 
owned DAB multiplex operating not-for-profit, carrying local community based 
stations and, hopefully, BBC.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ian Hickling" <transplanfm at hotmail.com>
To: <cma-l at commedia.org.uk>; <comradio-l at commedia.org.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 3:28 PM
Subject: [cma-l] Ofcom and DRM


Bill

An excellent analysis, except possibly for this part:

> The drawbacks of DAB broadcasting are widely known and few, if any,
> community broadcasters will ever find it a suitable platform.

The reason that CR operators don't want to and in this current climate
won't ever get onto DAB is simply that the cost is controlled by the big
players who simply don't want them there.

That, and the present licensing system operated by Ofcom at the behest
of the CRCA as I said, which requires services to be mounted as full
regional multiplex coverage.

There is nothing technically to prevent a single service being
transmitted as CR on a stand-alone low-power transmitter on a different
mux from the large ones already in the area.

Ian Hickling
transplan UK

 > From: bill.best at commedia.org.uk
 > Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:22:25 +0100
 > To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
 > Subject: Re: [cma-l] [comradio-l] Fw: DRM+ successfully trialled in
 > Paris
 >
 > Alan
 >
 > Many thanks for your email.
 >
 > Of course Ofcom is very much aware of the DRM+ platform and its
 > variants.  To clarify things a little, I understand that Ofcom's
 > stance is 'technology neutral', and Ofcom works in partnership with
 > the BBC and commercial broadcasters regarding the viability of
 > different digital broadcasting platforms.
 >
 > As technology advances there will always be better solutions for
 > broadcasting that are not currently being used.  For example, the
 > systems that are currently in place for television broadcasting are
 > not 'leading edge', and there is always going to be a gap between the
 > widespread deployment of a particular technology and the most
 > up-to-date technical solutions that have been developed.
 >
 > The drawbacks of DAB broadcasting are widely known and few, if any,
 > community broadcasters will ever find it a suitable platform. But
 > community radio is here to stay and for the foreseeable future that
 > will remain on AM and FM.
 >
 > Lord Carter's Digital Britain report published today will outline a
 > future for broadcasting in the UK and community radio will certainly
 > be present in that.  The CMA has been very interested in DRM+ for some
 > time and we will continue to investigate this platform and feed back
 > more results from our counterparts in France, and continue to work
 > with Ofcom to ensure that there is a future for digital community
 > broadcasting in the UK.
 >
 > Best regards
 >
 > Bill
 > --
 > Technical Manager
 > Community Media Association
 > http://www.commedia.org.uk/
 > http://twitter.com/community_media
 >
 > Canstream Online Multi-Media Solutions
 > http://www.canstream.co.uk/
 >
 > 2009/6/16 Alan Coote <alan.coote at btinternet.com>
 > >
 > > Let's hope that Ofcom finally realises that DAB is NOT a viable
 > > platform. A fact which has been obvious to many for years.
 > > Unfortunately Ofcom have encouraged the radio industry at large into
 > > a technical cul-de-sac,  from which it's difficult to get out.
 > >
 > > Let's hope someone in Ofcom has got the, proverbial, to admit that
 > > there are much better digital solutions for the radio industry.
 > >
 > > Somehow I doubt it though.
 > >
 > > Alan
 > >
 > >
 > > -----Original Message-----
 > > From: comradio-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk
 > > [mailto:comradio-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] On Behalf Of
 > > CMA-L
 > > Sent: 15 June 2009 15:36
 > > To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
 > > Subject: [comradio-l] Fw: DRM+ successfully trialled in Paris
 > >
 > > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
 > > From: boutterin <snrl at online.fr>
 > >
 > > DRM PRESS RELEASE
 > > Date: 12.06.2009
 > >
 > > DRM+ SUCCESSFULLY TRIALLED IN PARIS
 > >
 > > Paris, 12th June 2009: The Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) technology
 > > for broadcast at higher frequencies was successfully trialled in
 > > Paris on Thursday. The DRM+ signal was broadcast on 64.5 MHz from
 > > Tour Pleyel, North of Paris, and was received at the office of
 > > Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA) which regulates the various
 > > electronic media in France. The CSA is located 10 km away from the
 > > transmitter but the signal strength was good with only 400 watts of
 > > radiating power.
 > >
 > > This positions DRM+ as a perfect solution for stations not able to
 > > join multiplexes, even in places where the FM band is full.
 > >
 > > DRM+ extends the DRM standard which is the open, universal, digital
 > > radio standard for broadcast bands, to frequencies up to 174MHz
 > > including the FM spectrum from 87.5MHz to 108 MHz. DRM+ offers a
 > > range of features and benefits for radio stations’ around the world
 > > and can lead to a cost-effective migration to digital. It was first
 > > successfully tested on the FM Band in Kaiserslautern, Germany last
 > > year, but this is the first time DRM+ has been used in Band 1.
 > >
 > > DRM+ has distinct advantages over conventional FM, it needs lower
 > > transmission power for same coverage, opens up new audio
 > > possibilities like 5.1 surround sound, increases spectrum efficiency
 > > and offers electronic data services such as programme guide and
 > > supporting information.
 > >
 > > David Blanc, SNRL (Syndicat National des Radios Libres) says:
 > > “Professor Dr Andreas Steil and his team (Mr. Schad and Mr. Köhler)
 > > from the University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern, was able to
 > > put together a complete DRM+ broadcast system on Band 1 and agreed
 > > to test it in Paris. SNRL, which gathers over 300 local stations in
 > > France, has been trying to find a technical solution for the many
 > > stations which cannot join multiplexes for various reasons,
 > > including coverage area, cost and desire to remain in control of
 > > their broadcast operations".
 > >
 > > “DRM+ seems to be an excellent choice, offering over 100 kbps of
 > > usable bit rate, enabling CD audio quality, slideshow and other data
 > > to be broadcast from a simple privately-owned transmitter. We now
 > > recommend integrating DRM+ in all digital radio receivers, from 60
 > > to 108 Mhz.”, he added.
 > >
 > > This test was performed by the help of University of Applied
 > > Sciences, Kaiserslautern and Fraunhofer IIS, Erlangen.
 > >
 > > Ruxandra Obreja, Chairman, DRM Consortium says: "Through this trial
 > > in France, we have yet another proof that the DRM standard can offer
 > > a most versatile, economical range of options for big and small
 > > operators for the benefit of audiences that want good quality radio.
 > > We hope that the trial in France will be positively noted and
 > > actioned by the French radio authorities. It is an excellent extra
 > > step that will preface the expected all- band extension of the DRM
 > > global standard."
 > >
 > > About DRM and DRM+
 > >
 > > DRM+ uses the same audio coding, data services, multiplexing and
 > > signaling schemes as the established part of the DRM standard for
 > > short, medium and long wave up to 30 MHz, but operates in higher
 > > frequencies between 30 and 174 MHz (including the broadcasting bands
 > > Band I and Band II). The DRM Consortium has completed the technical
 > > development of DRM+. The technology enhancement to the DRM system
 > > specification is currently in the ETSI standardization process.
 > > Digital Radio MondialeTM (DRM) is the digital broadcasting system
 > > for the broadcasting bands below 30MHz (long, medium and short
 > > wave). DRM has near-FM sound quality plus the ease-of-use that comes
 > > from digital transmissions, combined with long range and low power
 > > consumption.
 > >
 > > For more information and DRM updates please visit www.drm.org or
 > > subscribe to DRM news by writing to pressoffice at drm.org
 > >
 > > For more information on SNRL : (33) 4 91.55.56.85, snrl at online.fr,
 > > and http://www.snrl.org
 > >
 > > \\
 > >
 > > Community Media Association
 > > --
 > > http://www.commedia.org.uk/
 > > http://twitter.com/community_media
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