Digital radio: Malaysia shall adapt DRM, rather than DAB+

DAB is the first digital radio technology, it was launched in Europe since 1995. Norway is the first country to begin DAB radio service. In addition, Norway is the first country to implement analog FM radio switch off in 2017.

DAB stands for digital audio broadcasting. Currently it is very popular and successful in Europe and parts of Asia countries, but DAB is also failure of radio technology in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Singapore was the first Asia country to launch DAB radio service in 1999, but due to low listener ratings, Singapore stopped DAB in 2011 as Singaporeans listen to the radio stations via FM radio or online streaming or mobile applications.

I can say that DAB radio has its pros and cons. DAB is more efficient than FM and AM radio, the broadcasters can expand the coverage nationwide instantly through DAB technology, DAB radio provides high audio quality like CD audio, it is using MP2 audio codec, but the disadvantages are:

1. The signal faded instantly when reception is poor.
2. High costs to buy a DAB radio receiver
3. Most of the car audio system radio receivers does not feature DAB+
4. Coverage of DAB+ is limited. Although it can save cost for multiple radio stations, but DAB+ requires more gap filler transmitters, compare to FM radio. So, I don't think it is cost effective to radio broadcasters.

DAB+ radio can operate more radio channels under a radio frequency, this can save the spectrum and broadcast emission. In my opinion, I don't think DAB+ radio will give benefit to Malaysia radio broadcasters much.

Other than Europe and some Asia countries, DAB+ is not adapted by any countries in America. For Southern America, none of countries are using DAB+, but Brazil is performing DRM trial transmission.

In Malaysia, I think we shall adapt a new digital radio technology, called as DRM: Digital Radio Mondiale.

Actually Digital Radio Mondiale is more suitable than DAB+ in Malaysia digital radio broadcasting.

I suggest Malaysia to adapt DRM, rather than DAB+ because of wider coverage.

DRM has same characteristic with DAB+, that's a radio frequency can carry multiple radio channels. For the coverage, DRM is wider than DAB+ because DRM is using shortwave or mediumwave frequencies.

Due to Malaysia FM radio frequencies are very full, especially peninsular, this causes many new radio broadcasters are unable to expand coverage of their radio stations. Media Prima Kool FM is an example, the media group is not able to expand more coverage such as Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor and Perak due to unavailable spectrum. To save spectrum usage and transmission costs, Malaysia Communications Multimedia Commission (MCMC) needs to consider to launch digital radio switchover for nationwide radio stations (public and commercial) by adapting DRM radio technology.

For coverage, normally analog FM radio requires gap filler transmitters, but 1 FM frequency only carries 1 radio station, so this can make the spectrum to be full quickly. Meanwhile DAB+ is worse in terms of coverage, DAB+ requires more gap filler transmitters than FM radio, so it is not cost effective radio technology. I refer Latin America countries such as Colombia, Brazil and Peru for examples, these countries are topographic much, they are heavily covered by valley, so if they adapted DAB+, they have to add more transmitters, double the FM radio transmitters.

Malaysia has the same phenomena too. Normally FM radio station can cover whole Selangor and Kuala Lumpur with 1 only transmitter from Gunung Ulu Kali, but when comes to DAB+, for Klang Valley, it needs at least 3 additional gap filler transmitters for Klang Valley if use DAB+ such as Bukit Sungai Besi, Hulu Langat and KL Tower. DRM is different, if DRM radio station installs DRM transmitter in Gunung Ulu Kali, the transmission coverage is wider than FM and DAB+ radio as it uses MW or SW frequency. Besides that, DRM radio can cover Negeri Sembilan, and Melaka clearly from Gunung Ulu Kali, even Pahang and some Terengganu areas.

If Malaysia implements DRM, here are the transmitter site:

- Gunung Ulu Kali (KL, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka)
- Gunung Ledang (Johor, Melaka)
- Gunung Jerai (Penang, Kedah, Perlis, North Perak)
- Bukit Bakar (Kelantan, North Terengganu)
- Bukit Besar (Terengganu)
- Bukit Pelindung (East Pahang)
- Gunung Pulai (South Johor)
- Gunung Kledang (Perak)