AIR gets 4.7 MHz spectrum for FM services

NEW DELHI: All India Radio has a spectrum of just 4.7 MHz exclusively reserved for its FM services and will need more spectrum to achieve its objective of setting up 385 new FM transmitters in the Twelfth Plan to increase the FM coverage to India?s 90 per cent population.

Information and Broadcasting Ministry sources said that only 100 to 103.7 was presently reserved exclusively for FM broadcasting services by AIR.

In contracts, 103.7 t0 108 MHz and 91.5 MHz to 95 MHz is exclusively reserved for expansion of the private sector FM services.

At present, AIR FM reaches out to 41.43 per cent population and 29.18 per cent area. This is part of the total AIR coverage of 91.87 per cent area and 99.19 per cent population.

Even prior to the 12th Plan scheme, FM Transmitters of varying capacities are being installed in 224 more places throughout the country by AIR, apart from 40 MW transmitters. This will take the coverage to 38.75 per cent area and 53.53 per cent population including villages and hamlets.

The sources said 87 to 91.5 MHz and 95 to 100 MHz is shared between Fixed/Mobile and FM broadcasting services. But Fixed/Mobile Services have priority over FM broadcasting services.

Meanwhile, 531-1602 kHz (Medium Frequency) is an exclusive band for radio broadcasting according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). AIR gets allocation for Medium Wave radio services. Furthermore, 3-26 MHz (High Frequency) is an exclusive band for radio broadcasting and AIR gets allocation for Short Wave radio services.

In addition, AIR is also using the Insat satellites for linking/feeding of programmes to various stations in the country through S-Band: 2550-2590 MHz (Transponder S-1); 2590-2630 MHz ((Transponder S-2); and C-Band : 4105-4145 MHz.

The sources said the assessment of spectrum requirement for broadcasting and radio is done by Wireless Planning Coordination Wing (WPC) of the Department of Telecom through a Committee under the chairmanship of Wireless Advisor while drawing up of National Frequency Allocation Plan. The NFAP 2011 is the latest frequency allocation plan.