CML Micro annoiunced a new flexible, multi-standard receiver platform which supports both DRM and DAB+ in addition to traditional analogue AM/FM, at the DRM General Assembly in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Developed with Newglee and Glovane, this collaboration follows Indonesia’s recent strategic decision to adopt both DRM and DAB+ digital radio standards in a complementary deployment model, rather than treating the technologies as competing alternatives.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 10,000 islands, faces unique broadcast infrastructure challenges, with a need to cover wide areas as well as dense urban environments. By leveraging DRM across medium wave and VHF (Bands II and III) spectrum, alongside DAB+ in the upper Band III, the country aims to deliver robust, nationwide digital radio coverage.
This hybrid approach enables:
- Wide-area coverage using DRM’s long-range capabilities
- High-quality regional broadcasting via DRM in VHF (Bands II and III) and DAB+
- Efficient spectrum utilisation across diverse geographies
The solution integrates advanced DRM technology from CML Micro, advanced DAB+ technology from Glovane and complementary system integration and manufacturing expertise from Newglee.
The resulting platform enables:
- A world-first low-power operation suitable for portable and battery-powered devices
- Substantially extended battery life for use in remote and rural regions, with the possibility of ‘solar’ or ‘hand-crank’ battery charging
- Cost-effective deployment across mass-market receivers
This receiver collaboration demonstrates how countries with unique digital radio broadcasting challenges may approach rollout strategies—prioritising systems that work seamlessly together and alongside existing technologies.
The African Union of Broadcasting has made recommendations for Digital Sound Broadcasting (DSB), which include the use of both DRM for wide-area coverage and DAB+ for dense urban deployment, where free spectrum may be limited. This reference receiver design also opens the door to cost-effective receivers that support DSB in Africa, leveraging the strengths of both DRM and DAB+ to meet diverse use-case requirements.