Protecting the broadcast spectrum against interference from Power Line Communications

Digital Radio MondialeTM (DRMTM) is a consortium of 85 members of the global media industry, representing 27 countries in Europe, North America, Asia and beyond.

Among DRM’s members are well-known commercial, public, international, national and local broadcasters.
They provide indispensable news, analysis, information and entertainment to local communities and remote populations across the globe via existing short-wave, medium wave/
AM and long-wave radio bands.

The DRM consortium also includes leading network operators, broadcast electronics manufacturers and high-tech research institutions. DRM also includes among its members international NGOs that provide essential emergency services. DRM’s members, and the listening audiences they serve, depend on the integrity and security of the worldwide radio spectrum below 30 MHz – now and in the future.

With a collective wish to provide enhanced media services to future generations, DRM’s members joined forces to create a new, digital radio system (also called DRM). DRM’s
development was supported by the European Commission, with funding provided within the Radiate, QOSAM and DIAM projects. DRM is the world’s only, non-proprietary, universally standardized, digital radio system for short-wave, medium-wave/AM and long-wave. It provides
clear, FM-like audio quality and excellent reception, free from static, fading and interference.

An open standard, DRM has received the endorsement of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC). More than 60 leading broadcasters have already started DRM
transmissions alongside their existing, analogue radio broadcasts.

There is, however, an electrical radiation hazard that threatens today’s analogue radio services, as well as radio’s bright digital future. DRM’s members are deeply concerned about interference to the radio spectrum caused by harmful emissions from Power Line Communications (PLC), a
controversial new method of delivering Internet service to, and distributing data services within, households using AC power lines. PLC emissions levels are currently under consideration by governmental bodies in several countries.

Over the past 2 years, DRM’s members have measured the effect of PLC emissions on analogue and digital broadcasts in both laboratory and field tests. The test results, which have been reported to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), show that PLC radiation obliterates radio
broadcasts. If PLC emissions are too high, existing analogue and digital radio broadcasts are in many cases suddenly wiped out, meaning that listeners hear either electrical interference, or nothing at all, instead of the radio programming they have tuned into.

DRM’s members believe that further, independent testing of PLC emissions’ effect on radio broadcasts will reveal pertinent information for manufacturers and consumers alike. DRM’s members are concerned that consumers may be unaware of the hazards of PLC interference to the radio broadcasts they rely on today, as well as future broadcasts.

DRM’s members strongly urge those governmental bodies that are exploring PLC implementation to safeguard the broadcasting bands from PLC emissions’ interference.
In order to preserve the stability of the worldwide radio spectrum now and into the future, it is vital that governmental officials and regulatory bodies take appropriate protective measures today.

DRM Members
Commercial Radio Australia (Australia); Nautel Ltd., Radio Canada International/CBC (Canada);
Academy of Broadcasting Science of China, Communications University of China (China); RIZ
Transmitters (Croatia); HFCC (Czech Republic); ESPOL, HCJB World Radio (Ecuador); Digita Oy,
Kymenlaakso Polytechnik (Finland); CCETT, DRF, Radio France, Radio France Internationale, TDF,
Thales Broadcast & Multimedia (France); ADDX, Ahead Software AG, APR, Atmel Germany
GmbH, Coding Technologies GmbH, Deutsche Welle, DeutschlandRadio, DLM, Sender Europa 1,
Fraunhofer IIS, Georg-Simon-Ohm – University of Applied Sciences Nuremberg, IZT, IRT,
Medienanstalt Sachsen-Anhalt/Digitaler Rundfunk Sachsen-Anhalt, Micronas GmbH, Robert
Bosch GmbH, Sony International Europe, SWR Südwestrundfunk, TELEFUNKEN SenderSysteme
Berlin AG, T-Systems International GmbH, University of Applied Sciences - FH Merseburg,
University of Hannover, University of Ulm, VPRT (Germany); Antenna Hungaria, National
Communications Authority Hungary (Hungary); Basamad College, Tehran (Iran); Hitachi Kokusai
Electric Ltd., NHK (Japan); Libyan Jamahiriya Broadcasting (Libya); Broadcasting Centre Europe,
RTL Group (Luxembourg); Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (Malaysia); Agentschap Telecom,
Nozema, Radio Netherlands, Technical University Delft (Netherlands); Radio New Zealand
International (New Zealand);Telenor/Norkring (Norway); Radiodifusao Portuguesa (Portugal);
RTRN/Voice of Russia (Russia); Government of Catalonia, Universidad del Pais Vasco, (Spain);
Swedish Radio International (Sweden); EBU, International Committee of the Red Cross, ITU
(Switzerland); Arab States Broadcasting Union (Tunisia); BBC, Christian Vision, Digital One Ltd.,
Imagination Technologies Ltd., QinetiQ, RadioScape Ltd., VT Communications, WRN (U.K.);
Broadcast Electronics, Inc., Dolby Laboratories Incorporated, Dolby Laboratories Licensing
Corporation, DRS Broadcast Technology (formerly Continental Electronics), Harris Corporation,
Broadcast Communications Division, IBB/VOA, Kintronic Laboratories, Inc., National Association
of Short-wave Broadcasters, Sangean America, Inc.,TCI, a Dielectric Company, Via Licensing
Corporation (U.S.A.); and Radio Vaticana (Vatican City).

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