TRAI proposes auction for Digital Radio frequencies

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Friday released its much-anticipated recommendations on “Formulating a Digital Radio Broadcast Policy for Private Radio Broadcasters.” The policy recommendations outline the terms, conditions, and reserve price for launching digital radio services in four ‘A+’ category cities--Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai--and nine ‘A’ category cities including Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad.New frequencies should be allocated through an auction process as per Section 4(4) of the Telecommunication Act, 2023.Following the successful auction, exist-

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ing FM broadcasters should be given the opportunity to migrate to the simulcast mode within a six-month window.Broadcasters opting for migration would be required to pay the difference between the auction-determined price and the proportionate Non-Refundable One-Time Entry Fee (NOTEF) for the remainder of their license term.Simulcast op-

erations must begin within two years of either the auction conclusion or acceptance of migration, whichever is applicable, as per the recommendations‘TRAI has recommended that the authorisation fee for digital radio broadcasters be levied on the basis of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR), following the model used in the telecommunications sector.