Imagine tuning in to your favourite FM station—Red FM, Radio Mango, Radio Mirchi, or any of them—one day and finding crystal-clear HD sound, extra channels of music or talk shows, and even live traffic alerts!

If the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)’s latest Recommendations on Formulating a Digital Radio Broadcast Policy for Private Broadcasters take off, this would soon become a reality!

Under the draft plan that went public today, every FM broadcaster can add a digital layer alongside today’s analogue signal on the same dial position (or frequency) on the radio.

In practice, this means that a local station would carry:

📻 One standard FM channel (just like today)

📻 Up to three additional “digital sub-channels” for niche content

📻 A small data stream for song titles, traffic updates, or emergency alerts

And the best part? No separate frequency hunt, no extra licence hoops—all existing FM operators need to do is simply top up their current licence fee to join the digital wave, according to the TRAI.

The latest move by the telecom authority means that radios are not going anywhere. In fact, with better sound and more channels, TRAI wants radios, especially in cars and new smartphones, to include digital-FM chips by default.

This means that if your phone or car has the capability to catch digital FM frequencies, it would display song info (like YouTube Music, Spotify, and Apple Music). If you have ever tinkered with a European-made car like a Fiat or a Skoda, you might be familiar with the FM and DAB modes... changing the substation in the new radio frequency could be similar to that.

Spectrum bidding in major cities

According to the TRAI draft regulations, the spectrum for this hybrid model would be auctioned in 13 Indian cities—four big metros (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai) and nine other major cities, with winners of the bids getting a 15 year-window to launch services.

These nine cities are Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Surat, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kanpur, and Nagpur.

TRAI also noted that no broadcaster can hold more than 40 per cent market share in a city, and they must start digital broadcasts within two years of winning.

Analogue radio will not stop

Let us address the elephant in the room. Upgrading to digital does not mean the good old analogue radio will die.

In fact, TRAI’s regulation hints that the analogue band stays active until enough listeners own digital-capable receivers. And even then, broadcasters can ‘simulcast’ their channels online, widening reach for listeners without digital radios.

If these regulations come to pass, morning drives could soon feature clearer HD audio, extra stations, live data and richer on-screen displays, all delivered over the same familiar FM frequency.

Of course, do check if your smartphone or car stereo can pick up upgraded FM signals.

TRAI recommendations at a glance

TRAI’s recommendations are as follows

📻 A single, technology‐neutral “simulcast” framework

- Broadcasters, both new and legacy, would transmit one analogue channel plus up to three digital audio streams and one data channel on the same spot frequency.

- Migration by existing FM operators simply requires paying the auction‐determined price less the residual value of their analogue licence.

- All digital services must launch within two years of auction or migration.

📻 Spectrum auctions in 13 major cities

- Four “A+” metros (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai) and nine “A” cities (Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Surat, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Nagpur) will each offer two new spot frequencies in this first phase.

- Reserve prices run from about ₹20 crore in smaller “A” cities up to nearly ₹195 crore in Mumbai.

- Authorisation lasts 15 years, renewable for another 15 years; market share capped at 40 per cent per city.

📻 Fees, eligibility and licence conditions

- Annual authorisation fees tied to Adjusted Gross Revenue: 4 per cent in most cities, 2 per cent for hilly and island regions for the first three years.

- Minimum net worth to bid ranges from Rs 30 lakh in smaller centres to Rs 3 crore in top metros, aligned with the February 2025 “Terrestrial Radio Service” authorisation framework.

- Applicants must be Indian‐controlled companies or LLPs, meet FDI limits, and pass security clearances.

- Programme rules mirror FM Phase-III: up to 10 minutes of news per hour, at least half of the content produced in India, 30 minutes daily of public service broadcasting, and voluntary infrastructure sharing.

📻 Ecosystem and rollout support

- A new “Radio Broadcasting Infrastructure Provider” licence would let tower companies lease digital transmission gear to broadcasters.

- Prasar Bharati’s towers and land must be offered on concessional terms, with mandatory co-location rules relaxed in favour of voluntary sharing.

- An inter-ministerial steering committee—including MIB, MeitY, broadcasters, device makers and tech vendors—will monitor receiver uptake and guide device-inclusion advisories for phones and car infotainment.

These recommendations, published on the official TRAI website, are now open for public and industry stakeholders to assess and respond.