FM Radio and Smartphones Go Together in World’s Most Populous Nation

New Smartphones in India Must Include FM Radio.

FM radio is no longer found on smartphones these days. However, the Indian IT Ministry has issued an advisory that states mobile phone makers must ensure that FM radio is available on all smartphones. All smartphones that are to be sold in India should mandatorily have the FM radio enabled by default. With this move, the Indian government will make radio services accessible to people residing in rural and remote areas. 

Moreover, FM radio, being a low-cost and reliable mode of communication, can be helpful in making emergency announcements. The Ministry highlighted the significance of the vast network of FM transmitters and FM radio available in India which played a crucial role in the country’s efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Another 5G Broadcast Test in the Czech Republic

The Czech national transmission company CRA has started the second phase of testing 5G broadcast technology undertaken from two Prague transmitters – Zizkov and Strahov. Broadcasting will be carried out within a single-frequency network, in the case of Zizkov, with the same power as currently broadcast in DVB-T2. The purpose of the test is to verify signal coverage in Prague and the possibility of mobile reception of TV broadcasts and the setting of various modulation schemes to ensure optimal broadcast parameters.

5G Half of Mobile Subscriptions Worldwide by 2027

5G mobile subscriptions stood at 1.7 billion at the end of 2022, accounting for 18 per cent of total mobile subscriptions worldwide, according to data and analytics company GlobalData. The figure is forecast to rise to 5.5 billion, occupying a share of 48 per cent of total mobile subscriptions by 2027.