Press releases from Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) suggest that interest in DRM+, the stand-alone digital transmission standard designed for use in wider bandwidth VHF channels, may be picking up.

A two-day DRM+ demonstration is scheduled to air in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Nov. 29 thru Nov. 30. The event is a first in the Pacific Rim and reflects collaboration between the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRC), the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), Germany's international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle and the Asian-Pacific Broadcasting Union.

Meanwhile, a digital radio symposium in Turin, Italy, this week marks the launch of a year-long DRM+ trial there. The Radio Maria Association, World Family of Radio Maria and Fondazione Formare will host experts to conduct transmissions and data gathering in accordance with a license issued by the Ministry of Economic Development in the Department of Communications.

The Turin trial will take place concurrently in both Band I and Band II (FM) in a combined mode.