DAB Ensembles WorldWide: Latest

What conditions would need to be achieved before digital platforms could become the predominant means of delivering radio?
What are the current barriers to the growth of digital radio?
What are the possible remedies to those barriers?

Its main interim recommendations are:-

DAB (in this context meaning original-flavour DAB for the forseeable future) is the most appropriate replacement for analogue radio in the UK
The future radio landscape should at least in the medium term be a mixed ecology with:
- DAB as the primary platform for national, regional and large local stations;
- FM capacity for small local and community radio stations; and
- IP delivery to complement the above and provide opportunities for greater interactivity.
Future receivers should be capable of receiving FM, DAB and the other main variants of the Eureka 147 family.
A long term plan should be developed to move all services to digital. MW should be re-allocated for other uses, while more work is needed to consider the future role of LW.
The Government should make a clear statement on the future of digital radio.
Government should agree a set of criteria and timetable for the migration to digital.
These criteria should include an assessment of:
- The percentage of listening to DAB enabled devices;
- Current and planned coverage of DAB and FM; and
- In considering the case for migration we expect the Government will also want to consider the take-up of digital radio in cars, affordability, functionality, and an environmental impact plan.
The aspiration should be to meet these criteria by between 2012 and 2015 with migration completed by 2020.

More...

June 25th
A new service has popped up on the Block 11C ensemble NOW Cardiff&Npt. XFM is reported to be running at 128 kbit/s in Joint Stereo.

June 24th
Is this the emptiest ensemble on the planet? The Block LG ensemble LG FRANKFURT M. is currently transmitting two packet data services, each running at 16 kbit/s each. Total ensemble capacity 864 CU. Total capacity occupied 32 CU. Snapshot updated. Since the last Snapshot was taken, the Service Truck Radio has ceased.

June 24th
A DAB+ service has popped up on the Block 12A ensemble DRN Nieders.. DRN DAB+ Test is running at 48 kbit/s. The original-flavour DAB service Truck Radio has ceased. Snapshot updated. Since the last Snapshot was taken, a new packet data service has popped up. MobileInfo is running at 16 kbit/s.

June 24th
The UK regulator Ofcom has awarded the local DAB licence for North Wales to the sole applicant, MuxCo Wales Ltd. (Town and Country Broadcasting Limited 70%, MuxCo Ltd 30%). Two frequencies will be used to cover the licence area, raising the possibility, technically at least, that at some point two distinct ensembles could run. Block 10D will be used for the western part and Block 12D for the eastern part. Capacity is reserved for the two national BBC Wales services, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru. In an appendix to the licence advertisement, Ofcom points out that the frequency corresponding to Block 10D is currently used by the Mount Leinster transmitter in the Republic of Ireland for analogue television. Consequently, Ofcom stated, "it will be difficult to implement the 10D frequency over significant sections of the western part of the licence area until either Mount Leinster ceases operation, or June 2015, whichever is the earlier". MuxCo proposes to broadcast six audio services in addition to the BBC service and to operate a Podcast service for download:-

Coast FM (GCap)
Champion FM (GCap)
Wales Live (Town and Country Broadcasting)
UCB UK United Christian Broadcasters
Traffic Radio (English Language) (provider tbc)
Traffic Radio (Welsh Language)

MuxCo proposes to launch within two years using two transmitters, Moel y parc and Great Ormes Head which it estimates will cover (outdoor) 50% by population of the licence area. Both transmitters will broadcast on Block 12D. MuxCo also stated in its application that it intends to commission a transmitter at Arfon during the licence period. Arfon would operate on Block 10D.

June 20th
The Swiss public-service broadcaster SRG/SSR has brought into service a new transmitter in the French-speaking region. St-Sulpice extends and improves coverage of the Block 12A ensemble SRG SSR F01 in the Val de Travers, including Fleurier, Couvet, Môtiers, Saint-Sulpice und Boveresse.

June 16th
A new ensemble has popped up in the Czech capital, Prague. The L-band test transmissions on Block LI, are being used to a carry a mixture of original-flavour DAB and DAB+ services from public-service broadcaster Cesky rozhlas. A coverage map is available for download from the website of the transmission provider Teleko.

June 8th
Score Inverness Snapshot updated.

June 7th
UTV-Emap Stoke has been relabelled UTV Bauer Stoke.

June 6th
Swiss public-service broadcaster SRG/SSR has brought into service two new transmitters in the French-speaking region, Suisse Romande. Haute-Nendaz extends coverage of the Block 12A ensemble SRG SSR F01 in Valais from Sion down to the Rhône's right-angle turn at Martigny, including Sion, Nendaz, Chamoson, Saxon, Savièse, Conthey, Granges, Chermignon, Conthey and Ayent. Porrentruy similarly extends coverage to the town of the same name in the Jura, as well as Fontenay and Courtedoux. For the German-speaking region, two new transmitters extend DAB coverage in northern Switzerland, but from German soil. Wannenberg, several kilometers the other side of the Swiss-German frontier, extends coverage of the Block 12C ensemble SRG SSR D01 to Glattfelden, Eglisau and Bülach. Eggberg, also standing on German territory in Bad Säckingen, extends coverage to Wallbach, Frick, Möhlin, Rheinfelden and Eiken. The new sites are considered to be under test at the moment and as such liable to interruptions, periods of reduced power and other odd effects before entering official public service in about four weeks time.

June 5th
A new ensemble has popped up in Stuttgart on Block 11B. SWR Test is reported to be broadcasting two audio services, SWR3 and DASDING, and three data services, SLS, SLS-EPM and SLS-fast. Both audio services are reported to be running at 192 kbit/s in original-flavour DAB.

June 5th
A new transmitter in Northern Ireland has been brought into service on the Block 12B SFN, BBC National DAB. Strabane brings coverage to the area around Strabane in County Tyrone and most likely extends into County Donegal in the Republic.

June 1st
Swiss public-service broadcaster SRG/SSR has, in the course of just one day, brought into service eight new transmitters, adding 220,000 people to the potential audience for DAB. La Brévine extends coverage of the Block 12A ensemble for the French-speaking region, SRG SSR F01, to the surrounding area. Montmagny similarly improves coverage in Neuchâtel and Boudry. Les Hauts-Geneveys extends coverage into the Val de Ruz. In canton Valais, Ravoire extends coverage around Martigny. Grimentz extends coverage into the Val d'Anniviers and Val de Zinal. In German-speaking Oberwallis, transmitters at Feschel, Leukerbad and Gebidem extend coverage of the Block 12C ensemble SRG SSR D01 to the entire region between Sitten and Brig, including the lower area from Goms to Fiesch. The new sites are considered to be under test at the moment and as such liable to interruptions, periods of reduced power and other odd effects before entering official public service in about four weeks time.

Stories prior to this date are now stored on the DAB Archives page.