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| DAB
("original flavour") |
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| DAB+ |
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| Radio Numérique Terrestre - DMB-Radio |
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| DMB TV |
Free PURE
DAB+ upgrade
For a limited period, PURE is offering free upgrades to UK customers, unlocking DAB+ reception on compatible radios. A computer with a USB port will be required to perform the upgrade. Check compatability on the PURE website.
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Own-brand DAB+ radios
In the UK, the last remaining bastion of died-in-the-wool, "original-flavour"-only DAB receivers is the range of own-brand radios sold by the major supermarket chains. Which brand will be last to switch? With the new UK digital radio tick mark now specifying DAB+ capability (among other welcome things) to qualify, it can't be long now. With DAB+ services already on air across the UK, and more certain to follow, Wohnort recommends that the own-brand ranges be avoided until they include DAB+.
Caveat emptor!
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Cookies
Wohnort does not itself use cookies. However, Wohnort uses Google Analytics to determine the international reach of the website. Google Analytics mainly uses first-party cookies to report on user interactions on Google Analytics customers’ websites. These cookies are used to store non-personally identifiable information. Browsers do not share first-party cookies across domains. Advertisers on Wohnort may also use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse traffic. Advertisers may share information about your use of the site with social media, advertising and analytics partners. If you prefer, it is possible to block some or all cookies, or even to delete cookies that have already been set but you might lose some functions on the websites that you visit. If you continue to use the Wohnort website without altering the cookies settings on your browser, we'll assume that you are agreeing to the use of those cookies.
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Amazon UK Offers
The button below will search for DAB price reductions on amazon.co.uk. (Wohnort has noticed that Amazon's widget occasionally produces non-DAB results)
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Search for DAB offers:
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Remember to select FREE DELIVERY to reduce your costs still further.
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| Pan-European Specification |
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To be capable of working anywhere in Europe, a "pan-European" radio needs to be able to receive DAB, DAB+ and DMB-A in Band III and L-band.
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| Band III |
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| L-band |
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DMB-TH |
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IBOC
(aka HD Radio) |
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ISDB-T |
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Ensemble Label
| EId | |
3 Stereo |
 3 Stereo | 3 Joint
Stereo | 4 Joint St.
LSF | 3 Mono | 3 Mono
LSF | 3 Dual
Channel | 1 Packet
Data | 3 Stream
Data | 3 DAB+
(Mode?) + | 3 DAB+
Stereo + | 3 DAB+
Mono + | 3 DAB+
5.1 + | | | IV | TII |
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Archives 2005
December 26th 2005
On the Rheinland-Pfalz L-band ensembles Regio Rheinl-Pf., the Service Cont.Ra has ceased. The Service continues to be broadcast on the Band III ensemble Rheinland-Pfalz.
December 26th 2005
The Sächsischen Landesanstalt für privaten Rundfunk has advertised for applications from public- and/or private-sector broadcasters to be partners in a three-year pilot DMB project which is to be conducted in conjunction with the other Länder. An extension of the trials for a further two years is possible. On offer is the capacity on the local L-band allocation (Block LI) for the city of Leipzig. The closing date for applications is February 2nd 2006.
December 26th 2005
The Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg has advertised for applications from public- and/or private-sector broadcasters to be partners in a three-year pilot DMB project which is to be conducted in conjunction with the other Länder. On offer is the capacity on the two L-band allocations - Block LE for west Brandenburg, including Berlin, and Block LI in Berlin. The closing date for applications is February 22nd 2006.
December 26th 2005
Ofcom, the United Kingdom regulator, has raised the possibility of replanning the frequency assignments of existing multiplexes in order to improve coverage and reception. In its Statement on future DAB planning, Ofcom also states that it is working with the DAB industry to explore the scope for transmitted power increases within the existing international agreements and additionally will seek an agreement at RRC06 for improvements to the frequency planning criteria that would improve indoor and mobile outdoor reception. However, Ofcom appears to reject an application from DRg, operator of the third London multiplex, for its coverage area to be increased to match those of the other two multiplexes. Ofcom notes that the third multiplex had been planned on the basis of a restricted coverage area from the outset and that this had been known and accepted by DRg.
December 22nd 2005
Ofcom, the United Kingdom regulator, has published its detailed proposals for the further expansion of DAB. It confirms its plan to allocate one frequency block for a second national commercial multiplex and to allocate three new frequency blocks for local coverage so that each part of Great Britain should receive at least one local multiplex.
The new national multiplex would be advertised "as soon as possible" and the local multiplexes would be advertised in descending order of population coverage. Ofcom proposes that the first areas to be advertised should be as
follows:-
| Area | BBC Local Service to be carried |
| Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire & Buckinghamshire | BBC Three
Counties Radio |
| Chester & Wrexham | BBC Radio Wales; BBC Radio
Cymru
(plus any new BBC Radio Cheshire) |
| Oxfordshire | BBC Radio Oxford |
| Herefordshire & Worcestershire | BBC Hereford &
Worcester |
| Lincolnshire | BBC Radio Lincolnshire |
| Guildford | BBC Southern Counties Radio |
| Reigate & Crawley | BBC Southern Counties Radio |
| Derbyshire | BBC Radio Derby |
| Northamptonshire | BBC Radio Northampton |
| Suffolk | BBC Radio Suffolk |
Ofcom will publish its plans for Northern Ireland in due course, stating that there is the possibility to add further multiplexes, either covering the whole of Northern Ireland, or to split Northern Ireland into three areas, each with its own multiplex. [The Irish public-service broadcaster, RTÉ, states on its website that it has investigated the provision of its services on DAB in
Northern Ireland, but that this "is not technically feasible at present".]
Ofcom will also investigate the provision of a multiplex or multiplexes for the Channel Islands, and will continue to seek to allow the Kent multiplex to be extended to cover the Channel Coast.
All of these plans are subject to a successful outcome of the RRC06 and to international frequency clearance.
Ofcom's proposals have been opened for consultation and the closing date for responses is March 15th 2006.
December 22nd 2005
The second transmitter for the new ensemble in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland is reported to have been brought into service on Block 12A in Ticino. Pizzo Matro serves the north/south axis between Bellinzona and Airolo. Further transmitters to cover the Lugano and Chiasso region should follow in January.
December 22nd 2005
On the local ensemble CAPITAL KENT, the Service KM-digital has been relabelled kmfm. Snapshot updated.
December 22nd 2005
On the Belgian ensemble RTBF DAB Radio, the Service Class.21 is reported to have been relabelled Class 21. The Data Services RTBF Data 1 and SM Data are reported to have ceased.
December 20th 2005
The new ensemble for the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland is reported to have popped up on Block 12A in Ticino. The ensemble will carry nine audio services, of which six will be DAB-only in the reception area. The first transmitter to enter service is Monte Ceneri Passo, serving the Locarno and Bellinzona region. A second transmitter at Pizzo Matro is believed to be imminent which will serve the north/south axis between Bellinzona and Airolo. Further transmitters to cover the Lugano and Chiasso region should follow in January.
December 20th 2005
A new Service has popped up on the Cardiff/Newport local ensemble CAPITAL DIGITAL. FUNradio is reported to be running at 80 kbit/s in mono.
December 20th 2005
Irish public-service broadcaster RTE is to conduct DAB test transmissions in the Greater Dublin area commencing January 1st. The tests will last three months and, if successful, RTE is expected to apply for a full broadcasting licence later in 2006.
December 19th 2005
A further two new transmitters have been added to the Block 11D Single Frequency Network in England and Wales, Digital1 Network. Kendal extends coverage to Kendal and the southern Lake District. The Blaenplwyf transmitter serves the Aberystwyth area of Wales.
December 19th 2005
Another new transmitter has been added to the Block 11D Single Frequency Network in England and Wales, Digital1 Network. Great Massingham improves coverage in East Anglia. Between them, this new site, together with the Great Yarmouth and Oulton transmitters, brought into service last week, bring coverage to Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and parts of coastal East Anglia.
December 19th 2005
The Thüringer Landesmedienanstalt has advertised for applications to be partners in a three-year pilot DMB project which is to be conducted in conjunction with the other Länder. At least six months before the end of the period, the TLM will decide whether to extend the pilot, or to develop it into a full service. On offer is the capacity on 5 L-band local T-DAB blocks, which between them cover the whole of Thüringen. The closing date for applications is January 20th 2006.
December 18th 2005
On NOW Coventry, the Service BBC WM (C&W) is reported to have been relabelled BBC Cov & Warks. The Service Kix Coventry is reported to have been relabelled 'Coventry's Kix'.
December 16th 2005
A new Service has popped up on DRg London. Virgin Groove is running 19:00 to 06:00 at 96 kbit/s in Mono. Evening Snapshot updated.
December 16th 2005
Snapshots of the UK regional ensembles MXR North East, MXR North West and MXR Yorkshire updated. On all three ensembles, the Service Real Radio has been relabelled Real. The Service DNN was observed to be running at the increased Protection Level 1 on all three ensembles. On MXR Yorkshire, the data Service MXR Interactive has ceased since the last Snapshot.
December 16th 2005
Daytime Snapshot of the UK ensemble Digital1 Network updated. Since the last Snapshot, the Services The Digizone, Sky News and Sky Sports News have ceased. New DMB services have popped up - ITV 2, E4 C4 and Cartoon Network. These are pilot transmissions aimed at a test group of small-display portable receivers. An additional DMB service, Late Night TV, runs during the night. Night time Snapshot to follow.
December 15th 2005
On Switch Scotland, the Service real has been relabelled Real.
December 15th 2005
The Landesanstalt für Medien Nordrhein-Westfalen (LfM) has advertised for applications from the public and/or private sectors to be partners in a pilot DMB project which is to be conducted nationwide in conjunction with the other Länder. The proposed start date for the project is May 1st 2006 in time for the World Cup. On offer is the capacity on 16 L-band local T-DAB blocks (one per locality) in Nordrhein-Westfalen. The closing date for applications is January 26th 2006.
December 15th 2005
On CE Birmingham, the Service new 96.4 brmb is reported to have been relabelled brmb.
December 15th 2005
On the Saarland ensemble DRSaar 1, the Secondary Component SR INFO is reported to have ceased and been replace by a new Service, antenne saar, a bilingual German/French service which also includes relays of programmes from Cont.Ra as well as the Italian-language programme "Mezz'Ora Italiana". The French-language part of the service is to be made up of relays from the French international broadcaster Radio France International.
December 15th 2005
The Swedish government is to freeze the roll-out of DAB in Sweden. It is expected to be announced this week that no further DAB transmitters will be authorised and that there will be no new DAB licences issued to the private sector.
December 15th 2005
Listing of the Niedersachsen ensemble DRN Nieders. updated.
December 15th 2005
Two new transmitters have been added to the Block 11D Single Frequency Network in England and Wales, Digital1 Network. Both improve coverage in East Anglia. The Great Yarmouth and Oulton transmitters bring coverage to Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and parts of coastal East Anglia. UK TII table updated.
December 13th 2005
TWG-EMAP W.YORKS Snapshot updated. A new Service, Islam Radio is running at 64 kbit/s in Mono.
December 7th 2005
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has authorised the CBC to increase the power of its transmitter at Camp Fortune from 5,928 watts to 12,250 watts and to relocate the downtown Ottawa transmitter from the former CBC building on Lanark Avenue to Place Bell Canada and to decrease its EIRP from 2,850 watts to 2,820 watts. Both transmitters broadcast the Block L18 ensemble CBC Radio-Canada.
December 7th 2005
The BBC has brought into service another transmitter in the latest phase of its expansion programme. Redruth extends coverage of BBC National DAB into Cornwall, including Redruth, Truro, Penzance and parts of Newquay.
December 2nd 2005
On the Berlin/Brandenburg ensemble Berlin/BRBG LE the Service BBRadio has ceased.
December 2nd 2005
On the Hamburg ensemble DRN HAMBURG the Service allROCK has ceased.
November 24th 2005
Digital Radio Saar, the DAB network operator in Saarland, has brought into service a new L-band transmitter at Göttelborner Höhe, extending coverage between Saarlouis und Saarbrücken and along the Autobahnen A1, A623, A8 and A620. Coverage for mobile reception of the ensemble DRSaar 2 now stands at over 80% of Saarland.
November 14th 2005
On the Netherlands ensemble Publieke Omroep, the Services Radio 4 and Concertzender are running at the reduced bitrate of 160 kbit/s. The Service Radio Top 2000 is running at the reduced bitrate of 112 kbit/s.
November 14th 2005
The BBC has announced that for the duration of the cricket coverage in November and December, BBC National DAB will not broadcast the Daily Worship and Yesterday In Parliament. These programmes had been broadcast as Secondary Components of BBC Radio 4 and will only be available on long-wave.
November 11th 2005
On the Netherlands ensemble Publieke Omroep, the Service 747AM has been relabelled Radio 747.
November 11th 2005
Swiss public-service broadcaster SRG/SSR has published a more precise timetable for the expansion of DAB coverage across the country. The first phase will the launch of the ensemble for the Italian-speaking region along the north-south axis of the San Gottardo route through Ticino, including Lugano and Bellinzona. According to the timetable which is available for download in map form, the ensemble should enter into service next month.
November 11th 2005
A new Service has popped up on the Block 12A Niedersachsen ensemble DRN Nieders.. Truck Radio is reported to be running at 192 kbit/s.
November 9th 2005
The BBC has brought into service the first transmitter in the latest phase of its expansion programme. Kendal extends coverage of BBC National DAB to Kendal and the surrounding area.
November 6th 2005
Switch Aberdeen Snapshot updated.
November 6th 2005
Score DUNDEE Snapshot updated. All Services on the ensemble, with the exception of Shared Access, were seen to be running at Protection Level 2.
November 4th 2005
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has rejected a request from the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) to defer by two to three years an expected review of commercial radio policy until the impact of the forthcoming subscription digital radio services on the commercial radio market was clear. The CRTC believes that "it is the appropriate time to ensure that all regulatory, commercial and technological options are explored in order to facilitate radio's successful transition to digital transmission and reception".
November 3rd 2005
In France, the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel has authorised a test transmission in Lille using Block LI. The Centre national d'études spatiales is conducting a pilot service of multimedia broadcasts intended for passengers on certain bus lines in the city. The authorisation is valid from October 1st to November 15th.
November 3rd 2005
Test transmissions have begun in New Zealand using the proprietary American IBOC system from iBiquity. The broadcasts in hybrid analogue/digital mode are taking place on 106.1 MHz from the Skytower in Auckland.
November 2nd 2005
A new Service has has popped up on DAB pilot netw., the experimental ensemble in Amsterdam. Multichannel Aud is running at 192 kbit/s. The bitrates of the data services on the ensemble have dropped to accomodate the newcomer.
November 1st 2005
DVB-H transmissions have begun in the Swiss capital, Bern, in a pilot broadcast which is to last three months. 100 Nokia 7710 Smartphone's have been equipped with DVB-H receivers to enable reception of some 26 different television and data services. This is the first trial of DVB-H in Switzerland.
November 1st 2005
An experimental service of packet data, SRC_IP2, is reported to be running on the Block L18 Ottawa ensemble, CBC Radio-Canada at 128 kbit/s.
October 31st 2005
On the Paris Block 11B ensemble TF1-VDL, the two audio services have new SIds. Europe 1 is now F213 and Europe 2 is F219.
October 31st 2005
75 prospective content providers have applied to participate in next year's DMB trials in Bayern, ranging from news services about live sport events to traffic information based on GPS. The trials will coincide with the World Cup in München and are planned to offer seven audio services along with television and other data services.
October 27th 2005
An ensemble has popped up in Prague on Block 10A. TELEKO TEST MUX is broadcasting five audio
services.
October 27th 2005
A new Service has popped up on Netherlands ensemble Publieke Omroep. FunX-BNN is running at 128kbit/s. The Service LUISTERTEST has been relabelled Radio Top 2000.
October 27th 2005
A new Service, KISS, has popped up on Score DUNDEE. The Service Vibe FM has ceased.
October 24th 2005
A new Service has popped up on Score Ayr. KISS is running at 128 kbit/s. The Service Vibe FM has ceased.
October 21st 2005
The Landesmedienanstalt Saarland (LMS) is to authorise a test ensemble to broadcast DMB. The process should begin in early November with the offer of capacity on the pilot ensemble. The LMS will coordinate the selection process with the other Landesmedienanstalten.
October 19th 2005
Ofcom, the United Kingdom regulator, has published its proposals for the use of additional Band III spectrum for DAB. The UK negotiating position at the frequency planning conference RRC-06 is for the release of five additional blocks for DAB - two national and three local. In its proposals published today, Ofcom plans to allocate four of these blocks, one for a second national multiplex and three to complete local coverage across the UK so that each area has access to at least one local ensemble. The release of all four blocks is still subject to the outcome of the RRC. Should the RRC negotiations for the fifth block be successful, Ofcom would then launch a consultation on the use of this fifth block for a third national multiplex. Ofcom rules out the use of the technique of multiplex windowing in order to create sub-areas of coverage within a multiplex area. In Kent, Ofcom still hopes to extend coverage of the existing ensemble to the Channel coast. If that does not prove possible, Ofcom would license a separate multiplex for the Kent coast area. Ofcom proposes a single multiplex area to cover the west coast of Scotland, including the Inner and Outer Hebrides, and is studying the availability of spectrum for a multiplex to cover the Channel Islands. Ofcom has declined Digital One's request for spectrum to extend its own coverage into Northern Ireland, stating that the licence is "designed to serve Great Britain." Ofcom has also overruled Digital One's claim to be the "first and only" national commercial multiplex, believing it is not "precluded in law or otherwise" from allocating spectrum for a further national multiplex. However, Ofcom states that services on the second multiplex should appeal to "tastes and interests different from those carried on the existing multiplex". Up to 20% of the second multiplex may be used for data broadcasting, as with the Digital One ensemble. Ofcom does not believe that DAB will provide a migration path for all of the current analogue broadcasters, either because of their size or their location, but believes that DRM, at either medium wave or in Band II could be an option. The document makes no specific mention of the BBC's desire for more capacity in order to achieve higher sound quality, other than to note that the BBC is among those who have expressed an interest in using capacity on a second national multiplex. A public consultation on the spectrum proposals has been launched, with a closing date of November 16th 2005. A separate consultation on the future regulation of radio generally is also launched today. Ofcom proposes, inter alia, to abolish its hard-minimum bitrate requirements with a more general condition that signals should "attain high standards of technical quality". That consultation closes January 11th, 2006.
October 18th 2005
The new Band III ensemble for Regensburg is reported to have popped up as Factum 1 on Block 12A with test transmissions.
October 17th 2005
A new Service has popped up on the Block 12A Südtirol ensemble, RAS RAI. RADIOJOJO is running at 160 kbit/s. The Protection Levels on the ensemble have dropped to UEP4 to accomodate the newcomer.
October 17th 2005
The Bayerische Landeszentrale für neue Medien (BLM) expects the DAB transmitted power levels to be increased in Bayern by the end of the year. Band III transmissions are currently capped at 1kW. Of 10 sites approved for power increases nationally, the BLM expects six of these to be in the Block 12D SFN in Bayern. Transmitted power levels are expected to rise to between 5 and 8kW, improving indoor coverage in München, Nürnberg, Würzburg, Regensburg, Augsburg und Ulm.
October 17th 2005
Digital Radio Südwest, the DAB network operator in Rhineland-Pfalz and Baden-Württemberg, has applied for increases in the transmitted power levels in Band III. In Baden-Württemberg the sites Waldenburg, Waldburg, Freiburg-Vogtsburg, Stuttgart-Degerloch, Ulm, Murgtal, Pforzheim-Langenbrand, Lahr, Hornisgrinde, Heidelberg, Geislingen, Ettlingen-Wattkopf and Bad Mergentheim should be increased to 8kW. Raichberg and Witthoh should transmit in the future with 4kW. Mudau should operate with 2kW. In Rheinland-Pfalz the sites Trier-Petrisberg, Saarburg, Linz/Rhein, Koblenz, Kettrichhof, Hohe Wurzel, Heidelberg-Königstuhl, Eifel and Donnersberg should operate at 8kW. Haardtkopf/Hunsrück should be increased to 2kW.
October 17th 2005
The Landesanstalt für Kommunikation Baden-Württemberg (LFK) has invited applications to operate a DMB ensemble as part of a nationwide project to pilot both DMB and DVB-H systems. In Baden-Württemberg, proposals are being sought from prospective ensemble operators who could offer 3 or 4 television services suitable for reception on small portable receivers using allocations in L-band over and above those already in use for DAB. The closing date for applications is December 30th 2005. Similar advertisements are expected to be made in the other Bundesländer by November 30th. The Landesmedienanstalten are expected to coordinate the decision-making process by which the successful applicants are selected. The LFK has announced that it has already begun the process of preparing a DVB-H project with a view to making a nationwide frequency plan possible. Baden-Württemberg listings updated with the L-band allocations for DMB.
October 16th 2005
The experimental DMB ensemble has popped up in Paris on Block 11B. TF1-VDL is broadcasting two television services for reception on small portable receivers, TF1 and LCI and two audio services, Europe 1 and Europe 2. The two audio services are running at 128 kbit/s. This is the first time that DAB or DMB transmissions in Band III have taken place in France. An allocation was made for Rhône-Alpes some years ago but has not been used to date.
October 13th 2005
The Australian media is reporting that the government has confirmed its choice of Eureka 147 as its system for digital radio broadcasting. Communications Minister Helen Coonan is predicted to announce a plan for the staged roll-out of DAB broadcasts, beginning in the metropolitan areas, when she opens the Australian radio industry's annual conference in Sydney on Friday. According to newspaper reports, existing broadcasters are to be encouraged to launch new services to make digital radio more attractive and are to be protected from other groups entering the market for six years, a compromise between the ten years asked for by the industry and the government's proposed five. Each existing broadcaster is to be allocated capacity to operate a 128 kbit/s service (presumably at Protection Level 3), rather than the 256 kbit/s requested by the industry. The plan gives broadcasters first choice of operating their own multiplexes as consortia, or whether to rent capacity from multiplex operators. No announcements have been made about spectrum allocation, and planning could take several months. The government sets no date for analogue switch-off and does not mandate simulcasting, leaving a broadcaster free if it chooses to use its digital capacity entirely for new services. The government clearly hopes this will encourage a speedy take-up of digital receivers.
October 12th 2005
A Block 12C ensemble has popped up in Stockholm following several years' absence. Commercial broadcasters MTG Radio and SBS Radio and a community station are participating in a two weeks trial from Teracom's transmitters in Nacka. This is the first time that commercial and community services have been broadcast by DAB in Sweden. Seven services are reported to be broadcasting: Rix FM, NRJ, Bandit 106.3, Mix Megapol, The Voice, Studio 107.5 and Radio Sydväst 88.9. The broadcasts coincide with the home entertainment exhibition in Stockholm, Digital Home. MTG, SBS and public-service broadcaster Sveriges Radio are exhibiting there under the motto "All of Sweden will soon have digital radio!".
October 12th 2005
Swiss private broadcaster Swiss Music Radio has declared itself to be not interested in capacity on a future 2nd DAB ensemble and called upon Swiss regulator BAKOM to permit parallel broadcasting using HD-Radio, the proprietary IBOC system from iBiquity. Swiss Music Radio states it may possibly be interested in capacity on any 3rd or 4th national multiplex.
October 12th 2005
At a meeting in München of regulators from Austria, Switzerland, Bayern and Baden-Württemberg, it was predicted that by the end of this year or early next year some 30 services should be receivable on Band III in the Bodensee region. Those services originate in Germany and Switzerland, but all three countries are committed to a "DMB Bodensee" project which will support the introduction of "mobile" radio services in the region.
October 7th 2005
On NOW Bristol, NOW S&C and DRg London the Service Fun Radio has been relabelled FUN radio.
October 7th 2005
In Canada, the great wait continues, and could continue for some time to come. The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) has requested that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) defer by two to three years an expected review of commercial radio policy until the impact of the forthcoming subscription digital radio services on the commercial radio market is clear. The review would be expected to include roll-out of terrestrial DAB services and the CAB observes that CHUM, the subscription licensee which is to offer its services terrestrially using DAB, might have a role to play in a renewal of the digital roll-out strategy. The CAB believes adopting a wait-and-see approach will allow a clearer picture to emerge of how
digital radio is developing. The CRTC has announced that it will determine the timing and content of any review of commercial radio policy shortly.
October 7th 2005
All five transmitters in the experimental Amsterdam L-band ensemble DAB pilot netw. are now active, including de Bazel.
October 6th 2005
An L-band ensemble has popped up in Amsterdam. DAB pilot netw. is a test ensemble using Transmission Mode IV on Block LH and is the same multiplex as being broadcast on Block 12B.
October 6th 2005
According to information received from Industry Canada, CHUM's test transmissions, understood but not confirmed to be taking place in the Greater Toronto Area prior to the launching of digital subscription radio, are using Blocks L18 through L23.
October 6th 2005
Snapshots added of the South Korean ensemble MBC DMB. Snapshots of the Blocks ROK12B and ROK12C ensembles updated. Since the last Snapshots were taken, the ensemble KBS ensemble has been relabelled KBS Ensemble. Note that all three DMB Video services - MBC Video on MBC DMB, DMB1 on KBS Ensemble and SBS TV on SBS DMB, intended for reception in the same area, have the same SId!! (F1E00001). Similar SId clashes exist between MBC TPEG on MBC DMB and Download on SBS DMB, and between TTI on KBS Ensemble and TBS on SBS DMB!
October 5th 2005
Taiwan Snapshots updated. Since the last Snapshot was taken, the Block 11D ensemble CBS ENSEMBLE has been relabelled RTI ENSEMBLE. The Service Label and Service Component Label of PRS AUDIO and RTI MUSIC AUDIO differ. The other labels are PRSAUDIO and RTI MUSIC respectively. The Blocks 10C and 10D ensembles PC-Radio and UFO ENSEMBLE were not seen this time and are assumed to have ceased.
October 4th 2005
Snapshot of the Hong Kong ensemble DABHK updated. Since the last observation, the Service F001 now carries RTHK Radio 1 and the Service F002 RTHK Radio 2. All the main RTHK services are now broadcast on the ensemble along with the BBC World Service. The PTy of the services RTHK R1 IN DAB and RTHK R2 IN DAB alternated between two values every half second.
October 4th 2005
Snapshot of the Amsterdam ensemble DAB pilot netw. added.
October 3rd 2005
In Canada, all three groups proposing to provide digital radio subscription services have applied to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to have the terms of their licences varied. Those licences were awarded in June this year. The variations sought relate in all three cases to the proportions of Canadian versus non-Canadian and English-language versus French-language content proposed to be broadcast. In the case of CHUM, the group which proposes to offer its digital radio package over terrestrial L-band transmitters using Eureka 147's Conditional Access capabilities, the original undertaking that all 50 of its audio channels would be produced in Canada would, if approved, be replaced by a condition that no more than one non-Canadian channel could be offered along with each Canadian channel offered. The CRTC has invited interventions and submissions from the public and other organisations. CHUM's submission to the CRTC reveals that test transmissions are already taking place in the Greater Toronto Area in which 72 audio channels are being broadcast, and that CHUM is confident of being able to offer up to 100 audio channels in numerous Canadian markets within a relatively short time frame.
October 3rd 2005
In Canada, the great wait continues. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has granted 91991 B.C. Ltd. an extension to the deadline by which its digital radio service CJRC was due to have been on-air. 591991 B.C. Ltd. was authorised in November 2002 to operate its service CKHT in Ottawa and Gatineau on Block L7 including up to 14 hours a week of non-simulcast programming. The new deadline is 31st August 2006.
October 3rd 2005
TII codes are being broadcast by the transmitters in the experimental Block 12B ensemble in Amsterdam, DAB pilot netw. (C102). TII page updated.
October 3rd 2005
Now Digital has brought into service a new transmitter in the Berkshire and North Hampshire SFN. Basingstoke improves the coverage of the ensemble NOW READING around the town. UK TII table updated.
October 3rd 2005
On the ensemble RTB Brunei, the Service Labels and Service Component Labels of RTBNurislam and RTBPilihan differ. The other labels are Nurislam and Pilihan respectively.
October 3rd 2005
Singapore Snapshots updated. Since the last Snapshots were taken, the Block 7B and 7C ensembles have been relabelled SmartRadio DAB7B and SmartRadio DAB7C respctively. The Service Pefect 10 has been relabelled 987FM. NewsRadio has been relabelled 938LIVE. The Data Service MediaCorp SR on Block 7C has ceased. The Data Service MediaCorp SR on Block 7B continues. Since the last observations, there has been a general increase in bitrates and protection levels, making better use of the available capacity. Note that the Data Service Socrates on Block 7C has an audio-style SId.
October 3rd 2005
In Finland, the ensembles SUOMI 1 FINLAND 1 and UUSIMAA NYLAND finally ceased on August 31st following the decision some time ago of the public service broadcaster YLE to end transmissions using DAB. YLE continues to broadcast its radio services, along with some commercial services, over the DVB-T multiplexes. There are now no DAB transmissions at all in Finland.
October 2nd 2005
The American digital radio system IBOC is to be tested in Europe. The Swiss FM radio station Sunshine Radio will broadcast in simulcast mode (ie analogue and digital signals together) using iBiquity's proprietary "HD Radio" system in the spring next year. If the tests are considered successful, Sunshine Radio intends to seek Swiss regulatory approval for a full service.
October 1st 2005
Digital One has announced a further transmitter commissioning programme that will expand coverage of its DAB SFN in England and Wales by early 2007. The new transmitters will be sited at Blaenplwyf, Presely, Llandonna and Arfon in Wales; Penrith and Kendal in Cumbria, Great Massingham, Sewards End, Oulton and Great Yarmouth in East Anglia. Digital One still intends to commission a transmitter at Tunbridge Wells once International Coordination difficulties have been resolved. UK TII table updated.
October 1st 2005
Listing of the Berlin Block 12B ensemble FhG FIRST-on-Air updated.
October 1st 2005
The BBC has announced a further transmitter commissioning programme that will expand coverage of its DAB SFN in England and Wales within the next year. The new transmitters will be sited at Blaenplwyf, Presely, Llandonna, Penrith, Kendal, High Hunsley, Great Massingham, Chartham and Redruth. UK TII table updated.
October 1st 2005
Snapshot of the Melbourne ensemble MELB DRB TRIAL updated. The receiver indicated a sub-channel running with no Service apparently allocated to it. Similar results have been obtained in the past in situations where the Character Set flag was wrongly set.
October 1st 2005
In Sydney, a new audio service has popped up on Sydney Mux2 9b. VEGA 95.3 (2018) is running at 192 kbit/s in Stereo. The Service SBS Digital Two has ceased on the Block 9B ensemble and popped up on the Block 9C ensemble Sydney Mux3 9c. An audio service Test Channel was signalled on the Block 9C ensemble but did not appear to have its own sub-channel. The Service 2GB was seen running with two Secondary Components in addition to the Primary - 2GB Plus and a packet data component 2GB. An L-band ensemble continues to be transmitted on 1483.7 MHz. This appears to be a rebroadcast of the Block 9A ensemble but using Transission Mode II and with the same consistent TII values as last year. Note that it shares the same Ensemble Label as its "parent", Sydney Mux1 9a. Snapshots updated.
October 1st 2005
A new data service has popped up on the Netherlands Block 12C ensemble, Publieke Omroep. PRBS (E3800004) is stream data running at 32 kbit/s. The other data service is labelled PO_info (E3800011) and continues in packet mode at 24 kbit/s. The audio service IBC 2005 SPECIAL has been relabelled LUISTERTEST. Snapshots updated.
October 1st 2005
In Canada, the great wait continues. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has granted extensions to the deadlines by which two digital radio services were due to have been on-air. Fairchild Radio Group was authorised in 2003 to operate its service CKHT in Toronto on Block L2 with some additional non-simulcast programming. The AM740 Primetime Radio Partnership was authorised in 2002 to operate on Block L2 including up to 14 hours a week of non-simulcast programming. Both new deadlines are 31st August 2006.
October 1st 2005
In France, the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel has authorised four groups to conduct trials of mobile television in the Paris region. A DVB-H bouquet will be operated on Channel 37 for up to nine months with half the capacity being used by a consotium coordinated by TDF and the other half used by a consortium coordinated by TPS. A second DVB-H bouquet will operate on Channel 29 for up to nine months. A consortium coordinated by Canal+ is authorised to use half the capacity available. Finally, a VHF DMB ensemble is authorised to be operated on Block 11B by TF1 and VDL for six months beginning 15th October. The ensemble will be broadcast from Tour Défense 2000 using 1.5 kW and will broadcast the television services LCI and TF1 and the radio services Europe 1 and Europe 2. This is believed to be the first time a VHF DAB/DMB block has been used in France. A VHF assignment has existed for some time in Rhône-Alpes but this has never been used.
September 10th 2005
The Canadian media is reporting that the federal government has upheld the decision of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to license subscription satellite digital radio. The CRTC granted licences in June to two satellite consortia, one including America's Sirius and Canada's CBC and the other including America's XM Satellite Radio. A third subscription digital radio service was licensed to CHUM and Astral Media, which would use Eureka 147's conditional access capabilities over terrestrial transmitters. The licenses have proved politically controversial, with divisions reported even at cabinet level. Among the complaints is the small proportion of Canadian content to be broadcast over the satellite services, and the even smaller number of French-language services. Sirius, meantime, undertook to increase the number of French services it proposed to broadcast, in an effort to head-off a reversal. CHUM, which had proposed the greatest amount of Canadian content, had complained that the other two services would make its own proposition unviable and it remains to see how they will react to this latest turn of events. The Heritage Minister was quoted Friday as saying that the CRTC will now hold public hearings to receive comment on the new commitments.
September 7th 2005
The BBC and ITV are to launch "Freesat", a satellite equivalent of Freeview, their successful terrestrial digital television package for the UK. Although both the ITV press release and the BBC report of the announcement describe the package as "free-to-view", which implies encryption, ITV also announced that it would shortly be broadcasting its channels "in the clear". All the BBC channels, radio and TV, are already broadcast free-to-air by satellite. [wohnort adds - the distinction between the two terms is that "free-to-air" means without encryption, "free-to-view" means encrypted but requiring a subscription-free card to decode the broadcasts, usually at a nominal charge for the card.]
September 5th 2005
On Switch, the Service Virgin Groove has been relabelled Virgin Xtreme.
September 5th 2005
In Germany, the public-service broadcasters have brought into service a transponder on Astra 1H for radio services. The transponder, according to the ARD, broadcasts "all" the radio services of the various member regional broadcasters and two programme streams from the international broadcaster Deutsche Welle. Interviewed on WDR, Lutz Brühl, WDR Programme Distribution, said the intention was to fulfill the wish of serious radio listeners for an improved audio quality by broadcasting at a much higher data rate. Stereo services would be broadcast with a bitrate of 320 kbit/s, a significant improvement over both the services broadcast hitherto on Astra, and over any services currently available on DAB. The DVB-S bouquet is assembled and uplinked from WDR Langenberg and will include surround-sound broadcasts using Dolby AC3. The footprint of the Astra 1H transponder covers most of Western, Central and Northern Europe from 19.2E, including much of the British Isles.
Transponder: 93
Frequency: 12.266 GHz
Polarisation: horizontal
FEC: 3/4
Symbolrate: 27.500
September 3rd 2005
A new Service has popped up on the Netherlands ensemble Publieke Omroep. IBC 2005 SPECIAL (8207) is running at 128 kbit/s and Joint Stereo with PTy=Easy Listening. The bitrates of some of the other services appear to have been reduced to accomodate the newcomer. Radio 1, Radio 2, 3FM and 747AM are currently running at 128 kbit/s. The data service DAB Demo Service (3800000) appears to have ceased and been replaced by another packet data service (E3800011), running at 24 kbit/s. The service label is either empty or the label is unknown at this time.
September 2nd 2005
On NOW Nottingham, the Service 106 Century FM has been relabelled Heart.
September 1st 2005
Three new services have popped up on the L-band ensemble in Saarland, DRSaar 2. Radyo Metropol and Truck Radio are running at 128kb/s, Classic Rock at 192kb/s. The first two services are reported to be silent at the moment, but Classic Radio is reported to be broadcasting audio already.
August 31st 2005
In Germany, the Direktorenkonferenz der Landesmedienanstalten (DLM) has proposed pilot broadcasts for mobile services (for example TV to be received on pocket receivers) using DMB and DVB-H to be conducted nationwide and for frequencies to be made available. One goal is to be able to provide services in time for the 2006 World Cup. The DLM proposed that the service areas of the tests should not be restricted by the political boundaries of the Länder. Mindful of the competing claims of the DMB and DVB-H systems, the DLM called for the Landesmedienanstalten to be technology-neutral. The one-sided support of one system, or of one provider would be counterproductive and would restrict the process of digitisation.
August 31st 2005
The Canadian media is reporting that the federal government is close to asking the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to rescind its decision to license subscription satellite digital radio. The CRTC granted licences in June to two satellite consortia, one including America's Sirius and Canada's CBC and the other including America's XM Satellite Radio. A third subscription digital radio service was licensed to CHUM and Astral Media, which would use Eureka 147's conditional access capabilities over terrestrial transmitters. The licenses have proved politically controversial, with objections from a number of bodies. Among the complaints is the small proportion of Canadian content to be broadcast over the satellite services, and the even smaller number of French-language services. CHUM, which had proposed the greatest amount of Canadian content, has complained that the other two services would make its own proposition unviable. Sirius, meantime, has undertaken to increase the number of French services it proposes to broadcast, in an effort to head-off a reversal. The government has the power to overturn CRTC decisions or require that the Commission reconsiders decisions. That power is rarely used. The government has until September 14th to respond. A grey market already exists in Canada for subscriptions to the US versions of the Sirius and XM Radio packages.
August 31st 2005
33 radio services have been launched on a DVB-T bouquet in Berlin. The multiplex, on Channel 59 is broadcast from Berlin Schäferberg and Berlin Alexanderplatz using 16-QAM. This is a pilot service intended to last a year. The audio services are:-
- 104,9 OldieStar Radio
- Blu Radio
- Energy 103,4
- ERF
- Euroklassik 1
- ffn
- Fritz
- Hit-Radio FFH
- inforadio
- Jam FM
- Jazztime
- Joy FM
- Klassik Radio
- kulturradio
- Motor FM
- Radijojo
- Radio Eins
- Radio Horeb
- Radio Viola
- RadioRopa Berlin
- road radio
- Rock Antenne Bayern
- Star*Sat Klassik
- Star*Sat Gold
- Star*Sat Hitexpress
- Star*Sat Easyti
- Star*Sat Country
- Star*Sat Melodie
- sunshine live
- Truck Radio
- WDR 2
- WDR 5
- Wilantis
Two television services are also being broadcast on this mux. A DVB-H multiplex is being broadcast on Channel 39 at higher power levels than the DVB-T bouquet. The content of the DVB-H mux is not known.
August 30th 2005
DRg London Snapshot updated. Panjab Radio is now running at the increased Protection Level 3.
August 28th 2005
On DRg London, Fun Radio is now running at the increased Protection Level 3. The Service Panjab Radio is running at the reduced bitrate of 64 kbit/s.
August 24th 2005
A number of different ensembles have popped up in Berlin to coincide with the Internationale Funkaustellung being held in the city. Blocks 12B, LF and LI are all reported to be recently activated. The established broadcasts on Blocks 8C, 12D and LE continue, along with the relay of Digital1 Network from the UK on Block LA. On Block LG is a DMB ensemble of the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe. According to sender-tabelle.de, this broadcasts the "U-Bahn Infofenster" in 85 stations of the U-Bahn lines U7, U8 and U9. Sender-tabelle reports a further, as yet inactive frequency, Block 11A, to have been coordinated for the IFA.
August 23rd 2005
A new Service has popped up on the Block 12C Danish ensemble DR DAB. SKY Radio is reported to be running at 192 kbit/s. The bitrates of other Services on the ensemble have dropped to accomodate the newcomer. DR Jazz, DR Klassisk and DR Soft are reported to be running at 160 kbit/s. A new Service has popped up on the ensemble DR DAB2. Radio 100FM is reported to be running at 192 kbit/s. The Services DR Erhverv and DR P4 Danmark have ceased. The Service DR Sport has ceased on DR DAB and popped up on DR DAB2.
August 22nd 2005
Korean Frequency Tables updated.
August 22nd 2005
A new Service is reported to have popped up on the Block 12C ensemble BAND III HESSEN. Truck Radio is reported to be running at 160 kbit/s. It is understood this Service will be broadcast only for the duration of the IAA PKW exhibition being held at the Frankfurter Messegelände.
August 22nd 2005
A new Service is reported to have popped up on Berlin/BRBG 12. 89.0 RTL is reported to be running at 192 kbit/s. It is understood this service will be broadcast only for the duration of the Internationale Funkaustellung being held in Berlin.
August 19th 2005
Capital Hants listing updated. Channel 9 no longer carries programmes from Southampton Hospital Radio, but now broadcasts Capital Disney continuously.
August 19th 2005
NOW Cambridge, NOWNorwich and CAPITAL SUSSEX Snapshots updated.
August 18th 2005
NOW S&C Snapshot updated.
August 18th 2005
A new Service has popped up on the local L-band ensembles Regio FREIBURG, Regio KARLSRUHE, Regio MANNHEIM, Regio STUTTGART and Regio ULM. Truck Radio is reported to be running at 128 kbit/s, Joint Stereo.
August 17th 2005
A new Service has popped up on NOW READING and NOW S&C. ourkindofmusic (C9C1) is running at 128 kbit/s Joint Stereo.
August 17th 2005
In Canada, the great wait continues. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has granted an extension to the time limit by which Sur Sagar Radio Inc. was due to begin broadcasting in Toronto. This is the second extension to have been granted to this service. The licence was originally awarded in 2003.
The new deadline to begin operation is March 31st 2006.
August 11th 2005
A low-power ensemble is reported to have popped up in the city of Amsterdam on Block 12B. DAB pilot netw is reported to be carrying two audio services music UEP3 and music UEP5 carrying the same programme material, both at 192 kbit/s but at different Protection Levels. Also being broadcast are four dummy data services at different Protection Levels. The test transmissions are being conducted by db Europe and expected to run until the end of October 2005.
August 11th 2005
In Toronto, all four commercial DAB ensembles, on L3, L4, L8 and L9, are reported back on air now that the unusually high temperatures being experienced in the city have abated. This situation has been going on since mid-June when the transmissions were first interrupted. Only the CBC ensemble has remained on air throughout the heatwave.
August 9th 2005
The UK regulator Ofcom has announced the results of its review of the proposed takeover of Scottish Radio Holdings (SRH) by Emap. SRH is the owner of Score Digital which operates Score Ayr, Score DUNDEE, ScoreEDINBURGH, ScoreGLASGOW, Score Inverness and Score N.IRELAND. Ofcom has determined that if the takeover proceeds and in order to comply with ownership regulations, Emap should relinquish ownership of either Score Ayr or ScoreGLASGOW. It will be for Emap to decide how to proceed. Ofcom has also determined that programme service ownership rules would be breached on Score Ayr and Score DUNDEE as well as on the Switch Aberdeen ensemble operated by Switch Digital, requiring changes in the lineup of programme services on those ensembles. It will be for Emap to decide to proceed to bring itself back into compliance.
August 8th 2005
In Südtirol, a new transmitter has been brought into service in the Block 12D SFN. The addition of Plose means that the ensemble RAS-DAB 12D now has virtually the same coverage of the 12A ensemble RAI RAS.
August 8th 2005
In Toronto, all four commercial DAB ensembles, on L3, L4, L8 and L9, are currently off air because of the unusually high temperatures being experienced in the city. This situation has been going on since mid-June when the transmissions were first interrupted. The forecast is for the high temperatures to continue all week, with no respite until possibly Friday. Only the CBC ensemble has remained on air throughout the heatwave.
August 7th 2005
In Canada, the great wait continues. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has granted an extension to the time limit by which the following DAB services were due to begin broadcasting:- Astral Media's services CIMF Gatineau and CKTF Gatineau and Milestone Radio's CFXJ Toronto. This is the second extension to have been granted to these services. The licences were originally awarded in 2002.
The new deadline to begin operation is August 31st 2006.
August 2nd 2005
The Now Digital website now includes coverage maps for the ensembles on the Capital side of the newly merged GCap: Cardiff/Newport, Sussex Coast and South Hants.
July 29th 2005
DVB-H test transmissions are reported to be taking place in Sydney, using Channel 29 (536.5 MHz). Currently no sound-only services ("radio") are being broadcast, only TV services destined for reception on small handheld devices.
July 27th 2005
In Lyon, engineering works have taken place on the Block LG SFN VOIX DU LYON. Test transmissions are being broadcast which are subject to interruption, but currently no radio services are being broadcast.
July 26th 2005
In France, the Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel has been conducting a public consultation on the development of digital radio. The responses, from transmission providers, broadcasters, telecom companies, satellite operators, professional bodies and others, have been published on the CSA website.
July 20th 2005
Digital Radio Nord has announced an increase in the transmission powers of the Block 12C ensemble DRN HAMBURG. The increase applies to both transmitters in the SFN, Heinrich-Hertz-Turm and Moorfleet.
July 20th 2005
Frequency Tables corrected.
July 20th 2005
Listing of the ensemble MXR West & Wales updated.
July 18th 2005
Listing of the Belgian ensemble RTBF DAB Radio updated.
July 14th 2005
On BBC National DAB, the data Service BBC Vision Radio has ceased. The capacity released has been given over to Test BBC Guide. The BBC describes the cessation as a "suspension" of the service rather than a permanent
cessation.
July 14th 2005
ETSI, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, has agreed the specifications for DMB. The documents, TS 102428/TS 102427, is available for download from the ETSI website.
July 14th 2005
A number of North American websites are reporting that the Canadian broadcaster CHUM is to appeal the recent decision by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to licence a total of three competing pay radio systems. CHUM's proposed venture would be delivered by terrestrial transmitters only, using the Conditional Access capabilities of the DAB (Eureka 147) system. The other two systems were to be delivered by satellite with terrestrial repeaters for fill-in. CHUM, the reports say, will be seeking to have the other two licences set aside. Several other Canadian broadcasters, along with a number of French-language and English-language cultural organisations and labour groups are reported to be joining in the appeal.
July 10th 2005
MXR North East and MXR Yorkshire Snapshots updated.
July 7th 2005
Swiss public-service broadcaster SRG/SSR has joined forces with two private broadcasters, Radiotele AG and Tamedia AG to form a consortium for the future development of DAB in Switzerland. The three will work together in the building of a second multiplex, expected to go on-air in Zürich, Basel and Bern in 2006. New programme services will be offered to make the platform more attractive. The consortium is open to the participation of other programme providers. More...
July 7th 2005
In Saarland, the Service DKULTUR is reported to have ceased on the L-band ensemble DRSaar 2 and to have popped up on the Band III ensemble DRSaar 1.
July 7th 2005
A new ensemble is reported to have popped up on Block LI in the Köln/Bonn region. A single service, domradio, is reported to be running at 160 kbit/s.
July 6th 2005
Denmark's two largest commercial radio stations are to be broadcast on DAB from September. Up until now, only the public-service broadcaster Danmarks Radio has been available. Sky Radio and Radio 100FM will use capacity given up by Danmarks Radio. Some of the 18 DR channels currently broadcast will have to cease in order to free up the required capacity.
July 6th 2005
A new Service has popped up on the L-band ensemble Nuernberg. Truck Radio is reported to be running at 160 kbit/s.
July 6th 2005
The BBC has brought into service another DAB transmitter in Northern Ireland. Londonderry extends coverage of the BBC National DAB ensemble in Londonderry and the surrounding areas including Strabane, Muff and Limavady.
July 6th 2005
A number of UK newspapers are reporting that GCap, owner of the national Digital One multiplex, is preparing to take the UK regulator Ofcom to court over its plans to license further national multiplexes.
July 5th 2005
The Chief Executive of Ofcom has described the UK regulator's future plans for DAB. Delivering the Guardian Lecture at this year's Radio Festival in Edinburgh, Stephen Carter said that Ofcom proposed to make available three new frequency blocks in Band III for new local multiplexes to ensure that every region of the UK has at least one multiplex. He said that Ofcom is in consultation about its proposals for a further one or two national multiplexes and is "digesting, carefully," the responses it has received. A decision is promised "over the summer". Ofcom is following the results of the "Livetime" trials which have been started by BT, Digital One and Virgin Mobile. Mr Carter said that Ofcom is ready to raise the upper limit of a DAB multiplex that can be occupied by data services from the present 20% to 30% or even 40%. He said that more space for innovation and convergence would be available in L-band and that Ofcom planned to release 16 blocks of DAB-compatible spectrum next year. More...
July 5th 2005
On the Band III ensemble Bayern, the Audio Service BR News+Wetter is reported to have ceased. There has been a corresponding increase in the bitrates of BR Verkehr and BR Bayern2+.
June 30th 2005
On the L-band ensemble Muenchen, the Data Service EPG Muenchen (E0D51073) is reported to have ceased. The Data Service MobiDat Muenchen (E0D01073) is now reported to share its subchannel with its Secondary Component, and with a new data service TPEG TEST A (E0D71073), at a combined bitrate of 48 kbit/s. Two other new Data Services have popped up, each in its own sub-channel. TPEG TEST B (E0D81073) and TPEG TEST C (E0D91073) are each running at 8 kbit/s.
June 30th 2005
On the Norwegian ensemble Norge Riks, the Service Radio2Digital is reported to be running at the reduced bitrate of 112 kbit/s. The Service Bokradioen is reported to be running at the increased bitrate of 80 kbit/s.
June 23rd 2005
Two Swiss websites are reporting today that the configuration of the future ensemble for the Italian-speaking region (Ticino and part of Graubünden) has been decided. Nine audio services will be broadcast, all in either Stereo or Joint Stereo. The services will use Protection Level 3 with the exception of the Rumantsch service which will be broadcast at Protection Level 4. The ensemble is planned to be operational in parts of Ticino from the end of this year. Listing updated.
June 23rd 2005
Melbourne listing updated.
June 22nd 2005
An ensemble operated by Club DAB Italia is reported to have popped up in Rome using Block 7B.
June 22nd 2005
A number of manufacturers and high street retailers in the UK are to offer a 10% discount on a DAB radio in exchange for an unwanted FM radio during the period July 6th to July 26th. The FM radios received will be reconditioned by Simply Radios and made available for distribution in Somalia and southern Sudan by the World Service Trust. The project will be promoted on-air by BBC Radio 5 Live. Retailers include John Lewis Partnership, Currys, Dixons, Comet and leading independent retailers through RETRA (Radio, Electrical and Television Retailers Association). Manufacturers are Roberts Radio Ltd; Pure Digital; Sony and Panasonic. Duracell are to provide batteries for the reconditioned sets.
June 19th 2005
Melbourne listing corrected. The ensemble MELB DRB TRIAL is broadcast on Block 9C, not 9A.
June 16th 2005
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has approved all three proposals under consideration to provide subscription digital radio in Canada. Two systems will be delivered by a combination of satellite and terrestrial transmitters, while the third will be an exclusively terrestrial system using the conditional access capabilities of Eureka 147 for programme delivery. The DAB roll-out in Canada had effectively stalled, pending the outcome of the CRTC's deliberations. Today's decision should give rise to renewed activity in terrestrial DAB and the putting into operation of those free-to-air DAB services already approved by the CRTC but which had been on hold for so long.
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Canadian Satellite Radio Inc., in partnership with US satellite radio operator XM Satellite Radio Inc., will provide a satellite subscription radio service, assisted by terrestrial repeaters, offering 101 channels, four of which will be produced in Canada by CSR. The services will be picked up on specially-marketed CSR receivers which will include AM and FM. CSR does not propose to produce dual-band DAB/Satellite receivers, describing the cost as "prohibitive".
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CBC, the Canadian public-service broadcaster, in partnership with Sirius Satellite Radio and Standard Radio Inc., will provide a satellite subscription radio service, assisted by terrestrial repeaters, offering 78 channels, four of which will be produced in Canada by CBC. Special receivers will be needed to receive the new services. By being broadcast on the Sirius satellite system, the CBC services will become available to Sirius subscrivers across the United States also.
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CHUM Limited and Astral Media Radio Inc. will provide a terrestrial subscription radio service using the DAB (Eureka 147) system's Conditional Access capabilities to broadcast 50 channels, all of which will be produced in Canada by CHUM. CHUM proposes to accomodate 16 to 17 services on each ensemble, requiring three ensembles for a 50-channel service, "probably" using an alternative codec to the MP2 norm. In addition to the subscription scenario, CHUM has stated it will work with existing local broadcasters to deliver free-to-air services on DAB and to help advance their implementation so that they can launch simultaneously with the CHUM subscription services. Special receivers will be needed to receive the new subscription services, but the free-to-air services will be receivable on all L-band DAB receivers, including existing ones. CHUM has stated that the first phase of roll-out will be in Montreal, Toronto and Hamilton, Ottawa and Vancouver. Subsequently, CHUM intends to extend the services to St. John’s (Newfoundland and Labrador), Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island), Halifax (Nova Scotia), Saint John (New Brunswick), Gatineau, Québec, Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières (Quebec), Kingston, Kitchener and Guelph, London, Windsor, Oshawa, Barrie and St. Catharines/Niagara (Ontario), Winnipeg (Manitoba), Saskatoon and Regina (Saskatchewan), Calgary and Edmonton, later expanded to include Red Deer and communities between Calgary and Edmonton (Alberta), and Victoria and the Fraser Valley (British Columbia).
The CRTC placed conditions on all three systems, designed to ensure the broadcast of Canadian content.
More...
June 15th 2005
The Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel has authorised test transmissions to be organised jointly by Canal+, TPS and TDF using the DVB-H system in the Paris area. The tests will use UHF channels 29 and 37 for one month. Radio France and Radio Orient will also participate in the trials with the provision of radio services.
June 14th 2005
UK commercial radio broadcasters are taking part in DRM trials. The transmissions originate at the ORF shortwave site at Moosbrunn in Austria and target the whole of the UK.
| 0500 - 0900 | daily | 9720 kHz | Virgin Radio |
| 0900 - 1100 | daily | 11815 kHz | Asian Sound |
| 1100 - 1300 | daily | 11815 kHz | Classic Gold |
| 1300 - 1400 | daily | 11815 kHz | Premier |
| 1600 - 1700 | Sunday | 9705 kHz | CVC |
(Schedule as at 14.06.2005 and subject to change)
June 14th 2005
Transport for London has awarded a contract to install emergency communications systems for the Rotherhithe Tunnel. The facilities will provide Private Mobile Radio coverage for the emergency services, Tunnel Maintenance and London Buses, mobile phone coverage and loudspeaker public address. Of interest to this site is the fact that the system will also permit break-in to car radios on FM, MW, LW and DAB radio to transmit emergency voice messages.
June 11th 2005
A new Service is reported to have popped up on the Block 12A ensemble Rheinland-Pfalz. Zeitansage is a spoken time-of-day announcement with time pip. The service is reported to be running at 128 kbit/s in Mono.
June 9th 2005
The experimental transmissions in Cambridge on Block LA have ceased and have popped up on Block 10C (213.360 MHz). The ensemble is now labelled Arqiva DAB T&D. During the current period of enhanced propagation, reception of the signal has been reported in London.
June 9th 2005
On Digital1 Network, the Audio Service D1 Temp. has ceased. New packet data services have popped up. Sky News and Sky Sports News are encrypted versions of the television services intended for reception on mobile phones. These are currently test transmissions. The intention is to offer enhanced mobile devices to selected customers of Virgin Mobile in the south-east of England as a pilot service. A music television service "Blaze" will also be piloted. In SId terms, Sky Sports News is test_8k relabelled. The new packet data service What's On is a test transmission of an EPG expected to be launched in the summer. Receivers such as Pure's "The Bug" can be upgraded by means of a free download from the company's website. DataServe and ntl-data have ceased. D1 Temp. carried a recording of garden birdsong. It is a measure of the service's popularity that Digital1 devoted a press release specifically to explaining that the service was always intended to be temporary and that, unfortunately, the recording is not commercially available.
June 9th 2005
On MXR West & Wales, the Service JAZZFM (CCC6) has been relabelled Jazzfm.com.
June 9th 2005
On Switch Scotland, the Service JAZZFM (C5C6) has been relabelled Smooth FM. Snapshot updated.
June 8th 2005
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has received an application from Sur Sagar Radio Inc. for an extension to the time limit by which their ethnic radio service for Toronto was supposed to be broadcasting on DAB. The service was first authorised in April 2003 to broadcast on Block L2 (1454.56 MHz) and had already been extended to April 2005. If granted, the latest extension would run to the end of March 2006. Sur Sagar Radio has indicated to the CRTC that it intends to be operational by March 2006.
June 8th 2005
On Switch London, the Service JAZZFM (C787) has been relabelled Smooth FM. Snapshot updated.
June 8th 2005
The Programme Types on this site follow as much as possible the descriptions in ETSI TS 101 756 V1.1.1. Receivers differ in their implementations and how they display the PTy label. Note also that there is a separate PTy table for North America. A receiver from outside North America being used there may display inappropriate labels and vice versa. For example, a receiver which did not "know" that it was in North America could display the "Rhythm and Blues" PTy as "Weather"! This site shows, wherever possible, the PTy that would be displayed on the appropriate receiver.
June 7th 2005
The Australian Broadcasting Authority has launched a consultation on the merits of placing restrictions on the use of radio frequencies that may be needed for the future development of digital radio. The ABA is concerned that the frequency bands in question are already heavily used and it may be necessary to withhold remaining spectrum in order to protect future digital radio development. The frequency bands under discussion in the ABA paper include Band I, Band III and the medium-wave band.
June 7th 2005
The Australian Broadcasting Authority has granted an extension to the DAB trials underway in the country for a further year. The trials, taking place in Sydney and Melbourne were due to end at the end of May. The long-term future of digital radio in Australia will depend on government decisions, which the ABA feels may come before the end of the year. The ABA states, meanwhile, that it is ready to permit digital radio trials using other spectrum, or the same spectrum in other areas. While the present trials use Eureka 147, the ABA states that other systems, including DRM, IBOC and ISDB-T remain under consideration.
June 7th 2005
NOW Peterborough Snapshot updated. Since the last Snapshot, the Service BBC Radio Cambs has been relabelled BBC Cambs (Pbro).
June 7th 2005
In Südtirol, a new transmitter has been brought into service in the Block 12D SFN. Kronplatz extends coverage of the ensemble RAS-DAB 12D into the Pustertal.
June 7th 2005
The Turkish-language Service Radyo Metropol has popped up on the local L-band ensembles Regio FREIBURG and Regio MANNHEIM.
June 7th 2005
The Radio Magazine reports that Irish public-service broadcaster RTE intends to begin DAB transmissions in time for the 80th anniversary next year of the first radio broadcast from Ireland.
June 4th 2005
A new ensemble has popped up in the north of Italy. Club DAB Italia has been received in the city of Torino with nine audio services (six Joint Stereo and three Mono) on Block 6A. An ensemble labelled Club DAB Italia previously operated on Block 12D in Milano, Torino and along the Po valley, but this transmission ceased some time ago.
June 4th 2005
The Landesmedienanstalt Saarland has awarded capacity to seven new radio services to be broadcast over DAB:-
Radyo Metropol FM - a Turkish-language service
Road Radio
Rockland Radio
Truck Radio
Big FM
Antenne West
Salü Gold
June 2nd 2005
German public-service broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk has begun test transmissions of an improved traffic information service which will accompany the Service NDR 2 in TPEG format. The new service is also being carried by WDR and SWR.
June 1st 2005
UK TII table updated.
May 31st 2005
Two new Services are reported to have popped up on the Block 12D ensemble in Schleswig-Holstein, DRN Sch-Holstein. R.SH auf DAB and delta radio auf DAB are reported to be running at 160 kbit/s each. The ensemble was virtually full before these additions, therefore other changes in the ensemble configuration are likely to have taken place.
May 31st 2005
A Hong Kong newspaper reports that the territory's ability to introduce DAB is being restrained by television broadcasts from the Chinese mainland. According to The Standard, Hong Kong's Office of the Telecommunications Authority would like to use four VHF frequency blocks - one for each of the three existing broadcasters and a fourth for newcomers. The newspaper says that the mainland State Administration of Radio, Film and Television has told OFTA that three of seven possible frequencies identified by an OFTA study would interfere with stations in Guangdong, and that of the remaining four, two could not be used in border areas, meaning that only two blocks would be available across the whole of the territory. OFTA is now investigating a portion of Band III that was omitted from the first study in the hope of identifying at least two other potential frequencies and hopes to produce a new frequency plan next year. The portion of spectrum now being studied is controlled by the mainland Ministry of Information Industry and they would need to be consulted about any new frequencies identified.
Full article...
Meanwhile, an article in the newspaper's Weekend edition takes a DAB receiver on a tour of Hong Kong, and reviews the results. Currently, DAB is confined to one Block which is receivable only on Hong Kong island, Kowloon and Sha Tin. Full article...
May 28th 2005
On EuroDAB Italia, the bitrates of Services Digital Caroline, Hit Channel SAT and TopDigital Gold have dropped from 160 kbit/s to 128 kbit/s.
May 20th 2005
Snapshots of the Norwegian ensembles Norge Riks and Region Oslofjord updated.
May 20th 2005
Snapshot of the Swedish ensemble SR RIKS DAB updated.
May 19th 2005
A new Service has popped up on the Blocks 11C/13B Danish ensemble DR DAB2. DR Barracuda, aimed at 7-12 year-olds, is reported to be running at 160 kbit/s.
May 15th 2005
On Score Ayr, the bitrate of the Service UCA Radio, Ayr has been increased from 64 kbit/s to 80 kbit/s. Snapshot updated. The SId of Vibe FM has changed to C3AC.
May 15th 2005
Snapshot of the Danish ensemble DR DAB updated. Snapshot of the second Danish ensemble DR DAB2 added.
May 15th 2005
Snapshot of the ensemble BAND III HESSEN updated.
May 15th 2005
Snapshot of the L-band ensemble Augsburg updated.
May 15th 2005
Snapshot of the L-band ensemble Ingolstadt updated.
May 15th 2005
Snapshot of the Block 12D ensemble Bayern updated. The Service Label and Service Component Label of BR Bayern 2+ differ. Other Label is BR Bayern 2.
May 15th 2005
Snapshot of the Block 11D München ensemble Test K11 D updated.
May 15th 2005
Snapshot of the Block 11C München ensemble TEST IRT K11 updated.
May 15th 2005
Snapshot of the L-band ensemble Muenchen updated.
May 13th 2005
A new transmitter has been added to the Block 12D SFN in Südtirol (Alto Adige). Obervinschgau extends coverage around Vinschgau.
May 13th 2005
The Bayerische Landeszentrale für neue Medien has awarded capacity on the Nürnberg local L-band ensemble to TruckRadio. The Service is expected to begin broadcasting on June 1st.
May 12th 2005
On DRg London, NOW Bristol, NOW READING and NOW S&C, the Service Children's Radio has been relabelled Fun Radio. DRg London Snapshot updated.
May 12th 2005
Rheinland-Pfalz Snapshot updated.
May 12th 2005
DAB Baden-Wuert. Snapshot updated.
May 11th 2005
Snapshot of the experimental London L-band ensemble updated. Since the last Snapshot, the ensemble has been relabelled ntl:Broadcast.
May 11th 2005
NOW Coventry Snapshot updated.
May 10th 2005
A third ensemble is reported to have popped up in Südtirol. Broadcasting on Block 9D, DABMEdia is reported to have Audio Services from eight commercial radio broadcasters, Radio Tirol, Tele Radio Vinschgau, Radio Gröden, Radio Holiday, Radio 2000, Radio Grüne Welle, Südtirol 1 and Rete NBC.
May 10th 2005
The L-band ensemble in Frankfurt (Main) is to broadcast a data service for the public transport undertaking Verkehrsgesellschaft Frankfurt. Constantly updated departure times of buses and trains will be broadcast to displays at around 500 bus and train stops. The system will permit both display text and spoken announcements. The service is expected to go live in Autumn 2005.
May 10th 2005
On NOW Peterborough, the Service 3C, Cool Country has ceased.
May 10th 2005
A new Service has popped up on Regio MANNHEIM. The Service WILANTIS (short) is reported to be running at 128 kbit/s.
May 6th 2005
Snapshot of the Block LH ensemble Wuerzburg updated. Since the last Snapshot, the EId and the SIds of Charivari Wuerzb and Radio Gong have changed.
May 6th 2005
Snapshot of the Block LC ensemble Nuernberg updated. Since the last Snapshot, the SId of Radio ENERGY Nbg has changed.
May 6th 2005
Snapshot of the Block LB ensemble Regensburg updated. Since the last Snapshot, the EId and both Service Labels have changed.
May 3rd 2005
Snapshot of the Block 8B ensemble DRSaar 1 updated, showing the addition of the Data Service MobilData Saar (E0D01009). Snapshot of the Block LG ensemble DRSaar 2 updated, showing the relabelling of D-RADIO BERLIN to become DKULTUR.
May 3rd 2005
In Israel, the Knesset has approved the establishment of a full service of DAB broadcasting. The current transmissions in the country are on the basis of pilot broadcasts. The Second Authority for Television and Radio will issue two invitations to tender this year - the first to operate the multiplex and the transmitter network, the second to provide radio services that will be broadcast exclusively on DAB. The intention is that both tendering processes should be complete by the end of 2005 and that the new DAB channels should be on the air by mid-2006. The Knesset has also approved the establishment of a satellite radio service and invitations to apply to operate these will be issued by the Authority.
May 2nd 2005
Snapshot added of the Block 8C Italian ensemble C.R.DAB. Two Services were observed to have differing Service Labels and Service Component Labels. This ensemble was observed broadcasting the same EId (5001) as the Block 12B ensemble DAB RAI which is receivable in the same area.
May 2nd 2005
Snapshot of the Block 9D Italian ensemble EuroDAB Italia updated.
May 2nd 2005
Snapshot of the Italian ensemble DAB RAI updated. This ensemble was observed broadcasting the same EId (5001) as the Block 8C ensemble C.R.DAB which is receivable in the same area.
May 2nd 2005
Snapshot of Score DUNDEE updated.
May 2nd 2005
Snapshot of Switch Aberdeen updated.
May 1st 2005
A new Service has popped up on the L-band ensemble LG FRANKFURT M.. *NOVA*RADIO* is reported to be running at 192 kbit/s, Joint Stereo - making the recent Snapshot added today already out of date.
May 1st 2005
The Service Vibe FM is reported to have popped up on Score DUNDEE. The Service The Storm is reported to have ceased.
May 1st 2005
The Service Chill is reported to have popped up on NOWNorwich and NOW Peterborough.
May 1st 2005
On Score Ayr, the Service Storm has ceased. A new Service has popped up. Vibe FM is running at 128 kbit/s, Joint Stereo. Snapshot updated. Since the last Snapshot was taken, the Protection Level on Services West FM, West Sound and 3C, Cool Country has increased from 3 to 1.
April 29th 2005
Südtirol Snapshots updated. Since the last Snapshots were taken, the Block 12A ensemble has been relabelled RAI RAS. The Service RAS DATA (E050512A) has ceased. A new Data Service RAS PRETIO DATA (E050012A) is running at 64 kbit/s as packet data. Since the last Snapshots were taken, the Block 12D ensemble has been relabelled RAS-DAB 12D. The Service RAS OE 2 has been relabelled RAS OE 2 Tirol. The Services on Block 12D are now running at Protection Level 4, except RAS OE 1 and RAS SWISS JAZZ. The Service RAS R.RUMANTSCH is now running at the increased bitrate of 160 kbit/s and in Joint Stereo. The Service RAS SWISS JAZZ has a new SId (42F3). The Services RAS BAYERN 1, RAS OE 2 Tirol and RAS FM 4 were observed to be signalling PTy=31, interpreted by the test receiver as Alarm!.
April 28th 2005
Secondary Components have appeared on some of the Services running in the three experimental ensembles in Sydney. On the Block 9A ensemble, relabelled Sydney Mux1, the Service 2KY has reduced to from 192 to 128 kbit/s Mono and now has a Secondary Component 2KY extra, running at 64 kbit/s, Mono. The Service ABC Classic has increased its bitrate from from 192 to 224 kbit/s. On the Block 9B ensemble Sydney Mux2, a new Service Triple M has popped up, running at 128 kbit/s Joint Stereo with a Secondary Component 2MMMmini, running at 96 kbit/s, Mono. The Service 2GB has ceased on Block 9B and popped up as 2Gb on the the Block 9C ensemble Sydney Mux3 running at 112 kbit/s, Mono with a new Secondary Component, 2GB Plus, running at 96 kbit/s, Mono. The Service 2CH has ceased on Block 9C and popped up on Block 9B.
April 28th 2005
The Media Development Authority has authorised a third DAB ensemble for Singapore. Rediffusion has been awarded a five-year licence to broadcast subscription radio services. Currently, Rediffusion uses capacity on one of the two ensembles already operated by MediaCorp, but operating its own ensemble will allow it to offer more services to subscribers, and free up capacity on the MediaCorp ensemble. Rediffusion is reported to be in discussion with potential content providers, such as Discovery Radio, Disney Radio, the BBC and Sonic Theater. Special receivers will be required, to use the Conditional Access capabilities of the DAB system. Rediffusion expects to have its ensemble on the air with at least four services by July 2005, and to have ten services broadcasting within one year.
April 28th 2005
Progress towards a full DAB service in France continues to inch painfully slowly forward. The Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel has launched a public consultation to determine the plans and expectations of the likely players in the future DAB market. This step is required by the law authorising DAB broadcasting in France and is expected to be followed by the advertising of broadcast licences. Responses to the consultation are required before June 30th.
April 26th 2005
In Paris, the Block LG ensemble VDL Paris has popped up again following a period of transmitter overhaul.
April 26th 2005
A new ensemble has popped up in Monaco on Block LE. TDF B2 is broadcasting three Audio Services: RTL and EUROPE 1 at 192kbps/s and CLASSIQUE at 256kbps/s.
April 23rd 2005
Snapshot of the Block 12D Austrian ensemble DAB ORF-WIEN updated. The Services A201 and AC0C are broadcast with differing Service Label and Service Component Label. This ensemble has the same EId as DAB ORF TIR.
April 23rd 2005
Snapshot of the Block 12C Austrian ensemble in Innsbruck updated. Since the last Snapshot, the ensemble has been relabelled DAB ORF TIR. The Service FM4 * DAB is running at the increased bitrate of 192 kbit/s. The Services A201 and AA0A are broadcast with differing Service Label and Service Component Label. This ensemble has the same EId as DAB ORF-WIEN.
April 22nd 2005
Snapshot of the Croatian ensemble HRT updated.
April 22nd 2005
Snapshot of the Hungarian ensemble DAB Budapest added.
April 21st 2005
The Landesmedienanstalt Saarland has received six applications for the four slots advertised on the Land's Block LG ensemble. The applications have been received from:
Antenne West GmbH & Co. KG for its service "Antenne West"
Erstes türkischsprachiges Radio in Deutschland Betriebs-GmbH & Co. KG for its service "Radyo Metropol FM"
media four media GmbH (M4M) for its service "Road Radio"
Radio RocklandPfalz GmbH & Co. KG for its service "Rockland Radio"
Radio Starlet Programm- und Werbegesellschaft mbH for its service "Truck Radio"
Skyline Medien Saarland GmbH for its service "Big FM Saarland"
The LMS hopes to reach a decision at the next sitting of its Medienrat on June 2nd.
April 21st 2005
Snapshot of the Lithuanian ensemble AB LRTC DAB added. Note that this Band III ensemble was observed to be using Transmission Mode II. Two Services were observed to have differing Service Labels and Service Component Labels.
April 21st 2005
Snapshot of the Belgian ensemble VRT DAB updated.
April 21st 2005
UK TII table updated.
April 20th 2005
On the Belgian ensemble VRT DAB, the Service Sporza is now running at the lower Protection Level 4. The Service Donna hitbits is now running at the increased bitrate of 160 kbit/s.
April 20th 2005
On NOW Cambridge and NOWNorwich, the Services Zeta Digital have ceased.
April 12th 2005
In Lyon and Paris respectively, the ensembles VOIX DU LYON and VDL Paris are currently off-air for transmitter overhaul.
April 12th 2005
NOW Digital has brought into Service a new transmitter in Essex. The site at Rye Hill in Harlow improves the coverage of NOW S&C.
April 5th 2005
A new Service has popped up on the 13A/11C ensemble DR DAB2 in Denmark. DR Andersen is running at 96 kbit/s in Mono and is expected to be on the air until May 1st..
April 5th 2005
A total of seven audio services are currently running on the Hong Kong Block 11B ensemble DABHK.
RTHK R1 IN DAB, 160kbps
RTHK R2 IN DAB, 160kbps
RTHK R3 IN DAB, 160kbps
RTHK R4 IN DAB, 192kbps
RTHK R5 IN DAB, 160kbps
RTHK BBC IN DAB, 160kbps
RTHK PTH IN DAB, 160kbps
April 5th 2005
The BBC has brought into service two new transmitters in Northern Ireland as part of its national DAB expansion programme. Limavady transmitter covers the counties of Londonderry and Antrim including the areas of Limavady, Coleraine, Portrush, Balleymoney, Dungiven and Kilrea. Brougher Mountain extends coverage around the border of counties Tyrone and Fermanagh including Omagh, Enniskillen, Dromore and Irvinestown.
April 2nd 2005
On NOW Bristol, the Service children's Radio has been relabelled Children's Radio.
March 31st 2005
DRg London evening and overnight Snapshot updated and daytime Snapshot corrected.
March 29th 2005
As of a couple of days ago, the Finnish ensembles SUOMI 1 FINLAND 1 and UUSIMAA NYLAND were still transmitting. YLE, the Finnish public-service broadcaster, announced in February it is to close down its DAB networks, but no date has yet been set.
March 29th 2005
The following changes are reported on the Block 12C national Danish ensemble DR DAB:-
DR Plus has ceased. The services DR Boogieradio (relabelled) and DR Rock are running at the reduced bitrates of 160 kbit/s each. On the 11C/13B ensemble DR DAB2, DR Plus has ceased. DR Gyldne Genhør is running at the reduced bitrate of 160 kbit/s. Two new Services have popped up. DR Kultur is running at 160 kbit/s and DR KanonKamelen (PTy Children's Progs) is running at 192 kbit/s during programme hours, 64 kbit/s outwith. DR Politik usually runs at the 96 kbit/s when Parliament is in session, 32 kbit/s when not.
March 29th 2005
On DRg London, the Service The Mix has ceased. A new Service Chill has popped up, running at 80 kbit/s in Mono.
March 28th 2005
On the Belgian ensemble VRT DAB, the Service RVi has ceased. The Service Sporza is running at the increased bitrate of 160 kbit/s and the greater Protection Level 3.
March 27th 2005
Children's Radio has popped up on NOW READING and NOW S&C, running at 80 kbit/s, Mono. NOW S&C Snapshot updated. The Service has also popped up on NOW Bristol, labelled children's Radio (sic).
March 23rd 2005
In December 2004, Ofcom, the UK broadcasting and telecommunications regulator, published its vision for the future of digital radio in a submission to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport as part of its obligation to report on the progress and future prospects for digital radio. Ofcom proposed:-
- Four or five blocks of additional Band III spectrum, Blocks 10A - 11A, should be released for DAB, subject to international agreement at the RRC due to report in May 2006. Three of these would be used to complete the pattern of local multiplexes across the country. One or two additional blocks would be used for new national multiplexes.
- An increase in the amount of capacity (currently 20%) of a multiplex which may be used for non-programme-related data.
- Abandoning hardline minimum bitrate requirements for audio services in place of what Ofcom describes as "a system of co-regulation to define audio quality standards which meet audience expectation".
Ofcom revealed that work to clear the proposed Blocks of other users had already begun and issued a notice to current licensees to alert them to impending changes.
Ofcom launched a consultation process which has now closed and has published the responses it received on its website.
More...
March 21st 2005
The Landesmedienanstalt Saarland has advertised capacity for four commercial radio services on the L-band ensemble in Saarland. The ensemble operates on Block LG. Closing date for applications is 12:00 on April 18th.
More...
March 19th 2005
The European Radiocommunications Office has published updates to the Ma02 T-DAB plan for L-band and the Wi95revMa02 T-DAB Plan for Band III.
More...
March 18th 2005
Local (low-power) medium-wave DRM test transmissions are taking place in West Sussex. The transmissions are attributed to Hickstead on 1386 kHz using a standard 9kHz-wide medium-wave channel. Currently the broadcasts are in stereo and are a relay of Passion Radio. It is intended that a number of different frequencies, powers and configurations will be used during the course of the tests.
More...
March 18th 2005
The Bayerische Landeszentrale für neue Medien (BLM) has announced that pilot broadcasts of DMB are to take place in Regensburg, beginning September or October 2005. DMB is a variant of the DAB standard, permitting video, audio and data services to mobile receivers. The tests will use Block 12A. Currently, the Regensburg ensemble uses Block LB. The BLM sees these as the first of a series of projects including the provision of a full DMB service for Munich coinciding with the Football World Cup in 2006. An invitation to potential participants in the Regensburg pilot has been issued, with a closing date of April 12th. The allocation of capacity on Block 12A is expected to take place in July 2005.
March 18th 2005
A new data service has popped up on DRg London. test.london.3 (E1C000B0) is running at 8 kbit/s with MOT.
March 12th 2005
On DRg London, the Service AbracaDABra (C5C9) has been relabelled Children's Radio. The Service Panjab Radio is running at the increased bitrate of 80 kbit/s. Snapshot updated.
March 11th 2005
The test ensemble in Hildesheim is reported to have popped up again on Block 12C. This Niedersachsen test is reported to consist of a relay of the Bavarian ensemble Bayern.
February 24th 2005
YLE, the Finnish public-service broadcaster, has announced it is to close down its DAB networks. YLE cites the reluctance of manufacturers to bring cheap receivers to market in Finland. Commercial broadcasters, it says, have "shied away" from DAB because of the high costs of setting up a new distribution network. YLE is to continue to broadcast its radio services over DVB and will investigate alternative technologies to determine what system could best compensate for the "demise" of DAB. YLE will, however, retain the means to broadcast DAB should international developments warrant it. More...
February 23rd 2005
The Thüringer Landesmedienanstalt has announced that on the Block 12B ensemble DAB THUERINGEN, the Service Rockland will cease on April 30th, and the Service TOP40 will cease on June 30th. From that date only the public-service broadcasters DEUTSCHLANDFUNK, D-RADIO and MDR KLASSIK will remain. The decision of the commercial broadcasters to end their parallel transmission on DAB follows the withdrawl of transmission subsidies by the TLM. The TLM cites in its press release an opinion by the Professors Vowe and Will of the Technische Universität Ilmenau that the introduction of DAB could be regarded as "failed". Die gesamte Pressemitteilung befindet sich hier...
February 23rd 2005
The BBC has announced that DAB coverage is to be extended in the north and north-west of Northern Ireland. Three new transmitters are to be commissioned at Brougher Mountain, Limavady and Londonderry. BBC Chairman Michael Grade, speaking in Belfast, said the new transmitters would be brought into service in late spring.
February 22nd 2005
NOW Ex & Tor Snapshot updated.
February 22nd 2005
A new Service is reported to have popped up on some of the NOW local ensembles. On NOW Coventry, NOW READING, NOW S&C and NOW Ex & Tor, Chill is reported to be running at 128 kbit/s, Joint Stereo. The service is reported also to have popped up on NOW Bristol and NOW Cornwall. According to the latest version of Ofcom's Technical Parameters, just published, the Service should also pop up on NOW Plymouth, NOWBournemouth, NOWSwindon and NOW Cambridge.
February 21st 2005
The experimental ensemble in Ottawa, which has been silent for some time, is reported to have popped up again on Block L9 with one Audio Service. CD player is reported to be running at 224 kbit/s, Stereo. According to the report received, the ensemble is transmitted in Mode I, rather than either Mode II or IV.
February 21st 2005
NOW S&C Snapshot updated.
February 16th 2005
Berlin Snapshots updated.
February 14th 2005
In Australia, the DAB test transmissions in Sydney are to have their power levels increased. The work to upgrade the broadcasts, on Blocks 9A, 9B and 9C, is due to begin this week. During this period, it is possible there may be occasional interruptions to service.
February 14th 2005
In Canada, the great wait continues. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has granted Rogers Broadcasting an extension to the time limit by which the services CIWW, CISS-FM (formerly CKBY-FM) and CHEZ-FM were to have been available on DAB in Ottawa. The new deadline is August 31st 2005.
February 14th 2005
The Hessische Landesanstalt für privaten Rundfunk has allocated capacity on the Frankfurt Block LG ensemble to Nova Radio.
February 12th 2005
In France, the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA) has announced it will soon be launching a consultation on the development of digital radio. The CSA expects to advertise the first licences before the end of 2005. The Industry Minister, Patrick Devedjian, has been quoted as saying digital radio is his "first priority".
February 11th 2005
Snapshots of the Band III ensemble Sachsen K12A and the L-band ensemble HALLE updated.
February 10th 2005
The Technische Kommission der Landesmedienanstalten was asked in December 2004 by the Direktorenkonferenz der Landesmedienanstalten to compare the different digital systems (DAB, DRM, DVB-T, DVB-H, etc.) and assess their suitability for the transmission of digital radio in Germany. The study was commissioned against the background of an announcement by the Medienanstalt Berlin Brandenburg that it wished to withdraw from the use of DAB (Eureka 147) and use other technologies for digital radio. The TKLM has now published its report. It concludes that no single digital transmission system alone can completely replace the range analogue services currently being broadcast. However, of the systems which are available, Eureka 147 is best suited to replace the coverage and usage afforded hitherto by VHF/FM. DVB-T, it concludes, might be suitable in city states (Bremen, Hamburg, Berlin, for example) where the television and radio coverage requirements are identical. Otherwise, it sees no prospect of rolling out a nationwide DVB-T network for radio suitable for mobile and indoor reception. The RRC06 planning conference, on the other hand, is already on course to solve the problem of DAB indoor reception by increasing the permitted transmission powers. The TKLM calls upon the Länder to bring their influence to bear on the Defence Ministry in order to clear Channel 13 for future DAB use. The report points out the advantage and frequency efficiency to be derived from having available (unlike at the moment) an allocation with which to provide nationwide coverage on a single frequency for those services with a national remit, for example Deutschlandfunk and DeutschlandRadio.
Mehr auf Deutsch...
February 10th 2005
A new Service is reported to have popped up on the ensemble Rheinland-Pfalz. sunshine live (D409) is reported to be running at 192 kbit/s.
February 10th 2005
Sachsen-Anhalt Snapshot updated. Since the last Snapshot, the Services ARVID and 89.0 RTL digital have new SIds - D4DB and D0DB respectively. The Service Label and Service Component Label of ROCKLAND differ. (Rockland)
February 9th 2005
DAB THUERINGEN Snapshot updated.
February 9th 2005
Snapshot of the Weissenfels experimental ensemble ProMedia WSF updated.
February 9th 2005
Snapshot of the Ilmenau experimental ensemble updated. Since the last Snapshot, the EId has changed and the ensemble has been relabelled TUI TEST. The new EId (1001) is the same as the Weissenfels Block LF ensemble, ProMedia WSF, and the Block 12D Schleswig-Holstein ensemble DRN Sch-Holstein.
February 4th 2005
Snapshots of the Spanish ensembles FU-E, MF1, MF2 and CATALUNYA RADIO updated.
February 2nd 2005
On the Netherlands ensemble Publieke Omroep, the Service Luisertest (8208) has been relabelled 24nieuws. The Service is running at 48 kbit/s, Mono LSF.
February 1st 2005
It's unscientific, but a valid indication of the penetration of DAB into the market-place. The new Spring/Summer catalogue from UK retailer Argos contains no fewer than 32 DAB products.
January 25th 2005
Snapshot of the Netherlands ensemble Publieke Omroep updated.
January 25th 2005
Snapshots of the München Band III ensembles TEST IRT K11 and Test K11 D updated. On TEST IRT K11, the Service Labels and Service Component Labels of Test IRT 1 (aka IRT Radio) and Test IRT 2 (aka Verkehr) differ.
January 25th 2005
Contrary to the report of December 22nd, and the information still on the STA website, the ensemble in Andorra is transmitting on Block 12D. No ensemble has been observed on Block 12C. Listing corrected and Snapshot added.
January 25th 2005
Snapshots of BAND III HESSEN and LG FRANKFURT.M updated.
January 25th 2005
Snapshot of the Nordrhein-Westfalen ensemble NRW K12 updated.
January 24th 2005
On ScoreGLASGOW, the signalling of Clyde 1 and Clyde 2 as, in effect, Secondary Components of each other and of 3C, Cool Country as a Secondary Component of Clyde 2 has ceased. Snapshot and listing updated.
January 19th 2005
Rheinland-Pfalz and Regio Rheinl-Pf. Snapshots updated.
January 18th 2005
The Canadian wait continues...
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has approved an extension to the time limit by which the AM 740 Primetime Radio Limited Partnership service, CHWO Toronto, was to be broadcasting on DAB. The original deadline expired 10th December 2004. The new time limit is 31st August 2005.
January 17th 2005
Bayern Snapshot updated.
January 14th 2005
Augsburg and Muenchen Snapshots updated.
January 13th 2005
The UK broadcasting and telecommunications regulator, Ofcom, has launched a public consultation on future spectrum management. In so far as DAB is concerned, the consultation document includes Band III and L-band. In Band III, Ofcom proposes that SubBand 2 (193 - 207 MHz) be used for Private Mobile Radio (PMR) and Public Access Mobile Radio (PAMR) and services compatable with that configuration. The available portion of SubBand 3 (209 - 225 MHz) should be reserved for T-DAB and services compatible with that configuration. In L-band, Ofcom proposes to adopt a technology- and application-neutral stance. The Maastricht 2002 planning conference distributed the use of 16 frequency blocks for T-DAB. Ofcom states it is not bound by this plan, provided interference to neighbouring countries would not result. Ofcom proposes that 12 MHz in L-band be allocated to satellite broadcasting and auctioned as a single licence. The remaining 28 MHz of L-band could be auctioned as more than one sub-band with the bidder free to select its preferred technology -including T-DAB, DMB, DVB-H, etc. Ofcom proposes these auctions could take place in 2006/7. The closing date for responses to the consultation is 24 March 2005. Ofcom proposes to begin publishing policy documents arising from the consultation in late Spring 2005.
More...
January 13th 2005
A DAB ensemble has popped up in Romania. SN Radiocomunicatii SA is operating a 250w pilot transmitter in Bucharest on Block 12A. The Romanian Parliament approved in November 2004 a project to introduce DAB transmissions into the country.
January 13th 2005
Regio FREIBURG, Regio KARLSRUHE, Regio MANNHEIM, Regio STUTTGART and Regio ULM Snapshots updated.
January 12th 2005
The Landesmedienanstalt Saarland has announced its intention to allocate available capacity on the Blocks 8B and LG ensembles in Saarland. Interested parties have until 16:00 on January 31st to submit their proposals to the LMS.
January 11th 2005
Swiss Snapshots updated.
January 11th 2005
A new Service has popped up on the Baden-Württemberg ensemble DAB Baden-Wuert.. DeutschlandRadio is reported to be running at 192 kbit/s. Newer Snapshots of the ensemble have been added. Unfortunately these were taken immediately before the appearance of DeutschlandRadio. Assuming none of the other bitrates to have changed in the meantime, only a Protection Level of 4 would have been possible from the available capacity. The new listing shows the effects of SWR's reduction in the capacity used for its Services. Two Snapshots have been added, showing, respectively, the configuration with and without ANTENNE1 INFODIG.
January 5th 2005
On the Niedersachsen ensemble DRN Nieders., the Service Klassik digital has ceased.
January 2nd 2005
A new Service has popped up on the Singapore Block 7C ensemble SmartRadio Youth. Lush is running at 128 kbit/s.
January 1st 2005
The Block LG ensemble has popped up again in Frankfurt am Main. One new Service, SKY RADIO HESSEN, is being broadcast.
January 1st 2005
A new Service is reported to have popped up on the Band III ensemble Bayern. Bayern 2 Radio is reported to be running at 112 kbit/s. To accomodate the newcomer, BR Das Modul and BR Bayern Mobil are reported to have dropped to 128 kbit/s. The Service BR Business is reported to have ceased.
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