Croatia

Last update: 17.03.2025 - older versions

Test broadcasting of DAB+ digital radio in Croatia started in November 2017. The Electronic Media Council chose 16 existing FM broadcasters to broadcast via DAB+. The radio stations chosen were:  Radio 808, Radio Kaj, Sjeverni FM, Radio Koprivnica, Radio Istra, Antena Radio, Radio Zabok, Narodni radio, Radio Dalmacija , GOLD FM, Radio Banovina, Enter Zagreb, Trend Radio, Radio Martin, Soundset Trsat and Radio 10.

In November 2019, network operator OIV and collaborating regulatory agencies decided to continue the ongoing DAB+ trial for a third year. Some existing services were switched, and public broadcaster HRT joined the trial. It was also decided also at that time to extend the network from five to eight sites.

After conducting a public tender, the Croatian regulatory body HAKOM issued a licence for the management of a DAB+ digital radio network to network operator OiV. The licence was issued for the period 16 November 2021 - 31 December 2036.

In February 2022, The Council for Electronic Media (VEM) awarded the first licences for DAB+ digital radio in Croatia. The national licence was awarded to Nacional News Corporation and the licences for northwestern Croatia and the City of Zagreb to Radio Tvornica and My Power Station. A call for further expressions of interest in providing DAB services was published in April 2022.

In March 2025, in the Official Gazette number 44/2025, the Notice on the intention to grant a concession for the provision of digital radio media service (DAB+) number 5/25 was published, the latest round of DAB+ licences to be offered.

Further DAB+ licences continue to be offered and awarded by the regulator.

Last update: 04.12.2024 - older versions

In November 2024, the national network (DAB mux 1) was expanded to 36 sites, offering portable indoor coverage for 74% of the population, 98.4% mobile outdoor coverage, and 98% coverage on highways. Regional programmes have mobile outdoor coverage of over 90% of the population in each region.

Last update: 17.07.2023 - older versions

In this country there is

on air.

The multiplex can carry national or regional programmes. Ensemble ID-s that are being used are CA01 to CA06 corresponding to number of DAB+ digital regions (various ensembles contain either only programmes that are broadcast nationwide (HRT1, HR2, Radio Nacional, Extra, Happy) or additionally programmes that are broadcast in particular regions only (Radio Tvornica in ensemble CA02)).

Please note:

(a)    These web pages are updated regularly to reflect current services on air, however they may not be exactly up to date.

(b)    The logos shown on these pages are for illustrative purposes only – manufacturers and broadcasters are directed here for information on implementing station logos.

Simulcast on AM / FM Exclusive on digital Total of services
DAB+ programmes 3 9 12

Last update: 18.07.2023

In cooperation with the Croatian Vehicle Center, network operator OIV conducted surveys on the number of DAB+ receivers in vehicles manufactured from 2014 to 2022.

The last survey had a sample of 22,000 vehicles and showed a result of 39% of vehicles were equipped with a DAB+ receiver. Based on that research and later data on newly registered vehicles. the estimation is that over 300,000 cars with DAB+ receivers are present on Croatian roads as of mid-2023.

Last update: 20.10.2021 - older versions

Test broadcasting of DAB+ digital radio in Croatia started in November 2017. The Electronic Media Council chose 16 existing FM broadcasters to broadcast via DAB+. The radio stations chosen were:  Radio 808, Radio Kaj, Sjeverni FM, Radio Koprivnica, Radio Istra, Antena Radio, Radio Zabok, Narodni radio, Radio Dalmacija , GOLD FM, Radio Banovina, Enter Zagreb, Trend Radio, Radio Martin, Soundset Trsat and Radio 10.

In November 2019, network operator OIV and collaborating regulatory agencies decided to continue the ongoing DAB+ trial for a third year. Some existing services were switched, and public broadcaster HRT joined the trial. It was also decided also at that time to extend the network from five to eight sites.

Last update: 20.10.2021 - older versions

After conducting a public tender, the Croatian regulatory body HAKOM issued a licence for the management of a DAB+ digital radio network to OiV. The licence was issued for the period 16 November 2021 - 31 December 2036.

 

Last update: 18.07.2023

In November and December 2022. network operator OIV has conducted a marketing campaign that involved Out-of-home advertising, web advertising and radio spots on FM stations.

Out-of-home advertising examples:

 

Radio Nacional's first birthday - 'This year seems unreal, we have made a miracle'
02.08.2023 - Croatia Croatia
Radio Nacional, the first national digital radio in Croatia, will mark the first year of broadcasting on DAB+ and through the website of the weekly magazine Nacional on August 2. "Today, it is necessary that you can listen to your favorite shows in peace, whenever and wherever you like, and that is what Radio Nacional provides. DAB radio is absolutely the technology of the future, it is 'eco friendly' and it is the thing that inevitably awaits us. We are already here, we are available to everyone with newer cars and to those who have already bought a DAB radio. And in the near future, everyone will have to buy such a device, because everything will easily switch to DAB, which is the European tendency", Tomislav Hleb pointed out.

(NACIONAL) Read more


Croatian network operator OIV expands its DAB network with Paneda Head-End Systems
18.07.2023 - Paneda WorldDAB Member - Croatia Croatia
OIV, (Transmitters and Communications Ltd.) the Croatian network provider of national strategic communications infrastructure, is expanding its DAB network. The new equipment/licenses will cover one additional area with national and regional services. Johan Ericsson, Sales Manager, Paneda said: “We are very happy to see that DAB is expanding in Croatia. The existing long-term agreement between our organisations is very important for Paneda for our further development, by sharing experiences about DAB in general and development of DAB in Croatia in particular.”

(Paneda) Read more


Slavonskobrod media awarded valuable DAB+ licence
15.07.2023 - Agency for Electronic Media of Croatia WorldDAB Member - Croatia Croatia
On 13 July, the Council for Electronic Media passed a Decision based on the 'Notice of Intention to Grant Concession No. 05/23 for the provision of digital radio media services - DAB+'. Radio Slavonija from Slavonski Brod was chosen as one of the two most favorable bidders in this round - a regional media with a 25-year tradition, which with this licence became a leader in this part of Croatia, but also far beyond - at least when it comes to all local radio stations in the territory of the Croatian Republic.

(plusportal.hr) Read more


Two new radio stations launch on Croatian DAB+
06.07.2023 - Croatia Croatia
Before the main summer season, two new radio stations started broadcasting in the Croatian digital radio multiplex (DAB+). According to our observations, the new stations are the commercial radio stations Extra and Happy, which mainly feature local artists in their broadcasts. Both are distributed in the AAC-LC codec and with a bitrate of 96 kbit/s . An additional Slideshow service is also available, thanks to which listeners can see the stations' logos on their radio screens.

(SatelitnáTV.sk) Read more


Frequency agreement signed for the expansion of DAB+ digital radio in eastern Europe
30.06.2023 - Austria Austria - Hungary Hungary - Slovenia Slovenia - Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina - Croatia Croatia - Serbia Serbia - Romania Romania
On 12 and 13 June, the final meeting of a working group of media regulatory and frequency planning institutions from seven countries in eastern Europe took place at the Hungarian media regulatory authority NMHH in Budapest with the ceremonial signing of an agreement on the use of DAB+ frequencies in the joint frequency planning area. Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Romania participated in the working group. The working agreement now concluded enables the administrations to tender for new or additional DAB+ multiplex coverage by agreeing on technical reference parameters for future DAB+ transmitter stations.

(RTR) Read more


Croatia advertises DAB+ licences
07.06.2023 - Agency for Electronic Media of Croatia WorldDAB Member - Croatia Croatia
The Notice of the intention to grant a licence for the provision of DAB+ digital radio media services, number 05/23, has been published in the Official Gazette number 58/2023. There are five licences advertised: one national multiplex to broadcast three channels, and four regional, each carrying between six and eight channels. The deadline for submitting bids is 30 June 2023, with the licences awarded for 20-year terms.

(Agencija za elektroničke medije (AEM)) Read more


Croatians get DAB+ in the road tunnel
05.06.2023 - Croatia Croatia
Croatian operator OIV covered the Učka road tunnel, which crosses the Učka mountain range and connects the Istria peninsula and the Croatian coast, with the signal of the first DAB+ digital radio broadcast (OIV Croatia DAB+) in May 2023. Work on this project started in the middle of last year and the implementation of the equipment and the first technical tests took place in January 2023.

(SatelitnáTV.sk) Read more


Listen to digital radio in the Učka tunnel
09.05.2023 - OIV WorldDAB Member - Croatia Croatia
As of this month, digital radio is available in the Učka tunnel, where the pilot project of DAB+ broadcasting in road tunnels was launched. The activities of testing and implementation of the equipment started in January 2023, with the ultimate goal of quality coverage of the existing pipe of that tunnel with a DAB+ MUX 1 signal.

(OIV) Read more


Radio renaissance in Croatia: 'Digital radio would bring 85 percent energy savings'
01.12.2022 - Agency for Electronic Media of Croatia WorldDAB Member - Croatia Croatia
Experts explain the new possibilities for Croatian broadcasters and listeners brought by broadcasting through a digital platform that was put into commercial operation a year ago. At the end of last year, the test transmission of the DAB + platform was completed in Croatia, which operates as a medium that, due to its nature, still has a strong role in the public, offering a number of new possibilities. We talked about the possibilities of DAB+ for broadcasters and listeners, digital signal coverage of our country and how DAB+ fits into the green European agenda, with Damir Bučević, member of the Council of the Agency for Electronic Media, Danijelo Vidaković, head of the RF spectrum management department of HAKOM and Bruno Cigrovski, head of the Department for Radio Networks, Transmitters and Communications.

(Poslovni dnevnik) Read more


Mate Botica: "There are unlimited resources for digital radio and it may happen that FM begins to die"
07.08.2022 - OIV WorldDAB Member - Croatia Croatia
On the occasion of the launch of digital radio Nacional, the President of the Board of OIV (Transmitters and Communications Ltd.), Mate Botica, talks about DAB+ technology and how much it can change the media image of Croatia in the near future. "90.3 percent of the population of Croatia is currently covered by the DAB+ signal. All major cities are covered. The highways are covered by 76 percent, and after November 15, this will also improve because we will insert new transmitters into the network."

(Nacional) Read more


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Key Information

Status: regular
Population: 3.9 million
Population coverage: Sparkline Graph 98.4%
Services: 12 DAB+
New cars with DAB/DAB+ as standard: Sparkline Graph 99%
Last update: 04.12.2024

Useful Links

oiv.hr/hr/usluge-i-platforme/oiv-dabplus-digital-radio/