France - Current situation - History
06.04.2023
DAB+ : a structural choice for the radio industry
Launched in 2014 in Paris, Nice and Marseille, DAB+ is now seen as critical to contribute to the future of radio and to address the saturation of FM. It is a means to preserve diversity and plurality. As DAB+ is reaching a turning point, the regulator, Arcom, is launching in 2023 a consultation with the radio industry which will include the switchover from FM to DAB+ both in the metropolitan area and overseas. The economics of radio are a key element of the expected white paper, as well as the potential acceleration of the deployment.
Deployment of DAB+
On 12 October 2021, France launched two new national multiplexes broadcasting 26 DAB+ stations, including national services from Radio France, leading private broadcasters and four new national services. The new multiplexes are broadcast along the major motorway corridors of Paris-Lyon-Marseille. The 26 services include four new DAB+ only stations and 22 stations that are also broadcast in FM. Extension to more main roads and highly populated areas is planned for the end of 2023. These 26 radios are in addition to the hundreds of radio stations already available regionally and locally on DAB+
The CSA rollout plan, the so-called "nodes and arcs strategy" described in 2017, which also includes continued regional and local rollouts alongside the launch of national services, was updated in 2021. It aims to bring population coverage in France well above 50% by the end of 2023.
Receiver legislation
Older pieces of legislation in France related to DAB+ in cars have been superseded by the transposition in November 2020 of the EECC into French legislation. This law passed the last stage and was made official in December 2020, with the transposition of the EECC into French law officially published on 28 May 2021. Domestic receivers, for which the reception function of radio services broadcast is not purely incidental, and have an alphanumeric screen, must be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio. Discussions are ongoing to make DAB+ mandatory in all receivers.
03.02.2022
National launch of DAB+
On 12 October 2021 France launched two new national multiplexes broadcasting 25 DAB+ stations, including national services from Radio France and leading private broadcasters. The new multiplexes are broadcast along the major motorway corridors of Paris-Lyon-Marseille. The 25 services include three new DAB+ only stations and 22 stations that are also broadcast in FM. These 25 radios are in addition to the hundreds of radio stations already available regionally and locally on DAB+
The CSA rollout plan, the "nodes and arcs strategy", which also includes continued regional rollouts alongside the launch of national services, aims to bring population coverage in France to 50% by 2022.
Receiver legislation
There are two separate pieces of legislation in France related to DAB+ in cars:
(1)
In December 2018 DAB+ coverage reached 21.3% of the French population, which triggered a law requiring that all radio receivers (including in-car) sold in France be compatible with the broadcasting standards listed in section V of section 19 of the law . The regulator - le Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel - notes that DAB+ is the only authorised digital terrestrial radio standard in France. This 2018 law was amended in June 2020 to align with the EECC deadline of 20 December 2020.
(2)
In November 2020, the French parliament voted in favour of a law to transpose the EECC into French legislation. This law passed the last stage and was made official in December 2020, with the transposition of the EECC into French law officially published on 28 May 2021. Other receivers Other radios (terminals), for which the reception function of radio services broadcast is not purely incidental, and have an alphanumeric screen, must be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio.
12.10.2021
National launch of DAB+
On 12 October 2021 France launched two new national multiplexes broadcasting 25 DAB+ stations, including national services from Radio France and leading private broadcasters. The new multiplexes are broadcast along the major motorway corridors of Paris-Lyon-Marseille. The 25 services include three new DAB+ only stations and 22 stations that are also broadcast in FM. These 25 radios are in addition to the hundreds of radio stations already available regionally and locally on DAB+
The CSA rollout plan, the "nodes and arcs strategy", which also includes continued regional rollouts alongside the launch of national services, aims to bring population coverage in France to 50% by 2022.
Receiver legislation
In December 2018 DAB+ coverage reached 21.3% of the French population, which triggered a law requiring that all radio receivers (including in-car) sold in France be compatible with the broadcasting standards (ie DAB+). This 2018 law was amended in June 2020 to align with the EECC deadline of 20 December 2020.
In November 2020, the French parliament voted in favour of a law to transpose the EECC into French legislation. This law passed the last stage and was made official in December 2020, enabling the government to take a final decree which is expected by early 2021. The decree will confirm that new passenger cars in France will be required to include digital terrestrial radio from 20 December 2020, in line with the EECC. Additional obligations regarding consumer receivers have yet to be agreed and may also be included in that decree enacting the EECC.