Germany - Regulation and Spectrum - History

08.09.2020

DAB+ regulation in Germany

In September 2019, the German federal parliament reiterated its commitment to DAB+ by passing a revision to its Telecoms Law.

The law was approved, and made official in November 2019. According to the revised law, all radios in new cars should be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio from 21st Dec 2020 – as required by the European Electronic Communications Code.

The obligation only applies to new cars, and does not apply to quads, trucks or other vehicles for goods transport. The law also requires all new consumer radios, capable of displaying a station’s name, to be able to receive digital signals (for example, DAB+ or IP) – from the same date.

The new German national legislation with explanatory text is available in English here.

14.04.2020

Key features of regulation for digital radio in Germany are:

DAB+ was selected to secure the future of digital radio in Germany in 2009
Licences on the national multiplex were awarded on a beauty contest basis
Digital radio services are broadcast on Band III (Channels 5 – 12)
Due to the federal structure of Germany, spectrum is assigned on both regional and national basis
There are two types of licences:

Telecommunication licence, awarded from the National Federal Network Agency (BnetzA) to the network operator to run the network
Media licence, awarded from the media authority of the Bundesländer to the broadcasters

Media licences are assigned on state (Länder) level by the 16 media authorities (Medienanstalten)
In terms of the national multiplex, one of these media authorities was in charge of the allocation of the licences
There is ongoing regulatory discussion to renew FM licences only when broadcasting also via DAB+

Digitization report 2019

Download the Digitisation Report 2019 carried out by TNS Infratest (German).

KEF Funding for public broadcasters

In February 2018 the Commission for the Determination of the Financial Requirements of the Public Service Broadcasters (KEF) confirmed that the ARD and Deutschlandradio will receive €163 million of funding until 2020 to develop DAB+ services in Germany.

German Ministry for Digital Infrastructure: DAB+ broadcast is the successor to FM

With its first meeting in June 2015, the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) is the host of a high-level Digital Radio Board for Germany which has the task to create the framework for a roadmap regarding a smooth transition from FM to DAB+ as soon as possible considering that the switch from analogue to digital radio in Germany is necessary and inevitable.

The Digital Radio Board currently comprises 15 high-level representatives of BMVI and federal states, ARD, Deutschlandradio, commercial broadcasters, regional media authorities, radio set and car manufacturers and the federal network agency.

By common accord between its members, the board is heading to create a specific timetable within a year's time for the switch from the analogue to digital terrestrial radio.

Read the BMVI press release.

The Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate has announced support for an initiative outlining that all radio devices should have digital capability. This can be seen as a very important initiative for the development of digital radio in Germany and across the rest of Europe. http://ow.ly/5ihn303Ilcm

Useful Documents

Fact-sheet by ARD-Generalsekretatiat Dr. Susanne Pfab

Statement by the head of production- and technology (PTKO) Dr. Ulrich Liebenow

Digital Radio Action Plan

German Minister Dorothee Bär published in February 2017 the Digital Radio Action Plan on the BMVI (Federal Ministry of Traffic and Transport) website: http://www.bmvi.de/SharedDocs/DE/Artikel/DG/aktionsplan-digitalradio.html.

The plan was passed by a majority of the Board, with the exception of VPRT (one of the two associations which represent private broadcasters) who opposed the plan and have now left the Board. Nonetheless, the rollout of the plan will continue and the remaining partners on the Board are now obliged to follow the eight measures written in the roadmap. There will now be a series of discussions with the individual states (Länder), led by Rhineland-Palatinate (Heike Raab) and BMVI (Dorothee Bär). The Digital Radio Board is headed by State Secretary Bär and includes representatives from the individual states, broadcasters, the federal network agency and industry.

The plan is available in English here.

22.02.2018