Italy - Current situation - History
18.10.2019
According to a survey conducted by GfK and DAB Italia in September 2019, 4.5 million Italians own a DAB+ receiver - approximately one million more than in June 2018 - while over 12 million people in Italy are familiar with DAB+ digital radio.
Starting from January 2020, Italian law requires all radio receivers sold in Italy to have digital capability: http://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/id/2017/12/29/17G00222/sg.
Italian public and private DAB+ network operators - namely Radio Rai, EuroDab Italy and DAB Italia - have expanded their respective DAB+ broadcast networks in anticipation of the law requiring all radio receivers sold to the public to digital radio capabilities.
The Italian Government has committed to a road map for DAB+ development, a key part of this will be a plan for coordinated frequency planning.
In September 2019, Italy's Minister of Economic Development Stefano Patuanelli expressed his commitment to DAB+ and the radio industry's transition to digital radio, highlighting his plan to increase the number of DAB+ frequencies available.
26.06.2018
Budget law 2018-2020 (all radios sold from 2020 to be digitally capable)
Official announcement of Italian law requiring all radio receivers to have digital capability from 1 Jan 2020: http://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/id/2017/12/29/17G00222/sg. Article 1 comma 1044 provides for all radios sold from 2020 to have digital capability (image attached). Budget law number 205 of the 27th of December 2017 was published on the Official Journal number 302 of the 29th of December 2017 entered into force on the 01/01/2018.
RAI (public broadcaster) expands DAB+ offering
The Rai Board of Directors, at its meeting on 18 April 2018, approved the technical project for the extension of DAB+ which includes extension of coverage to most of Italy's motorways.
In June 2017 the new director of RAI Radio, Roberto Sergio, reinforced the Italian public broadcaster RAI’s commitment to DAB+ rollout in Italy by confirming the launch of five new stations, bringing the total number of RAI radio stations on DAB+ up to 10 (five simulcast and five digital only). Discover more here. Download a video which was shown at the press conference here.
Roadmap for DAB+
The Italian Government has committed to a road map for DAB+ development, a key part of this will be a plan for coordinated frequency planning. The majority of band III has to be reserved for DAB+. AGCOM also renewed commitment to putting forward legislation that receivers should have FM and digital capability.
The North-Italian region of South Tyrol started its FM switch-off in 2017.
Local Radio
Five consortia of local broadcasters are currently on air. Two consortia in Trento received the rights on Band III with Channel 10A assigned to DBTAA and Channel 12D to Digiloc. The rights to Channel 10B and 10D have been assigned to RAS and Channel 10C to DABMedia in Bolzano.
19.04.2018
Budget law 2018-2020 (all radios sold from 2020 to be digitally capable)
Official announcement of Italian law requiring all radio receivers to have digital capability from 1 Jan 2020: http://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/id/2017/12/29/17G00222/sg. Article 1 comma 1044 provides for all radios sold from 2020 to have digital capability (image attached). Budget law number 205 of the 27th of December 2017 was published on the Official Journal number 302 of the 29th of December 2017 entered into force on the 01/01/2018.
RAI (public broadcaster) expands DAB+ offering
The Rai Board of Directors, at its meeting on 18 April 2018, approved the technical project for the extension of DAB+ which includes extension of coverage to most of Italy's motorways.
In June 2017 the new director of RAI Radio, Roberto Sergio, reinforced the Italian public broadcaster RAI’s commitment to DAB+ rollout in Italy by confirming the launch of five new stations, bringing the total number of RAI radio stations on DAB+ up to 10 (five simulcast and five digital only). The new stations will offer Italian music, classical and opera, concerts and regional news, children's radio, variety and fiction. Discover more here. Download a video which was shown at the press conference here.
Roadmap for DAB+
The Italian Government has committed to a road map for DAB+ development, a key part of this will be a plan for coordinated frequency planning. The majority of band III has to be reserved for DAB+. AGCOM also renewed commitment to putting forward legislation that receivers should have FM and digital capability.
The North-Italian region of South Tyrol will start its FM switch-off in 2017.
AgCom has published resolution 664/09 which is plan of frequencies for local digital radio in 39 specific areas. The date of the consultancy was June 9th. This plan is mentioned in an article in the daily newspaper, La Repubblica. More information is available here.
Local Radio
Five consortia of local broadcasters are currently on air. Two consortia in Trento received the rights on Band III with Channel 10A assigned to DBTAA and Channel 12D to Digiloc. The rights to Channel 10B and 10D have been assigned to RAS and Channel 10C to DABMedia in Bolzano.