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Last update: 19.07.2024 - older versions

Radio Nacional de España begins DAB+ broadcasts

Coinciding with the celebration of World Radio Day and the centenary year of radio in Spain, Radio Nacional de España has started digital radio broadcasts in DAB+ together with Cellnex Telecom on 13 February 2024, with the firm intention of deploying this digital radio standard in our country, which is set to replace FM in the long term.

You can listen to the following broadcasts on DAB+:

- Radio Nacional and Radio 5 in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Murcia and Bilbao.

- Radio 3 in Valencia, Seville, Murcia and Bilbao.

These broadcasts are in addition to the existing DAB broadcasts of Radio Nacional, Radio Clásica, Radio 3, Radio 5 and Radio Exterior in Madrid and Barcelona.

On a monthly basis, RNE's offer on DAB+ and the coverage of the service will be progressively increased, starting broadcasts in other Spanish cities.

On 19 March 2024, Radio Nacional, Radio 3 and Radio 5 launched on DAB+ in the metropolitan area of Santiago de Compostela. On 18 April 2024, DAB+ broadcasts launched in Pamplona; on 17 May 2024, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife; on 18 June 2024, in Mijas, covering Málaga, Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Fuengirola; and on 18 July 2024, broadcasts started in Mallorca, from Cellnex Telecom's broadcasting centre in Alfàbia.

Once deployed throughout Spain, DAB+ will allow Radio Televisión Española to provide the public radio broadcasting service in the terms currently entrusted to it by law, providing maximum geographical and social coverage, with the best quality and additional services specific to DAB+ and with free-to-air broadcasts and free reception.

Regional DAB+

In January 2020, the regional government in Navarra advertised capacity for six DAB services on a future ensemble for the region, designated FU-Nav. Simultaneously, the regional government advertised a total of 72 DAB licences across 12 ensembles, each of which will have local coverage.

In Mallorca, a multiplex licensed by the Autonomous Government of the Balearic Islands began broadcasting in February 2024, broadcasting four stations from the Serra de Alfabia.

In July 2024, The Govern de les Illes Balears will implement, through DAB+ technology, IB3's digital radio in the first quarter of 2025. The Balearic Islands becomes the first Autonomous Community in which all three radio coverage (local, regional and national) will be offered in DAB+.

Last update: 18.04.2024 - older versions

RNE DAB+ services are on air in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Murcia, Bilbao, Santiago de Compostela and Pamplona.

These broadcasts join the existing ones on DAB in Madrid and Barcelona.

RNE will increase monthly its content offer and coverage on DAB+ until the end of 2024.

RNE coverage: > 30% population

Rest of national stations: 20% population

Last update: 04.03.2024 - older versions

In this country there are

National multiplexes: 3 Regular

on air.

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.

A total of 18 DAB and 4 DAB+ legal audio services are on air, but enhanced features as text, images or programme guides are not available.

	Simulcast on AM / FM	Exclusive on digital	Total of services
DAB programmes	17	2	19
DAB+ programmes	3	0	3
Total	20	2	22

Last update: 04.03.2024 - older versions

In Spain, 98% of new cars sold in 2023 have DAB+ as standard (Source: JATO Dynamics 2023).

Last update: 04.03.2024 - older versions

Almost a 5% of digital radio receivers sold in retailers includes DAB/DAB+ receiver, although no DAB/DAB+ national promotion has been carried out.

It is estimated that nearly 3 million cars already have a DAB/DAB+ receiver in Spain.

Last update: 21.10.2019 - older versions

Spanish Broadcaster Radio Maria (http://www.radiomaria.es/) started DAB+ test transmissions in Madrid and Barcelona on 2014 December 30th.

This is the first time DAB+ has been used for radio broadcasting in Spain. This DAB/DAB+ network is operated by the Broadcast Network Operator Cellnex Telecom.

Last update: 04.03.2024 - older versions

National station licenses are issued by the central government, while local and regional licenses are the responsibility of the regional government. Licenses are valid for 15 years with an automatic renewal for a further 15 years. Advertising and sponsorship are permitted under the same rules which exist for analogue radio, and data is permitted on up to 20% of multiplex capacity.

Digital Audio Broadcasting is allowed by law in Band III.

There are three layers of services set out by law:

National, with 1 SFN multiplex and 2 MFN multiplexes
Regional (Comunidad Autónoma basis), with 1/3 SFN multiplex (nowadays without transmissions) and 2/3 MFN multiplex (not implemented)
Local, with 237 areas covered by different frequency blocks in Band III

Nowadays, due to the entry into force of the Digitalization Plan for Terrestrial Broadcasting, DAB services are on air only to cover a 20% of the Spanish population (Madrid and Barcelona including their metropolitan areas). It is the minimum population coverage required by the current National Technical Plan for Digital Audio Broadcasting.

RNE is providing DAB+ services covering a percentage of the population above that minimum.

Listen: "In less than three: ASA, the DAB+ Automatic Security Alert system"

12.12.2024 - Spain

Much has been said these days about the role of radio in natural disasters. However, little or nothing has been said about the life-saving safety alerts that can be automatically broadcast to the public via DAB+ radio. Today we talk about the system behind these safety alerts, known as ASA (Automatic Safety Alert).

(RNE Audio) Read more

RTVE hosts WorldDAB Steering Board meeting

04.12.2024 -

- RTVE WorldDAB Member - Spain

2024 is the year of the launch of DAB+ digital radio in Spain. As part of its public service mission, RTVE launched DAB+ broadcasts last February, coinciding with World Radio Day, in the year in which Spanish radio celebrates the centenary of the start of regular broadcasts. For this reason, RTVE has hosted this Wednesday the meeting of the Steering Board of WorldDAB, the worldwide association that promotes the adoption of digital radio in DAB+ and of which the Corporation is a member. So far this year, RTVE has started DAB+ broadcasts from 13 broadcasting centres, which means that it is now possible to listen to digital radio broadcasts from Radio Nacional, Radio Clásica, Radio 3 and Radio 5.

(RTVE) Read more

The initiative ‘RNE para todos’, winner of the Contigo Award in the category of ‘Media in action’.

30.11.2024 - RTVE WorldDAB Member - Spain

RNE para todos', the world's first radio experience for deaf people, has been awarded in the IV edition of the Contigo Awards, given by the City Council of La Roda. This RTVE initiative has been awarded the prize in the category ‘Media involved’. The award ceremony was held on Friday 29 November in the Auditorium of the Casa de la Cultura in La Roda. The head of Strategy at RTVE's Innovation Centre and member of the WorldDAB Steering Board, Javier Sánchez, and RTVE's Director of Audiovisual Policies, Public Service and International, Ángel García Castillejo, collected the award during the ceremony, which was attended by personalities from different fields.

(RTVE) Read more

The duplication of FM-DAB+ networks cannot be a permanent solution.

28.11.2024 - Spain

Gorka Zumeta writes: The 30s is shaping up to be the decade of FM switch-off in Europe. The latest WorldDAB summit recently held in Croatia, another of the countries that has made a firm commitment to the implementation of Digital Terrestrial Radio in DAB+ standard, has highlighted the problem of costs when it comes to dealing with the analogue-digital migration of radio. The aim is to reduce them and not to increase them with an unnecessary landscape of duplicity of networks to be rearranged with the FM switch-off.

(Gorka Zumeta) Read more

Radio Nacional de España starts DAB+ broadcasts in Valladolid

22.11.2024 - RTVE WorldDAB Member - Spain

In line with its commitment to increase coverage by the end of the year, RNE has begun broadcasting in DAB+ from Cellnex's broadcasting centre at Cerro de San Cristóbal, from where it provides coverage to the metropolitan area of Valladolid. Last week Ràdio 4 became the first Catalan-language station in Catalonia to begin legal DAB+ broadcasts, and today Radio Nacional, Radio Clásica, Radio 3 and Radio 5 are the first radio stations in Castilla y León to legally broadcast in DAB+. With this, it is now possible to listen to RNE broadcasts in DAB+ from 13 broadcasting centres in the standard that is set to become the long-term replacement for FM in Europe.

(RTVE) Read more

Three legs of radio's Centenary in Spain

19.11.2024 - Spain

Gorka Zumeta writes: "I am left with important news about one of the recurring themes in any event dedicated to the analysis of radio in Spain, the commitment to DAB+. Spain is two decades behind on this issue that the rest of Europe is undertaking with determination and investment. Finally, even with much delay, the public radio has been launched, with the distributor Cellnex, to extend the DAB+ technology throughout Spain. The technical director of Cadena SER, Augusto Molina, stressed in his speech that SER “is in favor of DAB”, as long as a series of needs that the new scenario of its implementation are met. I think it is an important step for SER, the leading radio station, to speak out on this issue. Yes to DAB+, with conditions. Well then, let's put those conditions to the administration in order to draft a new National Digital Terrestrial Sound Broadcasting Plan."

(Gorka Zumeta) Read more

The International Radio Congress in Barcelona traces the future of radio

18.11.2024 - Spain

Augusto Molina (SER): ‘We are in favour of DAB, if it goes ahead’. This statement by SER's technical director, made during the round table discussion ‘What will happen to broadcasting, does DAB have a future in Spain?’, suggests a change of position by the sector's leading company, the private Prisa Media, on the digital transformation of broadcasting in Spain, which is more than two decades behind schedule, although it is conditional on a series of needs, mainly economic, which should be included in the future National Digital Broadcasting Plan, which the government must work on in order to bring order to this new reality.

(Gorka Zumeta) Read more

International Radio Congress brings together experts in Barcelona

18.11.2024 - Spain

Augusto Molina, technical director of SER, was one of the panellists at ‘What will happen with broadcasting? Does DAB have a future in Spain?’, a presentation on the past, present and future of DAB. The round table was moderated by José Luis Ruiz, Head of ICT Innovation and Digital Agenda at ISDEFE, and included the participation of Jacqueline Bierhorst, President of WorldDAB, and Javier Sánchez, Head of Strategy at the RTVE Innovation Centre. ‘If DAB goes ahead, which we are in favour of, we need this extra cost to be subsidised by the Administration and for the listener to also receive a subsidy to buy that DAB transmitter’, explained Augusto Molina in his speech.

(Cadena SER) Read more

Listen: The future of broadcasting on the 100th anniversary of radio

14.11.2024 - RTVE WorldDAB Member - Spain

Ràdio 4 starts broadcasting on DAB+ on 14 November, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the first legal radio broadcast in Spain. And it starts in DAB+ because, as we have said on other occasions, it is the only realistic alternative that exists today to guarantee the future of radio as we know it. With that future in mind, today we tell you what we are asking of the next National Technical Plan for Digital Radio, as well as what it must be accompanied by.

(RTVE) Read more

Ràdio 4, the first Catalan-language station in Catalonia starts DAB+ broadcasts

13.11.2024 - RTVE WorldDAB Member - Spain

The future is already here at RNE. In line with its commitment to increase coverage until the end of the year, RNE will start broadcasting Ràdio 4 in DAB+ on Thursday 14 November from the Cellnex broadcasting centre in Collserola, from where it provides coverage of the Barcelona metropolitan area. With this, Ràdio 4 becomes the first and only Catalan-language station in Catalonia to start legal broadcasts on DAB+. Coinciding with the centenary of radio in Spain, RNE has started digital radio broadcasts in DAB+ together with Cellnex Telecom, with the firm intention of deploying this digital radio standard in our country, which is set to replace FM in the long term.

(RTVE) Read more

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RTVE Director Castillejo calls for national plan for digital radio

11.03.2024

English text of Ángel García Castillejo of RTVE's speech at the DAB+ launch in Spain. "If we're not able to offer the DAB+ service, they are not going to come to the radio, radio will disappear. There are no more excuses." says Castillejo.

Read more