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United Kingdom - Details of Trials - History

18.08.2015

In 2014 the BBC announced that they carried out a technical trial for DAB+ in Scotland.

Small -scale low cost DAB

The UK has several hundred small-scale FM and AM stations.  While the existing DAB infrastructure is suitable for larger stations, the wide area coverage and relatively high costs of the existing country-wide structure are not suited to the needs of small-scale broadcasters.  Following an initial trial carried out in Brighton during 2012/13, Ofcom was granted funding by the UK Department for Culture Media and Sport to test the technical scope for small-scale low cost DAB. 60 stations will begin broadcasting on digital radio for the first time using 'small scale DAB' this year.

The successful applicants are:

  • Angel Radio, bringing Angel Xtra, Express FM, JAMM Radio, Mango Vibe, The Flash and Triple Hits to Portsmouth.
  • BFBS Aldershot, bringing BFBS Aldershot, BFBS Radio, BFBS Gurkha, Radio Frimley Park, Radio Woking and The Breeze toAldershot.
  • Brighton & Hove Radio, bringing Juice 107.2, Radio Reverb, Smile Sussex, Totallyradio, Resonance and Brighton City Student Radio to Brighton & Hove.
  • Celador Radio, bringing Hub Radio, BFBS Gurkha, Ujima Radio, BSR 103.4fm, BCfm 93.2, Somer Valley Radio, The Breeze and BFBS Radio to Bristol.
  • Future Digital Norfolk, bringing Future Radio, Norwich 99.9, The Music Machine, Solar Radio, Jazz FM, Totallyradio and Future Plus to Norfolk.
  • Niocast Digital, bringing Panjab Radio, Revolution 96.2, Manchester Business Radio, The Steve Penk Wind-Up Channel, Chris Country and Gaydio to Manchester.
  • Switch Radio, bringing Switch Radio, Scratch Radio, Gaydio, Oak FM and Touch FM to Birmingham.
  • Scrimshaws Information Directories, bringing Your Radio, Celtic Music Radio, Pulse FM and Go Radio to Glasgow.
  • U.DAB, bringing Resonance, London Greek Radio, Rinse FM, NuSound Radio, Reprezent, Solar Radio and Crackers Radio to London.
  • UKRD, bringing Star Radio, Gaydio, Chris Country, Core Radio and Cambridge 105 to Cambridge.

 

The first small scale digital radio took to the air in Brighton in July with the UK’s first local DAB multiplex. There will be ten small scale DAB multiplexes launching in the next few weeks across the UK. According to Ofcom, if the trials are successful, UK listeners could benefit from hundreds more local and community radio stations on digital radio in the future.

13.05.2015

The BBC has recently announced they are doing a technical trial for DAB+ in Scotland in 2014.

 UK broadcasters plan to set up a test route for service following in June 2014. 

Small -scale low cost DAB

The UK has several hundred small-scale FM and AM stations.  While the existing DAB infastructure is suitable for larger stations, the wide area coverage and relatively high costs of the existing country-wide structure are not suited to the needs of small-scale broadcasters.  Following an initial trial carried out in Brighton during 2012/13, Ofcom has been given funding by the UK Department for Culture Media and Sport to test the technical scope for small-scale low cost DAB. Ofcom will be carrying out further technical tests over the remainder of this year and hope to launch a small number of pilots with stations early next year. Ofcom are working on developing a new licensing regime, which will aim to meet the needs of small stations.

51 applications for small-scale DAB

  • In April Ofcom published 51 applications [see Radio Today article] to run one of 10 local DAB multiplexes on a nine-month trial to assess technical matters and multiplex management. Over 50 groups want to run a multiplex, each with at least two services per mux. Included in the applicants are UKRD and Juice, as well as University radio and hospital radio stations. Ofcom is expecting the 9 month trials to start over the summer. Applications include:
    • UKRD who want to run a multiplex in Cambridge
    • Celador who want to run a multiplex in Bristol
    • BFBS wants to run a multiplex in Aldershot, Belfast and Salisbury
    • Juice Brighton proposes to run a multiplex in Brighton and Hove
    • Oldham Community Radio proposes to run a multiplex with themselves, Sunrise FM and The Revolution included
    • University Radio York proposes to carry Vale Radio along with University Radio York on a new multiplex in York
    • WideFM wants to run a multiplex in Bournemouth and Poole with RSLs, Forest FM, Radio Wimborne, Nerve FM, Hot Radio, Hope FM and a new station, Wide Variety.
17.04.2015

The BBC has recently announced they are doing a technical trial for DAB+ in Scotland in 2014.

 UK broadcasters plan to set up a test route for service following in June 2014. 

Small -scale low cost DAB

The UK has several hunderd small-scale FM and AM stations.  While the existing DAB infastructure is suitable for larger stations, the wide area coverage and relatively high costs of the existing country-wide structure are not suited to the needs of small-scale broadcasters.  Following an initial trial carried out in Brighton during 2012/13, Ofcom has been given funding by the UK Department for Culture Media and Sport to test the techinical scope for small-scale low cost DAB. Ofcom will be carrying out further techinical tests over the remainder of this year and hope to launch a small number of pilots with stations early next year. Ofcom are working on developing a new licensing regime, which will aim to meet the needs of small stations.

51 applications for small-scale DAB

  • In April Ofcom published 51 applications [see Radio Today piece here] to run one of 10 local DAB multiplexes on a nine-month trial to assess technical matters and multiplex management. Over 50 groups want to run a multiplex, each with at least two services per mux. Included in the applicants are UKRD and Juice, as well as University radio and hospital radio stations. Ofcom is expecting the 9 month trials to start over the summer. Applications include:
    • UKRD who want to run a multiplex in Cambridge
    • Celador who want to run a multiplex in Bristol
    • BFBS wants to run a multiplex in Aldershot, Belfast and Salisbury
    • Juice Brighton proposes to run a multiplex in Brighton and Hove
    • Oldham Community Radio proposes to run a multiplex with themselves, Sunrise FM and The Revolution included
    • University Radio York proposes to carry Vale Radio along with University Radio York on a new multiplex in York
    • WideFM wants to run a multiplex in Bournemouth and Poole with RSLs, Forest FM, Radio Wimborne, Nerve FM, Hot Radio, Hope FM and a new station, Wide Variety.