DAB on air in the Ticino from today

20.12.2005 - Switzerland

The Ticino's first DAB transmitter goes on air officially this afternoon. The Ceneri Passo transmitter will serve the Locarno-Bellinza region and bring DAB programming to Italian-speaking Switzerland for the first time. The expansion of DAB into the Ticino begins a new chapter in Swiss DAB history. From now on, three DAB station packages will be available in Switzerland, rather than two, as previously: The German-Swiss package has eleven radio stations (six of which are DAB-only, i.e. not available on FM), the package in French-speaking Switzerland has ten stations (four of which DAB-only), and the new bouquet for the Ticino has nine stations , six of which are available over the airwaves for the first time thanks to DAB. It is planned that a second DAB transmitter on the Pizzo Matro will go on air on Thursday, broadcasting DAB services to the North-South axis between Bellinzona and Airolo. Two further transmitters are expected to go onstream in the Lugano-Chiasso region in January. This will ensure complete DAB coverage for the North-South axis and thus the most heavily populated part of the Ticino.