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The French media watchdog CSA launched its national DAB+ allocation tender process last week, with the intention that within eight years, 90% of the motorways and 75% of the metropolitan regions will be covered. Candidates have until 7 November to submit their applications.

The DAB debate has resurfaced after comments from the Center Party. One of the of the main arguments for replacing the FM network was that it was largely old and needed a lot of maintenance. Either we spent a lot of money saving equipment from an old standard, or we move to the future in the form of DAB, which is not just a newer technology, but a whole new way to broadcast radio.

Standard equipment from base includes 19-inch M light alloy wheels, a head-up display, LED headlights and fog-lights, adaptive suspension, automatic headlights and wipers, tri-zone climate control, automatic tailgate, Navigation Professional incorporating a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation and ConnectedDrive Services, and DAB+ digital radio.

The ActiveX comes with larger 8.0-inch touchscreen with inbuilt satellite navigation, DAB+ digital radio, an eight-speaker Infinity audio system, 17-inch alloys, tyre pressure monitoring, rear parking sensors, leather-appointed seats, heated and power folding exterior mirrors, electric lumbar support, and a USB outlet in the rear centre console.

Coming standard on the xDrive 20i M Sport are 19-inch alloy wheels, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with DAB+ and built-in nav, cloth/leather upholstery, sports front seats, head-up display, automatic tailgate, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming rear mirrors, LED headlights, tail-lights and DRLs, automated park assist and three-zone climate control.

London radio station Lyca Radio will look to expand its DAB service offering after getting approval from UK regulator Ofcom to drop its weekday hourly local news on the AM bandwidth. In a statement, Lyca Radio cites Ofcom's policy to allow regional stations to share programming as a way to allow budgeting for the growth of DAB services.

For your extra expenditure over the Ascent Sport you get exterior differentiators such as fog-lights and privacy glass, while inside there’s a ‘premium steering wheel’, dual-zone climate control, a wireless phone charger, push-button start and keyless entry, DAB+ digital radio and satellite navigation with live traffic updates.

Blaupunkt launches two new soundbars with HDMI ARC and a series of radios that are optionally equipped with DAB+ or WiFi. The PDB 100 has DAB+, and includes storage for up to 30 stations.

Thomson has announced at the IFA 2018 with the "ANT 1487" the market launch of an indoor antenna, which should not only provide for digital TV (DVB-T/DVB-T2) and radio reception (DAB, DAB+).

11 Radio stations have already signed up to broadcast via this DAB+ network, which by the end of 2020 can be received by almost 85% of the Austrians. The national DAB+ network will be rolled out in four phases from April 2019 to the autumn of 2020.