News

Turkey’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, announced the country’s transition to DAB+ technology. DAB+ offers a significant technological upgrade over analog FM, Uraloğlu said, delivering clearer audio while optimizing spectrum use. “Beyond sound quality, DAB+ enriches the listening experience with additional content such as text, images and live traffic updates. It also supports sustainability by reducing energy consumption. A single DAB+ transmitter can carry 16 channels using just 12.2 kW, compared to FM’s 128 kW for the same number of channels, cutting energy use by 90% and lowering carbon emissions.”

Local broadcasters in the East Groningen region can again be heard on DAB+ from today. The broadcasts can be heard on channel 8C. Until 1 September last year, the local broadcasters in Groningen could already be heard over the digital ether by means of a temporary licence. This temporary licence has now been converted into a licence until 2030. The operation of the network is now in the hands of network operator Radio Netwerk Nederland (RNN). Via DAB+, local broadcasters RTV1 (Stadskanaal, Veendam, Borger-Odoorn and environs), RTV GO (Municipality of Oldambt) and RTV Westerwolde can be heard. Currently, broadcasting is still done with one support transmitter from Winschoten. In the foreseeable future, a support transmitter in Stadskanaal will also be switched on by transmitter operator RNN.

Love FM has been connected in DAB+ in Rome. For the superstation this is a return to the capital, now extended to much of the region. The broadcast is on CR Dab Lazio channel 9D. Love FM can be heard on DAB+ in various parts of Italy, while on FM it is present in Puglia, Veneto, Campania, Sardinia and Basilicata.

Portugal will be trialling Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) for two years. The announcement was made by the Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Carlos Abreu Amorim as part of World Radio Day, on RUA FM's special broadcast in the Algarve. Carlos Abreu Amorim said that this experiment would be centred on Lisbon and Porto. ‘We're going to see if it has the capacity, if it has legs, and then, of course, everything will be monitored by Anacom and other organisations,’ he said. The Secretary of State pointed to the ‘enormous capacity’ and potential that the DAB could have in the area of Civil Protection and the Ministry of Health, in order to overcome ‘some of the deficiencies that currently exist at FM level’.

ON AIR support's Bad Urach transmitter site went into operation on 11 February 2025. It provides the town of Bad Urach with digital radio DAB+ channel 11B. The important B28 and B465 transport routes are now also much better served. Some areas in the rural districts of Reutlingen and Alb-Donau also benefit from the transmitter site.

With more than a month delay compared to other locations launched on New Year's Eve, RTI cz's nationwide radio multiplex C started broadcasting in Liberec on Tuesday. This happened a week after the regional DAB+ network of Czech Radio Communications started broadcasting in Liberec. Four multiplexes for digital radio broadcasting with 39 radios can be tuned in from this week by listeners in Liberec and the surrounding area. At the beginning of last week, only two such networks (with 22 channels) were broadcasting in the North Bohemian capital, the public multiplex of Czech Radio and the regional network of Teleko digital. In the middle of last week, the regional network of Czech Radio Communications was added, and this Tuesday the national multiplex of RTI cz was added.

Broadcast Services and GG Omikron's regional digital radio network will begin broadcasting by Sunday evening at the latest. The two operators will use the same transmitters in regions where their DAB+ broadcasts overlap, in locations where the 24 TV multiplex broadcasts from. Broadcast Services auctioned a total of five regional networks in last year's frequency auction, GG Omikron three. This week their one-year deadline under the Electronic Communications Act, by which they must launch at least one transmitter for each network, expires. They will follow all the other auction winners, who - with the exception of Play.cz - have already done so.

Just over a year ago today, RNE began broadcasting in DAB+ with the firm intention of deploying this digital radio standard in Spain, which is set to replace FM in the long term. At that inaugural event, RTVE also announced its commitment to progressively increase RNE's DAB+ offer and the coverage of the service. One year later, on World Radio Day, RNE ratifies its commitment to the digitalisation and accessibility of radio. RNE becomes the first Spanish radio station to start legal DAB+ broadcasts in Castilla la Mancha, starting to broadcast its programming of Radio Nacional, Radio Clásica, Radio 3 and Radio 5 in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara from Cellnex Telecom's broadcasting centre located in Iriépal.

Radio Contact has a great announcement for you: a brand new radio station launches this Thursday. Contact Max promises to take you back to the carefree days of the 80s and 90s. From 13 February 2025, Contact Max is coming to bring back your best moments! ‘Radio Contact has been around for 45 years and, in a few moments, we're going to be working with you to launch this new 100% digital radio station, with the ambition of becoming the first 100% digital French-language radio station in Belgium,’ says Frédéric Herbays from the Contact studio. By creating a third radio station, RTL Belgium is reaffirming its confidence in the future of DAB+ and strengthening its presence on the Belgian French-language radio scene with its new arrival: Contact Max.

Radio station CREAM has launched its broadcasts over the Internet and DAB+. The music station brings a mix of pop to jazz, soul and rock, world to classical and everything in between and beyond. The radio station is an initiative of Renny and Leon Ramakers. With more than 30 years of experience as a critic, editor, curator, initiator and co-founder of Droog Design, Renny Ramakers has a significant influence on the world of design. Leon Ramakers, former director of Mojo Concerts, has spent decades bringing music to major venues. Merijn Tiemessen is programme director of CREAM and has a versatile background at various record labels, events and in radio. Listening to the station can be done via DAB+ (MTVNL/channel 7D).