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Francis Goffin from RTBF explores the progress of DAB+ in Belgium and the possibilty of hosting their own digital switchover in the coming years.

The 11th of January 2017 at 11: 11 marks an important milestone for radio in Norway and for radio in general. Norway is indeed the first country that has decided to stop broadcasting in FM.

The switch-off will start in the town of Bodo, northern Norway, at 11.11am and will be rolled out across the nation throughout the year. Countries such as the UK, Switzerland and Denmark will be monitoring the move as they are considering similar measures, although not before the end of the decade.

Norway has become the first country in the world to begin switching off its FM radio network. For the moment the scheme applies only to northern Nordland, but the whole country will be digital by the end of the year.

Norway today becomes the first country in the world to start digital switchover (DSO) from FM to DAB+. National FM networks will be switched off region by region - starting in Nordland and progressing across the whole country throughout 2017. The final regions, Troms and Finnmark, will complete the process in December.

Norway opened a chapter in telecommunications history on Wednesday, becoming the first country to cease FM radio broadcasting. The switch, to digital broadcasting, is intended to save money, but critics are worried about the effect on drivers and listeners of small radio stations.

Norway became the first country in the world to start digital switchover (DSO) from FM to DAB today. National FM networks will be switched off region by region - starting in Nordland and progressing across the whole country throughout 2017.

The fact that the switch to digital is proving so controversial for Norway means that other countries who are considering taking the same actions are paying close attention to the outcome. Switzerland is considering doing the same thing by 2020, with the UK and Denmark also having discussions about going fully digital.

Over in Norway, the once-proud FM Radio is now getting permanently decommissioned. The process starts tomorrow (Wednesday) in the northern part of the Scandinavian country. By the end of the year, FM radios will be useless across Norway.

The EBU’s Head of Radio Graham Dixon is speaking at a ceremony in Norway on Wednesday (11 January) marking the beginning of the country's switchover to digital radio. Norway is the first nation in Europe to turn off its' FM signal.