Articles and whitepapers

Switching to DAB Digital Radio (4/5/2005)

By Mandy Green, DRDB

DAB (digital audio broadcasting) digital radio is a new way of broadcasting radio via a network of terrestrial digital transmitters. It provides listeners with more choice, better sound quality and more information.

There are more than 400 radio services broadcasting around the country, of which more than 50% are only available with a DAB radio. Research shows that nearly 70% of people buying a DAB digital radio do so in order to receive these new stations.

DAB offers increased and diverse choice, allowing you to have stations dedicated entirely to dance, hip-hop, garage, rock, jazz, big band, country, pop, soul and disco. Or you can get stations specifically for young children, the mature listener, ethnic communities, news junkies, sports fans, lovers of the spoken word or world music, environmentalists, gays, and classical buffs - in other words, something for everyone.

The Pure Sonus DAB radio used in the bedroom

The move towards digital

The DAB system was developed by the Eureka 147 Project, an international consortium of broadcasters, network operators, consumer electronic industries and research institutes. In 1994, Eureka-147 was adopted as a world standard, and today, most of the world has either implemented the standard or is currently testing it.

Digital radio is made up of a single block of frequencies called a multiplex. The multiplex is able to carry stereo and mono radio channels as well as services such as text and data. With DAB, it is possible to carry more services on one frequency, allowing the spectrum to be used more efficiently.

Initially the driving forces behind DAB were radio broadcasters such as the BBC, GWR, Capital, Emap, Chrysalis and Scottish Radio Holdings. With the FM spectrum so full in the UK, these broadcasters saw DAB as a way to expand their portfolio of stations and to broaden the reach of their existing formats. They took the bold step of securing multiplex licences and launching new services before there was very much affordable product available for consumers to listen on. However, with marketing and promotion from both the broadcasters and the DRDB (Digital Radio Development Bureau), DAB awareness and popularity has grown and sales have doubled year-on-year.

DAB also offers benefits to retailers and manufacturers. The radio sector of the consumer electronics market has been in decline for several years as the price of analogue equipment has plummeted, and since the arrival of FM in the 1960s, there has been little innovation and nothing to stimulate the radio market. But now, with consumers prepared to pay a premium for the added benefits of DAB, retailers and manufacturers are seeing the return of value. Over Christmas 2004 for example, consumers spent £43 million on DAB digital radios.

Benefits to the consumer

In the average UK town, DAB doubles the number of stations you can receive, and in many cases it triples. London for example, enjoys more than 50 stations on DAB, and unlike some digital television services, digital radio is completely free. All you have to do is buy a DAB radio, and most of these also come with an FM tuner, so if your favourite station is not yet on digital, you can still find it using the FM frequency.

The Goodmans GPS285 portable CD/cassette player with DAB, FM and MW radio

DAB technology allows the receiver to lock on to the strongest signal it can find and ignore everything else. This eliminates the hiss, crackle and fade so familiar on analogue radio. With DAB digital radio there are no frequencies to remember and sets are tuned by station name, which are listed alphabetically, making them very easy to find. Furthermore, national stations stay put, so there is no need to retune on the move.

More than just an audio signal

DAB digital radios come with a display on which you will see messages about the station or the music to which you are listening. Many stations transmit the name of the artist, the title of the song, and sometimes what is coming up next. This year, DAB digital radio will offer even more sophisticated data, including an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) allowing you to find programmes by genre, pre-select what you listen to and set a timer record up to a week in advance.

The Pure Legato DAB receiver with separate speakers and remote control

Some new DAB digital radios let you pause, record and rewind live radio. This puts you in control of when you listen to radio programmes, so the news does not have to come on the hour, and The Archers can be stored for later listening. You can stop time, go back in time or set a timer to record a future programme.

The BT Aviator 10M allows users to record and playback the last ten minutes of a broadcast

Reception

To enjoy DAB stations at home requires nothing more than buying a digital radio, plugging it in and switching it on. The first time it is switched on, you will need to auto-tune it to allow the radio to find all the stations in your area - in fact it is best to check your coverage at http://www.digitalradionow.com before you buy to see exactly which stations are available for your postcode. More than 85% of the population is covered, but there are still a few areas awaiting DAB transmitters.

Because DAB uses a land-based transmitter system, topography can sometimes play a role in the quality of your reception. If you live in a basement flat, or your building is steel-framed or made of reinforced concrete, your DAB coverage may be affected. Most people however, will receive a variety of stations, both commercial and BBC, at a good signal strength.

DAB radios

There are more than 150 different DAB digital radios on the market. They come in all form factors, from portable kitchen radios to handheld styles, boomboxes with CD players, micro hi-fi systems and in-car systems. They are available from more than 6000 retailers on UK high streets, at prices starting from £49.

The Philips DA1000 handheld DAB radio

Sales of DAB digital radios have more than doubled each year for the past three years. Penetration currently stands at 1.4 million units and is expected to rise to 2.4 million by the end of 2005. In the past twelve months the market was worth £92 million, with the most popular models being portable kitchen radios, where DAB is already outselling analogue. Indeed DAB digital radio is the fourth fastest growing sector in the overall consumer electronics market.

The Teac Lifestyle DAB radio used in the kitchen

Analogue switch off

The government has no firm plans to switch off analogue radio at this time, although it remains an option. Indeed analogue switch off for radio is a different kettle of fish than it is for TV. Most homes have four or five devices on which to listen to radio, so there is a larger replacement challenge. Around 85% of the population is covered by DAB and 48% of analogue stations are broadcasting on DAB. The current allocation of spectrum for DAB broadcasting is now full - there are two national multiplexes and 46 local or regional multiplexes, each broadcasting between 8 and 10 radio services. More spectrum is needed in order to 'fill in the gaps' for local services, and perhaps to expand the national picture with more stations.

In 2006 the International Telecommunications Union's regional conference will allocate more spectrum to the UK which will hopefully be used for DAB broadcasting. Indeed Ofcom is currently considering how that spectrum could be used and the proposal is for one or two more national multiplexes and two or three more blocks of spectrum for local multiplexes - which would help any analogue radio station not currently on DAB to migrate to the digital platform if it wished to do so. The DRDB therefore believes that analogue switch off for radio will not happen until there is sufficient spectrum for all analogue services to migrate to digital, transmitter coverage is increased to those areas not currently served (for the most part, rural, sparsely populated areas), and a wide range of DAB products is available at an affordable price.

The Sony XDR with remote control

Conclusion

It is almost inconceivable that radio, the oldest and best-loved of our entertainment media, should remain locked in the analogue world while all around it goes digital. The benefits of DAB digital radio are clear - more choice, less interference, easy tuning and added value through extra functionality. Consumers, manufacturers and retailers alike are making the switch.

Mandy Green is the Press and Publicity Manager for the Digital Radio Development Bureau. The DRDB is funded and supported by UK broadcasters, and its task is to ensure digital radio's wide accessibility and swift adoption in the UK.

www.digitalradionow.com