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Digital Audio Broadcasting

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Countries with DAB, DAB+ or DMB broadcasts. (Source:WorldDMBForum country profile)

Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), also known as Eureka 147, is a technology for broadcasting of audio using digital radio transmission, used in several countries, particularly in Europe. As of 2006, approximately 1,000 stations worldwide broadcast in the DAB format.[1] Proponents claim the standard offers several benefits over existing analogue FM radio; higher-fidelity audio, more stations in the same broadcast spectrum, and increased resistance to noise, multipath, fading, and co-channel interference. In practice, critics claim, the broadcasters' choice to use low bit-rate versions of the standard have meant that listeners actually receive lower-fidelity audio than with FM.[2] Subjective trials have shown that the bit-rate levels used by 98% of DAB stereo radio stations in the UK, Denmark and Switzerland — the leading countries with regard to implementing DAB — result in lower sound-quality than FM.[3][4]

In November 2006, WorldDMB announced that the DAB standard was in the process of being upgraded to a new backwards-incompatible version named DAB+. DAB+ will adopt the AAC+ audio codec to improve the efficiency of the system, and stronger error correction coding to improve the robustness of transmissions. Receivers that support the new DAB+ standard are expected to be in the shops by summer 2007.

History

DAB has been under development since 1981 at the Institut für Rundfunktechnik (IRT). In 1985 the first DAB demonstrations were held at the WARC-ORB in Geneva and in 1988 the first DAB transmissions were made in Germany. Later DAB (or Eureka-147) was developed as a research project for the European Union (Eureka project number EU147), which started in 1987 on initiative by a consortium formed in 1986. The MP2 (MPEG-1 layer-2) audio coding technique was created as part of the EU147 project. DAB was the first standard based on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation technique, which since then has become one of the most popular transmission schemes for modern wideband digital communication systems.

A choice of audio codec, modulation and error-correction coding schemes and first trial broadcasts were made in 1990. Public demonstrations were made in 1993 in the United Kingdom. The protocol specification was finalized in 1993 and adopted by the ITU-R standardization body in 1994, the European community in 1995 and by ETSI in 1997. Pilot broadcasts were launched in several countries in 1995.

The UK was the first country to receive a wide range of radio stations via DAB. Commercial DAB receivers began to be sold in 1999 and over 50 commercial and BBC services were available in London by 2001. The UK has to date been the most successful market for DAB and is being projected to be in 40% of homes by 2009.[5]

By 2006, 500 million people worldwide were in the coverage area of DAB broadcasts, although by this time sales had only taken off in the UK and Denmark. In 2006 there are approximately 1,000 DAB stations in operation world wide.[6]

The standard was coordinated by the European DAB forum, formed in 1995 and reconstituted to the World DAB Forum in 1997, which represents more than 30 countries. In 2006 the World DAB Forum became the World DMB Forum which now presides over both the DAB and DMB standard.

In October 2005, the World DMB Forum instructed its Technical Committee to carry out the work needed to adopt the AAC+ audio codec and stronger error correction coding. This work led to the launch of the new DAB+ system.

DAB and FM/AM compared

Traditionally radio programmes were broadcast on different frequencies via FM and AM, and the radio had to be tuned into each frequency. This used up a comparatively large amount of spectrum for a relatively small number of stations, limiting listening choice. DAB is a digital radio broadcasting system that through the application of multiplexing and compression combines multiple audio streams onto a single broadcast frequency called a DAB ensemble.

Within an overall target bit rate for the DAB ensemble, individual stations can be allocated different bit rates. The number of channels within a DAB ensemble can be increased by lowering average bit rates, but at the expense of the quality of streams. Error correction under the DAB standard makes the signal more robust but reduces the total bit rate available for streams.

Use of frequency spectrum and transmitter sites

DAB gives substantially higher spectral efficiency, measured in programmes per MHz and per transmitter site, than analogue communication. However, since there are no plans yet to cease analogue FM transmissions, and most radio channels are transmitted both over FM and digitally, this advantage is not exploited to a high degree.

Numerical example: FM requires 0.3 MHz per programme. The frequency reuse factor is approximately 15, meaning that only one out of 15 transmitters can use the same channel frequency without problems with co-channel interference, i.e. cross-talk. This results in 1 / 15 / (0.3 MHz) = 0.22 programmes/transmitter/MHz. DAB with 192 kbps codec requires 1.536 MHz * 192 kbps / 1136 kbps = 0.26 MHz per audio programme. The frequency reuse factor for local programmes and multi-frequency broadcasting networks (MFS) is typically 4, resulting in 1 / 4 / (0.26 MHz) = 0.96 programmes/transmitter/MHz. This is 4.3 times as efficient. For single frequency networks (SFN), for example of national programmes, the channel re-use factor is 1, resulting in 1/1/0.25 MHz = 3.85 programmes/transmitter/MHz, which is 17.3 times as efficient as FM.

Note the above capacity improvement may not always be achieved at the L-band frequencies, since these are more sensitive to obstacles than the FM band frequencies, and may cause shadow fading for hilly terrain and for indoor communication. The number of transmitter sites or the transmission power required for full coverage of a country may be rather high at these frequencies, to avoid that the system becomes noise limited rather than limited by co-channel interference.

Benefits of DAB

Current AM and FM terrestrial broadcast technology is well established, compatible, and cheap to manufacture. Benefits for DAB over and above analogue systems are as follows:

Sound quality

Despite some criticism of sound quality (see the criticism section), a recent survey among UK radio listeners revealed that 94% experience a sound quality that is "much better", "better" or "the same" as FM[7].

Improved end-user features

DAB radios automatically tune to all the available stations, offering a list of all stations.

DAB can carry "radiotext" (in DAB terminology, Dynamic Label Segment, or DLS) from the station giving real-time information such as song titles, music type and news or traffic updates. Advance programme guides can also be transmitted. A similar feature also exists on FM in the form of the RDS. (However, not all FM receivers allow radio stations to be stored by name.)

Some radios offer a pause facility on live broadcasts, caching the broadcast stream on local flash memory, although this function is limited.

More stations

DAB is more bandwidth efficient than analogue for national radio stations due to the use of SFNs, enabling more stations to be placed into a smaller section of the spectrum, although it is only marginally more efficient than FM for local radio stations.

In certain areas — particularly rural areas — the introduction of DAB gives radio listeners a greater choice of radio stations. For instance, in South Norway, radio listeners overnight experienced an increase in available stations from 6 to 21 when DAB was introduced in November 2006.

Total cost of ownership

DAB transmits several channels per multiplex, meaning ownership and maintenance can be outsourced and provided by one organisation instead of each radio station, lowering the maintenance cost over time. [8]

Reception quality

The DAB standard integrates features to reduce the negative consequences of multipath fading and signal noise, which afflict existing analogue systems.

Also, as DAB transmits digital audio, there is no hiss with a weak signal, which can happen on FM. However, radios in the fringe of a DAB signal, can experience a "bubbling mud" sound interrupting the audio and/or the audio cutting out altogether.

Less pirate interference

The specialised nature and cost of DAB broadcasting equipment provide barriers to pirate radio stations broadcasting on DAB. In cities such as London with large numbers of pirate radio stations broadcasting on FM, this means that some stations can be reliably received via DAB in areas where they are regularly difficult or impossible to receive on FM due to pirate radio interference.

Variable bandwidth

Mono talk radio, news and weather channels and other non-music programs need significantly less bandwidth than a typical music radio station, which allows DAB to carry these programmes at lower bit rates, leaving more bandwidth to be used for other programs. However, this had led to the situation where numerous music radio stations are being broadcast in mono, see the section on music radio stations broadcasting in mono for more details.

Criticisms of DAB

Sound quality

The original objectives of converting to digital transmission were to enable higher fidelity, more stations and more resistance to noise, co-channel interference and multipath than in analogue FM radio. However, in the UK, Denmark, Norway and Switzerland, which are the leading countries with regard to implementing DAB, the majority of stereo radio stations on DAB have a lower sound quality than FM due to the bit rate levels they use being too low for the inefficient MPEG Layer 2 audio codec to provide good audio quality [9]

The following paragraph about bit rate levels to be used on DAB was written by an engineer in the BBC Research & Development department and highlights why bit rates as low as 128 kbps should not be used on DAB:

A value of 256 kbps has been judged to provide a high quality stereo broadcast signal [4]. However, a small reduction, to 224 kbps is often adequate, and in some cases it may be possible to accept a further reduction to 192 kbps, especially if redundancy in the stereo signal is exploited by a process of 'joint stereo' encoding (i.e. some sounds appearing at the centre of the stereo image need not be sent twice). At 192 kbit/s, it is relatively easy to hear imperfections in critical audio material.

— BBC R&D White Paper WHP 061 June 2003[10]

On 6 July 2006 the BBC reduced the bit-rate of transmission of Radio 3 from 192 kbps to 160 kbps. The resulting degradation of audio quality prompted a number of complaints to the Corporation.[11] The BBC later announced that following this testing of new equipment, it would resume the previous practice of transmitting Radio 3 at 192 kbps whenever there were no other demands on bandwidth.[12]

However, there is debate over what this actually means to end users. Surveys of average listeners in the UK, a territory where the low bitrates are often criticised, has shown a high level of end-user satisfaction with the quality of DAB[13].

The UK Government seeks to maximize license-revenue from the available spectrum. Therefore it ‘squeezes in’ as many stations as possible.

‘Squeezing in’ techniques include:

  • Minimizing the bit-rate, to the lowest level of sound-quality that listeners are willing to tolerate. (This is generally 128 kbps for stereo. BBC Radio 3 is exceptional in using 192 kbps. There was an outcry when BBC Radio 3 reduced the bit-rate to 160 kbps, so 192 kbps was restored.)
  • Heavy compression - compressing the dynamic range of a signal (reducing sound-quality).
  • Having few digital channels broadcasting in stereo.

These factors reduce sound-quality to the point where it is technically inferior to FM.

Maximizing Government license-revenue is not such an issue with TV, so BBC TV audio streams use a bit-rate of 256 kbps MP2.

Music radio stations broadcasting in mono

A large and increasing number of music radio stations and stations that carry drama on DAB in the UK are being broadcast in mono when they should be in stereo. These stations are virtually all available in stereo on FM.

Reception quality

The reception quality on DAB can be poor even for people that live well within the coverage area. The reason for this is that the old version of DAB uses weak error correction coding so that when there are a lot of errors with the received data not enough of the errors can be corrected and a "bubbling mud" sound occurs. This situation will be improved upon in the new DAB standard (DAB+, discussed below) that uses stronger error correction coding and as signal powers are increased.

Coverage

As DAB is either at the early stages of deployment, DAB coverage is poor in nearly all countries in comparison to the high population coverage provided by FM.

Transmissions cost

Transmission on DAB is far more expensive than on FM, and measures taken by broadcasters to limit their costs have resulted in some DAB ensembles having to carry too many channels, forcing bit rates to be reduced to levels that deliver sound quality inferior to traditional FM (see Criticisms of DAB in the UK).

Compatibility

In 2006 tests finally began using the much improved HE-AAC codec for DAB+. Virtually none of the current receivers in the field support the new codec, however, thus making them partially obsolete once DAB+ broadcasts begin and completely obsolete once the old MPEG-1 Layer 2 stations are switched off.

Power requirements

As DAB requires digital signal processing techniques to convert from the received digitally encoded signal to the analogue audio content, the complexity of the electronic circuitry required to do this is high. This translates into needing more power to effect this conversion than compared to an analogue FM to audio conversion, meaning that portable receiving equipment will tend to have a shorter battery life, or require higher power (and hence more bulk).

As an indicator of this increased power consumption, dual FM/DAB radios quote the length of time they can play on a single charge. For DAB, this is often between one-sixth and one-twelfth of the time they can play when in FM mode. [14]

Other criticism

If the signal reception becomes marginal the audio will first start to burble or cut out rapidly and if the signal continues to degrade the audio will cut out more often. There is also less chance of long distance reception that hobbyists enjoy because each frequency/multiplex is used more often.

Technology

Bands and modes

Eureka 147 DAB uses a wide-bandwidth broadcast technology and typically spectra have been allocated for it in Band III (174–240 MHz) and L band (1452–1492 MHz), although the scheme allows for operation almost anywhere above 30 MHz. The US military has reserved L-Band in the USA only, blocking its use for other purposes in America, and the United States has reached an agreement with Canada that the latter will restrict L-Band DAB to terrestrial broadcast to avoid interference.

DAB has a number of country specific transmission modes (I, II, III and IV). For worldwide operation a receiver must support all 4 modes:

  • Mode I for Band III, Earth
  • Mode II for L-Band, Earth and satellite
  • Mode III for frequencies below 3 GHz, Earth and satellite
  • Mode IV for L-Band, Earth and satellite

Services and ensembles

Various different services are embedded into one ensemble (which is also typically called a multiplex). These services can include:

  • Primary services, like main radio stations
  • Secondary services, like additional sports commentaries
  • Data services

Bitrates

An ensemble has a maximum bitrate that can be carried, but this depends on which error protection level is used. However, all DAB multiplexes can carry a total of 864 "capacity units". The number of capacity units, or CU, that a certain bit rate level requires depends on the amount of error correction added to the transmission: the stronger the error protection (which requires higher levels of redundant information to be added) the more robust the transmission will be, but this reduces the overall bit rate that can be transmitted. In the UK, most services transmit using 'protection level three', being an FEC of 0.5 which equates to a maximum bit rate per multiplex of 1152 kbps.

Transmission

Immunity to fading and inter-symbol interference (caused by multipath propagation) is achieved without equalization by means of the OFDM and DQPSK modulation techniques.

OFDM also features Single frequency network (SFN) communication, meaning that a network of transmitters over a whole a country or a region sends the same radio programmes over the same frequency channel without interference problems. A major advantage of DAB over FM is the provision of single frequency networks (SFNs). Provided the transmitters are synchronised, the multiplex licence holder may operate several in a relatively small geographic area at the same multiplex frequency without any destructive interference occurring at the receiver.

SFNs allow substantial service areas to be built up steadily and efficiently as the network develops, funding allows and frequency spectra becomes available. Compared to FM where service areas operating at the same carrier frequency cannot overlap, a typical DAB network will comprise several relatively low powered closely spaced transmitters operating at the same multiplex frequency. This saves frequency spectrum, reduces the complexity and cost of the transmitter hardware and avoids the need for frequent re-tuning of mobile receivers as they move about within the network.

It also means that each transmitter has a smaller audience, thus mitigating the service loss should a transmitter fail. Because of this synchronisation, receivers which are located in places where the service areas of two or more transmitters overlap will interpret one of the signals as a slightly delayed version of the other, effectively an apparent deliberate multipath interference. The actual delays will depend on the radio path geometry and any extra delays that may be added artificially when the network is commissioned. Within the receiver then a relatively simple form of delay filtering may be applied to extract the desired data.

DAB+ and DMB

WorldDMB, the organisation in charge of the DAB standards, announced in 2006[15] , that DAB would be adopting the HE-AAC audio codec,[16] which is also known as AAC+. Also being adopted are the MPEG Surround format, and stronger error correction coding called Reed-Solomon coding. The new standard has been named DAB+ and standardized as ETSI TS 102 563.

Receivers that support the new DAB standard will be released in the UK in 2007, and Ofcom has said that it will consider switching off services using the old MPEG-1 Audio Layer II audio format used on the old DAB system once the vast majority of receivers can support the new HE-AAC audio format. The new HE-AAC audio format is around 3 - 4 times as efficient as the old MPEG-1 Audio Layer II audio format, so this will allow 3 - 4 times as many stations to transmit as is currently possible, or the audio quality can be increased, or a combination of both these things can occur.

DAB and DAB+ can't be used for mobile TV because they don't support for video codecs. DAB related standards Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) and DAB-IP are suitable for mobile radio and TV both because they have MPEG 4 AVC and WMV9 respectively as video codecs. However a DMB video subchannel can easily be added to any DAB transmission -- as DMB was designed from the outset to be carried on a DAB subchannel. DMB broadcasts in Korea carry conventional MPEG 1 Layer II DAB audio services alongside their DMB video services.

Regional implementations of DAB

Australia

Australia has been testing DAB broadcasting systems since 1999, and larger parts of greater Sydney and Melbourne have DAB coverage. In October 2005, Helen Coonan, the Australian Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, announced Australia's plans for digital radio. Helen Coonan announced the adoption of a Eureka 147 system but added that the Australian radio industry should investigate the use of newer audio compression technology that would allow more services to be broadcast in the available spectrum, which has been reserved in Band III and L-Band.[17] The Australian Government has set a launch date for digital radio in the six state capital cities - 1 January 2009. Australia will use the AAC+ codec provided with upgraded DAB+ standard. Test transmissions of DAB+ were carried out in Sydney in October 2006. The peak industry body, Commercial Radio Australia, is coordinating the tests.

Austria

In Austria so far there is just a test operation of DAB. The national broadcasting company ORF tests Digital Audio Broadcasting in the capital Vienna and in the province Tirol.

Belgium

DAB was launched in Belgium in 1997. The transmitter network is rather dense, resulting in an excellent mobile coverage. The ensembles include audio services (four new "DAB only" programmes and simulcasts from FM),[18] programme related data (program type, announcements and dynamic label) and data services. The receiver situation is improving the last year. Tuners, kitchen radios and handheld devices are on the market and sales are growing fast as a result of a marketing campaign. Investments in new DAB services and more networks are expected, especially for the commercial and regional networks. An upgrade of the transmitter network for excellent indoor coverage is planned.

Brazil

Brazil's first digital transmission was held late in 2005 (December 25th). After that, around 35 local radio-stations asked for official permission to try le DAB. Nowadays, many new similar process began and aroud 25 radio-companies are already transmitting digitally.

Canada

Promotion of digital radio is mostly taking place by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, which represents private broadcasters in Canada, though an organization called Digital Radio Rollout, Inc. [2] Currently, CBC operates DAB stations in Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Windsor, Ontario. All these markets also contain commercial stations that operate secondary DAB frequencies. All together, according to the 2005 edition of WRTH, 11 million potential listeners will be covered by this service.

There are stations in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia that are currently field-testing DAB and a DAB-only station is scheduled to operate soon. Altogether, DAB has been well-received in Canada and coverage, whilst still using the L-band, is excellent. Compared to CHUM's subscription digital radio service using the L-band, the stations currently operating in DAB right now are free-to-air.

On 16 June 2005 the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved two subscription satellite digital services, which are partnerred with the Sirius (Sirius Canada Inc.) and XM services (Canadian Satellite Radio Inc.) in the United States, and a third subscription service to be provided by the CHUM radio group using terrestrial transmitters that will only cover mainly urban areas in the south. This system intends to use a derivative of the DAB system for transmission. Among the services planned to be offered on the channels includes urban music, rock, oldies, dance, Motown, Francophone, classical, opera, Christian, Aboriginal, and radio theatre.

With CTVglobemedia's purchase of CHUM, however, there is currently no indication regarding how this will affect the service. For a list of channels used in the Canadian implementation of DAB (L-Band), see footnote ([19]) On 15 December 2006, the CRTC, on reviewing the status of DAB in Canada and finding that it was not progressing well, changed its previous policies and will now allow testing of digital systems being tried in the United States, including in-band and out-of-band FM systems. The Eureka 147 system will still be used, but transitional licences will become permanent licences at renewal. Eureka 147 will also be viewed as complementary, and broadcasters will be able to add one Eureka 147 station for each AM or FM station that they now operate.

China

China decided to use DAB and T-DMB for broadcasting radio and televisions. China placed early in 2006 an order of 500 000 receivers. They already broadcast some programs at Beijing and Guangdong.

Czech Republic

In April 2006 the Czech parliament adopted a version of the media law focused on digital broadcasting. The public Czech radio (Český rozhlas) has applied for permission to broadcast DAB. The new digital radio stations ČRo 4 - Radio WAVE, Rádio Česko, Leonardo and D-dur are provided by Czech radio. These programs are currently transmitting via DVB-T and the Internet. TELEKO company, in cooperation with the public broadcaster Czech radio, started one-month DAB trial on channel 5A in Příbram region on 16th May 2007. The trial in L-band will follow. The goal of these non-commercial trials is promotion of digital radio to the Czech public and administrators. [3]

Denmark

In Denmark an extensive rollout of DAB has been made by Danmarks Radio. The goal is that the entire country should be covered in 2007. More info can be obtained from http://www.dabradio.dk/ including a current coverage map. 700,000 Danes (13%) had access to a DAB radio in 2006[20] and DAB radio is increasing in popularity.

Finland

The Finnish broadcasting corporation YLE started DAB transmissions in 1997, which covered approximately 2 million listeners. However, not many compliant devices were sold and hence the DAB transmitters were switched off in 2005, although transmissions of the digital radio channels continue in the digital television network. Finland is currently investigating providing digital radio via other digital broadcasting systems, such as DVB-H.

France

In a public consultation on digital radio, the four largest French radio broadcasters objected to using the current DAB system; new stakeholders were in favour of keeping compatibility with the UK version. The French communications regulator CSA decided to launch a technical forum about the right choice for digital radio. Some broadcasters asked the regulator to strictly adopt the digital radio system in order to preserve transborder roaming (car radio) and some suggested to design technical variants of the European standard. Implementation of Band III has been strongly suggested by most contributors. The five largest French radio broadcasters are currently participating in a trial of the DVB-H and T-DMB digital broadcasting system in Paris.

Only one VHF T-DAB assignment is implemented. In France T-DAB is implemented in L-band. The percentage of households that can already, or are expected in the near future to receive the quoted number of VHF multiplexes is not significant. However, for the future digital Plan, France has decided to implement T-DAB in Band III. For the time being, CSA has authorised for 6 months an experiment over Paris for T-DMB on channel 11B. The experiment is established by TF1, Europe 1, Europe 2 and VDL, and for duration of six months, beginning on 15 October 2005. It is authorised to broadcast a set of programmes of radio or television having been already the object of agreements with the Council.

Germany

After some years of test operation, regular T-DAB service was launched in April 1999. Licences have been granted to 8 different network operators. They use the T-DAB frequency blocks of the WI95 Plan. The cumulative area of all allotment areas corresponds to seamless coverage of Germany. All network operators are obliged to implement the networks within a time frame of 5 to 8 years in order to provide coverage of more than 80% of the total population.

At present about 85% of the German households are located within the service area of T-DAB transmitter networks. However, the market penetration of receiver equipment is still low. In order to improve the situation, several activities are underway. The platform of the "Initiative for Digital Broadcasting" chaired by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour investigates T-DAB issues and aspects of improving the market development.

An "Initiative for Marketing Digital Radio" has been founded by the German network operators and is an open forum for equipment manufacturers, program providers, network operators and marketing experts. An associated "Initiative for Marketing Digital Radio" plays its role as marketing enterprise and is equipped with a budget which is adequate to organize and perform PR- and marketing activities on a larger scale.[21]

Indonesia

Indonesia began DAB trial transmissions on August 2006. There are four DAB radio stations: Prambors, Ramako, Sonora and I-Radio. On the trial period, DAB radios use 10 D FHV frequency.

Ireland

Main article: DAB in Ireland

Ireland's public service broadcaster and owner of the sole national transmission network, RTÉ, launched its DAB service to the East and North-East on November 30, 2006, using Channel 12C.[22] It initially began with six stations (four live), consisting initially of the RTÉ radio stations. Currently, it carries the four RTÉ stations, an occasional simulcast of the Mediumwave version of RTÉ Radio 1, and four new RTÉ digital-only services, as well as some trial services.

Nearly a year previously, on December 20, 2005, RTÉ announced that DAB trials would begin along the east coast on January 1, 2006. This date was 80 years after Radio Éireann (RTÉ's predecessor) began. By January 5, two transmitters, Clermont Carn and Three Rock Mountain, were transmitting a single multiplex on channel 12C, carrying 6 channels - RTÉ Radio 1, RTÉ 2fm, RTÉ Lyric FM, Raidió na Gaeltachta, Today FM and the World Radio Network, all at 192 kbps. In May, this was reduced to just RTÉ Radio 1 and RTÉ 2FM at 160 kbps. These test DAB transmissions ceased on July 13 and DAB remained off-air until the public commencement that November.

A second multiplex appeared in Dublin (Three Rock Mountain transmitter) on block 12A in March 2007 carrying Today FM, Q102, Phantom FM, FM104 and 98FM. Today FM was removed from the RTÉ mux on 12C at this time.

DAB development was limited by the lack of Band III frequencies until the GE06 Conference earlier this year. Prior to GE06 (formerly known as RRC-06), the Republic of Ireland had only two channels allocated to DAB: 12C to RTÉ for the entire country and 12A allocated to commercial broadcasting. However, roll-out using the lower channels made available after the conference will most likely be limited until the RTÉ television broadcasts in Band III are moved to UHF.

Local radio franchise areas have been allocated an L band DAB channel, as well as any counties which do not match radio franchises. L band capable receivers are relatively rare in Europe, although are the standard in Canada and other countries.

Italy

In band III VHF (174-220 MHz) in some areas it's possible to hear 3 groups of radio stations:

  • Radio Rai (RadioRai1, RadioRai2, RadioRai3, Isoradio, Filodiffusione)
  • Club Dab Italia (Radio Capital, RadioDeeJay, Radio Radicale, Radio24, RadioItalia, Radio Maria, M2O,Virgin,R101,RDS)
  • Euro Dab (RadioPadania, RTL102,5, RTLWorld, RTLClassic, RadioRadio, Radio Vaticana)

On 1st February 2007 national radio Rai started experimentation of broadcasting in T-DMB in some areas of the country. So far DAB hasn't been successful because of some reasons: high prices of radios, III band VHF used by some TV stations, a lack of national plan for frequencies, a lack of support from Italian national broadcast Rai.

Malta

T-DAB spectrum licenses have been awarded in March 2006. In August 2005, the Malta Communications Authority (MCA) together with the Ministry for Competitiveness and Communications published Malta's policy and implementation strategy on T-DAB. Digi B Network Ltd. was the highest bidder for all the 4 frequency blocks available, and was granted a license in March 2006, although the frequency blocks still needed to be coordinated between neighbouring countries. Digi B is expected to start commercial rollout towards the end of 2007, and will be using the new DAB+ system.[23]

The Netherlands

In March 2005, following criticism from politicians from all parties, the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Laurens Jan Brinkhorst announced that The Netherlands has postponed plans to continue rolling out DAB, and will instead evaluate newer technologies. The new technologies which will be assessed include the new version of DAB DRM+ and DVB-H, and are more efficient than the current version of DAB, so it is likely that The Netherlands will end up using an upgraded version of DAB based on the AAC+ codec.

Dutch public radio has been transmitting in block 12C since 2004. Nine radio channels are available, including a non-stop Top 2000 channel and a continuous repetition of the last news bulletin. Territorial coverage of the Netherlands is currently limited, but 70% of the population is covered.

New Zealand

New Zealand has been trialling DAB since November 2006 in Wellington and west Auckland but wants to use the new DAB+ standard once testing is finished.

Norway

Around 20 stations are available on DAB, including all of NRKs broadcast channels and commercial P4 as well as their DAB-only transmisson P4 Bandit, and private broadcaster Moox Radio with an experimental music channel. An audio book channel, Bokradioen, was taken off air because of royalty issues. NRK has several DAB channels, some which are exclusive to DAB and some which are available via the FM net in larger cities. During 2007 NRK plans to launch several DAB-only stations. As the DAB network is expanded, some local radio stations are licenced to broadcast via DAB.

The first test transmissions were started in the middle of the 1990s. NRK Alltid klassisk started broadcasting in June 1995 and was the world's first all-digital around-the-clock radio, with non-stop classical music. NRK Alltid nyheter (news radio) started broadcasting in 1997, at a time when there were only about 25 DAB receivers in Norway.

DAB radio in Norway is divided into a national multiplex on channel 12D, and several regional multiplexes. The regional multiplexes broadcast versions of NRK P1 with regional programming and several other NRK channels which do not fit on the national band.

As of December 2006 about 70% of the population is potentially covered by DAB, but FM is by far the most common method of radio distribution. In Norway the DAB market was very small until the close of 2004, with few available receivers and little demand. Since Christmas 2004, the market has been growing; more than 100,000 units were sold through 2005 and 2006.[24][25] As of November 2007, DAB is experiencing a steady increase in popularity, and approximately 12% of the population can receive DAB [26].

On the 26th of November 2006, the Norwegian government decided to let DAB coverage expand to 80% of the population, with two multiplexes available in all areas in May 2007. Norway aims at reaching full national DAB coverage before 2014. The Norwegian Minister of Culture stated that FM-band broadcasting are planned to be switched off when DAB reaches 50% penetration of the market, but the FM-band broadcasting will at least continue until 2014. [27]

Poland

"Polskie Radio S.A.", the Polish public sound broadcaster, had to stop broadcasting its 4 audio services in Band II DAB Block (105,008 MHz), which covered 8% of the Polish population, due to the lack of electromagnetic compatibility with the existing VHF FM services. In October 2001 the test transmission was resumed in Warsaw on the DAB Block 10B. It is foreseen that this transmission will form the first part of the SFN covering Central Poland.

In January 2004 Poland's Office of Telecommunications and Post Regulation (URTiP) presented a new concept of a frequency planning in Band III. This idea is based on full exploitation of the spectrum by digital sound and television broadcasting after analogue switch off and changing channel spacing from 8 to 7 MHz. This accommodates three national T-DAB layers and one national DVB-T multiplex at the same time.

The official governmental document concerning the digital radio is still being prepared. Unlike in the case of DTT it will not be a possible strategy but rather an analysis of implementation of the system available: T-DAB/DMB or DVB-T/DVB-H. One of the document's recommendations is to plan digital radio networks to be as flexible as possible in order to be able to implement a chosen system.

Polskie Radio (the public broadcaster) intends to locate its own audio services within the DVB-T multiplex.

Portugal

Only the public radio stations from Radiodifusão Portuguesa are broadcast in DAB. The service started in August 1998 on tests within the Expo 98 public. Antena 1, Antena 2, Antena 3, RDP Internacional, RDP África and the RDP regional stations are all broadcast on the single 12B channel on the majority of the country, especially on the district capitals and the main routes. In 2004 Rádio Renascença and RFM joined the 12B channel, overloading the system and having no better quality than FM. The Portuguese government is constanty delaying this matter and now better options are at stake, like the DAB+ and DMB, with better performance and they can use the existing transmitors instead of replacing them for DAB's.

Romania

As of summer 2005, in Bucharest there is a single emitter that broadcasts five radio stations multiplexed on channel 12A (223,936 MHz - Band III). The five digital radio stations (three public service and two commercial) are: Radio România Actualitati, Radio România Muzical, Antena Bucurestilor, Radio Romantic and ProFM.[28]

Russian Federation

There are no T-DAB transmitters working at present time, but two licences for commercial T-DAB broadcasting services supposed to be granted now, because of existing interest and demands. [citation needed]

Singapore

In Singapore, MediaCorp's SmartRadio was launched on 19 November 1999. Using the Eureka 147 DAB system, SmartRadio provides six digital-only stations and eight simulcast FM services, along with images and text to supplement the audio. Singapore was the first country to reach full DAB coverage.[29]

Spain

Spain has a DAB population coverage of 60%. There are three national multiplexes: public (192 kbps each, but the public classical music radio station has 224 kbps stereo, REE has 160 kbps mono), and commercial (160 kbps stereo) radio stations, with 6 services each. Two radio stations are DAB exclusive but have poor programming (music jukebox).

Catalonia

Catalunya Ràdio the Catalan public broadcasting station broadcasts four simulcast radio stations in DAB with a bitrate of 192 kbps. It broadcasts two exclusive radio stations in DAB: Catalunya Digital 1 and 2 with 192 kbps each. Catalunya Digital 1 offers music in Catalan and Catalunya Digital 2 offers varied music with the inclusion of the name of the artist and the title of the song that is being listened to. The public Catalan broadcaster has 85% of population coverage but it has three broken DAB transmitters (Rocacorba, Alpicat and la Mussara) that reduce the coverage.

Slovakia

In Slovakia there is no T-DAB service in air at present time, eventhough all major TV transmitters which have been in collision with VHF T-DAB frequencies moved to UHF band.

Sweden

DAB transmissions in Sweden began in 1995. Swedish radio is currently offering 7 channels DAB-transmissions and cover 35-40% of the population. On 14 December 2005 the Swedish Culture minister, Leif Pagrotsky, announced that the Swedish government was freezing investment in DAB, citing that DAB was very expensive to transmit and that cheaper digital radio systems should be investigated, and digital radio should also be transmitted via the Internet and via the digital terrestrial TV system. The government decision has been criticised by Swedish broadcasters.

On the 21 December 2006, the Swedish Government renewed Swedish Radio's license to transmit DAB broadcasts in Sweden. The license also allows Swedish Radio to test technologies as DAB version 2 and DMB.[30][31] DAB transmissions continue with coverage of Stockholm and other cities.

Switzerland

The extension map shows the order in which the various regions will be added to the DAB network. In 2005, the North-Eastern parts of Switzerland and the main traffic artery in the Ticino will be fitted out for DAB reception. The year after, Central Switzerland will be added to the DAB reception area and by the end of 2007, the whole German speaking population should be within reach of one of the DAB stations. The tunnels along the main traffic arteries should be covered by DAB by the end of 2007. The remaining regions will be fitted out for DAB reception during the years 2007 to 2010. By 2010, DAB will be available in all of Switzerland.[32]

United Kingdom

See also: Digital radio in the United Kingdom

Experimental transmissions by the BBC started in 1990 with permanent transmissions covering London in September 1995. In September 1997 the BBC announced its national DAB rollout plans and soon reached 65% coverage. In 2006 the majority of national broadcasters all broadcast on DAB (as well as traditional AM/FM).

The public service broadcaster, the BBC, has been promoting its DAB Digital Radio stations since September 1995 and at present (2006) covers about 88% of the population, including the major motorway network. Progress beyond this figure seems to be slow, leaving some several million of the UK population who still do not know when they will be able to receive DAB. The switch from analogue TV to digital TV (DSO) is imminent, possibly relegating DAB to a lower order of priority. FM will not be switched off when analogue TV is switched off, however, which is a growing misconception.

As of August 2005, the BBC national DAB multiplex contains a number of different services, including Radios 1-5, and digital-only services such as Radio Five Live Sports Extra, 6 Music, 1Xtra and BBC7, as well as an EPG.

The Digital One national commercial multiplex began broadcasts on 15 November 1999 with 69% coverage and since then its DAB network has always been more extensive than the BBC's. It contains eight audio stations, an EPG and an experimental video service for mobile phones which was launched in October 2006. Digital One also developed along with Frontier Silicon a low cost silicon chip used in the majority of receivers and is directly responsible for DAB receiver prices falling below £100 in 2002, and as little as £30 in 2006. As a result of this, DAB portable radios are now outselling their analogue counterparts at the highstreet chain Currys.digital (formerly Dixons).

In addition to the national services, by the end of 2004 there were 48 local and regional radio multiplexes, providing over 250 commercial and 34 BBC stations. For example, in London there are already more than 51 different digital stations available. Further regional and local multiplexes are being planned by Ofcom, the UK regulator. The UK has by far the largest number of DAB stations broadcasting in the world, the highest numbers of listeners to these services[4], and the lowest average audio quality in the world.

See also

References

  1. ^ World DMB forums list of benefits
  2. ^ http://wo.uio.no/as/WebObjects/theses.woa/wa/these?WORKID=52348
  3. ^ http://www.david.robinson.org/commsbill/#1_2_3
  4. ^ http://www.wohnort.demon.co.uk/DAB/
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ World DMB forums list of benefits
  7. ^ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/radio/a45367/ofcom-reveals-dab-sound-quality-opinions.html
  8. ^ http://www.factum.se/pressroom/pdf/050609%20Switzerland%20has%20chosen%20DAB%20by%20Factum.pdf
  9. ^ http://www.david.robinson.org/commsbill/#1_2_3
  10. ^ "BBC R&D White Paper WHP 061 June 2003, DAB:An introduction to the EUREKA DAB System and a guide to how it works" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-05-08.
  11. ^ http://www.for3.org/second/BBC_R3_news.html#poorDAB
  12. ^ http://www.for3.org/second/campaign_update.html#dab_rethink
  13. ^ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/radio/a45367/ofcom-reveals-dab-sound-quality-opinions.html
  14. ^ http://www.freeplayenergy.com/Devo.html
  15. ^ http://www.worlddab.org/upload/uploaddocs/WorldDMBPress%20Release_November.pdf
  16. ^ http://www.worlddab.org/upload/uploaddocs/WorldDMBPress%20Release_November.pdf
  17. ^ Minister Helen Coonan's speech to the Australian radio industry 14 October 2005
  18. ^ http://www.digitaleradio.be/dab/home/home.html
  19. ^
    1. 1452.816 MHz
    2. 1454.560 MHz
    3. 1456.304 MHz
    4. 1458.048 MHz
    5. 1459.792 MHz
    6. 1461.536 MHz
    7. 1463.280 MHz
    8. 1465.024 MHz
    9. 1466.768 MHz
    10. 1468.512 MHz
    11. 1470.256 MHz
    12. 1472.000 MHz
    13. 1473.744 MHz
    14. 1475.488 MHz
    15. 1477.232 MHz
    16. 1478.976 MHz
    17. 1480.720 MHz
    18. 1482.464 MHz
    19. 1484.208 MHz
    20. 1485.952 MHz
    21. 1487.696 MHz
    22. 1489.440 MHz
    23. 1491.184 MHz
  20. ^ http://politiken.dk/erhverv/article168837.ece
  21. ^ http://www.digitalradio.de/
  22. ^ http://www.rte.ie/radio/dab.html
  23. ^ http://www.maltameter.com/index.php/option/content/task/view/id/71
  24. ^ Over 50 000 DAB-radioer solgt
  25. ^ DAB-salget tok av i fjor
  26. ^ http://www.kampanje.com/medier/article171702.ece
  27. ^ Teknisk Ukeblad: Sikrer DAB
  28. ^ http://www.investromania.ro/news/news.php?aid=2606
  29. ^ http://www.smartradio.sg/aboutsr.htm
  30. ^ http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/p2/program/artikel.asp?nyheter=1&ProgramID=1012&artikel=1107289
  31. ^ http://www.nyteknik.se/art/48499
  32. ^ http://www.dab-digitalradio.ch/
  • ETSI Specifications available at ETSI Publications Download Area (this will open ETSI document search engine, to find the latest version of the document enter a search string; free registration is required to download PDF)
  • Stott, J. H.; The How and Why of COFDM, BBC Research Development
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