World Digital Radio Broadcasters Request More Spectrum

A wider spectrum could become available for broadcasting digital radio, if plans put forward at a meeting in Geneva last week go ahead. Representatives from digital radio in Europe met with radio regulators and frequency planners to discuss reallocating some of the L-Band frequency which is currently earmarked for satellite radio to terrestrial digital audio broadcasting (DAB).

Michael McEwen, president of the World DAB forum, said, “In terms of investment, technology and support, the success of the Eureka 147 DAB system [used for UK digital radio services, amongst others] is obvious. As we speak there are 450 different DAB services now available across 20 different countries, reaching a potential 300 million people. What is essential now is that we can take forward this brilliant new technology to a new stage. To do this we need to allow content providers to set up new digital only radio services to supplement those analogue services which have already moved to this new broadcast platform. And this means access to further spectrum.”

At the meeting, McEwen briefed the assembled radio administrators on the successful implementation and exploitation of DAB which has already gone on in many parts of the world, explaining that this had led to the demand for more spectrum. He also announced that Mme Tasca, the French minister for Culture and Communication, has appointed Ann Coutard to carry out new research on the digital radio market- terrestrial, satellite and the interaction with GSM mobile telephony. The report is due in March this year.

WorldDAB Project Office: 020 7896 9050 www.worlddab.org

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