U.K. Now Aiming for 2017 Digital Radio Switchover?

Friday 12 Aug 201
The United Kingdom has abandoned the 2015 “aspirational” target date to phase out analogue radio in favour of digital according to reports. The report suggests a 2017 start is more likely, and that loss of analogue services probably would have to be phased in by region over several more years. It also estimates that 130 million analogue radios would be obsoleted by the process.

The U.K. uses DAB digital radio technology; DAB requires different spectrum than analogue, and the stations using the technology share digital transmission facilities. The radio industry probably can’t afford the transmitter infrastructure costs associated with a digital switchover before 2017. Part of the problem is the need to build out local digital radio to match the coverage area of analogue FM, according to the report.