Advanced Television

DAB for 2015 but in-car is key

October 19, 2010

2015 is ‘achievable’ for an analogue-to-digital switchover, according to industry body Digital Radio UK.  CEO Ford Ennals told the Radio Festival that there had been “significant progress towards building momentum for digital radio,” and added that the analogue-to-digital switchover was a “matter of when not if”.

Ennals stressed that a target date of 2015 was “challenging but achievable” welcoming the strong support of Ed Vaizey, Minister for Communication, Culture and the Creative Industries. This is not the date at which FM radio will somehow be ‘switched off’ or disappear, merely that the industry plans what it refers to as a ‘mixed ecology’ – offering radio listeners the options across FM, DAB (and DAB+) and internet radio.

Ennals admitted the real work to establish DAB needs to be done in the car industry, with Ennals announcing a new in-car digital radio fully-fitted service from Halfords, with prices from under £90 (E103).

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders confirmed at this week’s event that all new cars will have digital radio fitted as standard by 2013.

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, Digital Radio