Telecom Authority In Doubt About DAB

Going for FM together with Internet digital radio in Sweden

In the government consultation about public service the telecom authority Post- och telestyrelsen (PTS) is questioning any extra public service funding for a DAB implementation. Any decision on this cannot be made before there is proof of any demand and need for digital sound broadcasting in Band III (174-240 MHz) in Sweden.  PTS says that the Public service commission is lacking on this; the real demand of the consumers and the need for a digital transition for sound broadcasting.

PTS notes that there are no global standard for digital sound broadcasting. The only global sound broadcasting standard is FM. PTS points out the enormous breakthrough for ip-based technology which includes moving images and sound. PTS regards web based digital radio as an important complement to FM radio.

Commercial radio will test DRM+ in Norway

The media authority Medietilsynet has issued a broadcast permit for Radio Metro for test transmissions with DRM+ on Band II (the FM-band) April-June 2013 in Trondheim. The tests will take place in connection to the Norwegian Local Radio Association Annual Meeting and Conference in April in Trondheim.  Radio Metro which is operating on FM in Oslo and some other cities in Norway is owned by the South-African company 21st Venture.

DRM+ tests are also planned for a community radio station in Stockholm, Sweden in April.

Commercial TV opting-out of Digital Terrestrial Television

RTL Deutschland has decided to  terminate its current DVB-T distribution in the country. This will affect terrestrial distribution of RTL, Vox, Super RTL and RTL II and, for Berlin only, n-tv. Terrestrial transmissions will cease on December 31, 2014, with the exception of its broadcasts in Munich, which will already end on May 31, 2013. 

RTL Deutschland said  the current conditions in Germany prohibit long-term planning, posing a risk to the millions that need to be invested in terrestrial distribution.The broadcaster points out that there are no guarantees that the German federal government will keep the current terrestrial frequency spectrum available for broadcasting beyond 2020.

Council objects to DAB for public service

In a Swedish government consultation the Public Service Council has objected to a commission proposal to support the public service company - Sveriges Radio (SR) - to go DAB with state funding.

The council says that the FM radio is a world standard while DAB is a marginal technology used in a limited number of countries mainly in the richest part of Western Europe. FM Radio is well established in all of the 200 countries in the world.  Against all rumours no nation has yet decided on a “switch-off” date for the FM band.  Adding to this there are more than 30.000 digital radio channels on the Internet. There is no proof that the bandwidth for radio will not be enough.