Independent audit might put an end to a DAB introduction in Sweden
Swedish National Audit Office (NAO) - Riksrevisionen - has announced starting a pre-study of the government decision process regarding the introduction of terrestrial digital radio (DAB+). The authority will take the decision in May 2014 on an inquiry to find out if the government, authorities and state owned companies have secured that the citizens will get the best radio for their money. Included in the sphere of state owned companies are the public service radio Sveriges Radio and the transmission provider Teracom.
The mission of the NAO is to audit the whole chain of the executive power. It is an independent organization under Riksdagen (the parliament) and is independent in relation to those being audited. NAO carries out both performance and financial audits.
Background:
For several years in Sweden there has been much critics against an one-sided involvement in the DAB technology, which many experts deem to be too complicated and too costly. Also the resistance against closing down the FM network is compact with total lack of support for DAB in all the major newspapers.
According to Post- och telestyrelsen (PTS) - the telecom authority - any presentation of a consumer demand for DAB is lacking. PTS sees the robust FM network supplemented with on-line radio being sufficient for Sweden. The Public Service Council has put to attention that there is no formal government decision being taken for an introduction of the DAB technology in Sweden. Other solutions have been ignored in this process. For example the other European recognized system DRM+, has not been considered, technically or economically.
