Market Signals a Lost Radio Technology

Chip manufacturer losses widen amid weaker DAB sales

British tech company Frontier Smart Technologies Ltd  reported annual pre-tax losses widened as revenues fell by more than a fifth amid weaker digital radio (DAB) sales. For the year ended 31 December 2018, pre-tax losses widened to $3.3m from $2.1m a year earlier, and revenue fell 21% to $41.8m according to StockMarketWire.com.  According to our analysis the global smartphone revolution will curb future demand for stand-alone radio sets.

India has the world's cheapest mobile broadband

Handy smartphones replacing stand-alone radio and tv receivers as data prices are reaching new lows.

India's plummeting data prices have hit a new low. In fact, according to a recent BBC report, the country has the cheapest mobile broadband prices in the world. The report, citing a UK-based price comparison site, said that 1 gigabyte (GB) of mobile data cost $0.26 in India (£0.20), compared with $12.37 in the US, $6.66 in the UK, and a global average of $8.53. But many Indian users said they were actually paying less than $0.10 a GB. Whatever the true cost, what is clear is that mobile data in India is many times cheaper than elsewhere. 

Mandatory DAB for Receivers in New Cars Might Kill Radio

Slanted lobby facts are confusing manufacturers and consumers

The all-electric cars are much around the corner. Volvo has presented its new all-electric car which will be produced in China next year. Polestar 2 is one of the first cars in the world to embed an infotainment system powered by Android.  -  A Connected Car will not be hit by the regulating efforts to force DAB radio into new cars as long it is not also equipped with a stand-alone in-car radio.

Sweden: No Commercial DAB Without a Government Frequency Guarantee

Private terrestrial digital radio is postponed - again. 

Listeners and public service broadcaster is turning its back on DAB.

NENT (formerly MTG), may postpone the start of national DAB+ broadcasts until July 1, when 35 percent of the population should be able to receive. One year later, 50% must be reached and on July 1, 2021 the network must be expanded to a coverage of 70% of the population. NENT has requested a postponement of the DAB start due to "technical and organizational challenges". The fact that other license holders (as Bauer) have been deferred with the first launching start to January 1, 2020, contributes to the request being admitted by the media authority.

Government Decision in Spain: No DAB Radio

Lack of consumer interest and the rise of 5G might kill DAB
Spain wants to keep the analog FM radio and will not introduce terrestrial digital radio DAB+. The government decision to postpone discussions on the introduction of DAB in Spain has led to frustration among DAB advocates incl. the opposition party Coalició Compromís, which accuses the government to rather be 5G oriented in the national digitalization process. 

While 5G Launches Globally Interest for DAB Radio Fades.

(Pic: EBU)

Demands in Austria for radio and TV to be received via 5G without a SIM card.
At the mobile telecom conference in Barcelona 5G was the focus. It is now announced that the radio industry in Austria wants 5G to replace terrestrial digital TV broadcasts (DVB-T2 HD). The public service company ORF and its subsidiary broadcast provider ORS as well as private broadcasters now require space for a 5G broadcasting network on the UHF band 470-700 megahertz, which should continue to be reserved for radio and television, according to the "Standard" newspaper. Meanwhile, terrestrial DAB radio will be abandoned by ORF.