What's True About Mobile Broadband Broadcasting?

Biased "research reports" ignore the impact of LTE technology

It is claimed that the large download capacity provided by the wireless communication standard 4G/LTE will solve all problems for the IP distribution of radio, and maybe even television, services to mobile devices. According to broadcasting organizations such statements represent an oversimplification of a complex problem, including various non-technical aspects such as net neutrality, and costs writes EBU. 

However, after three much toted reports the broadcasting sector have not yet presented the complete picture but rather leaving out the decisive facts of the capacity growth for future 4G and 5G as well as recent developments of the LTE Broadcast multicast technology.

First Wide-scale 700MHz LTE Broadcast Trial Launched

Will broadband operators become also broadcasters?

Nokia Networks (Finland) has announced what it says will be the world’s first field trial of wide-area LTE Broadcast technology, using a single LTE frequency within the UHF spectrum in Munich, Germany. This technology can be used both for radio and for television.

The single frequency network (SFN)-based trial will see all base stations use exactly the same frequency to transmit TV content, which maximises the number of simultaneous TV channels broadcast over a large geographical area in a given amount of spectrum. The use of LTE Broadcast will enable users to watch TV without eating into their mobile data plan and will be independent of network load. 

DAB Radio Listening Share Stays Flat in the UK

FM radio is losing to online listening, but not to DAB.

Digital radio listening share remains flat at 36.8% year on year with listening hours for Q2 2014 with 378 million hours being listened to in an average week. DAB radio has a share of 65% of all digital  hours (24% of total hours). Listening via DTV (Digital Television) represents 13% (5% of total) and Online 17% (6% of total) of all digital listening hours according to the Rajar report.

Norway Might Reconsider FM Radio Closure

Local radio wants to keep FM. Few cars have DAB radio.

The much toted introduction of DAB radio in Norway is not yet succesfull. The FM network is planned to be closed for public service and major commercial radio stations 2017-19 but still only 12 percent of the cars are equipped for DAB+. Also there is a fierce resistance from the local radio sphere which do not want to leave FM for DAB+. The future fate of 16 million FM-receivers is still unknown.

The Departement of Culture is presently working on a proposition to the parliament - Stortinget - about the continued DAB developments which was decided on 2011. One of the two parties in the conservative coalition government - the Progressive Party (Frp) - which also is in charge of the Finance Departement - will propose that the decision to close down the FM network should be reconsidered. Today, Norway is the only country in the world with a set closure date for FM.

Rapid development for British community radio

The new Community radio was introduced in the United Kingdom 2005. Since then 294 licensees have been granted in three rounds based on a total of 507 applications from all parts of the country.  222 stations are on air today. Most are on FM , but six are broadcasting on AM (Medium wave).
Read the full listing.   

First South African Digital Radio on Medium Waves

The first DRM transmission in South Africa is on air from July 1. Radio Pulpit is starting a trial on 1440 kHz broadcasting using a 25kW transmitter (and broadcasting 10kW DRM30) using a low profile antenna. The broadcast, with up to two programs and eventually all the extra features, will cover greater Pretoria and parts of Johannesburg. 

First Global Online Radio Awards

Mixcloud, a leading global online platform for on-demand radio, and International Radio Festival (IRF) are calling for submissions for the first annual Mixcloud & IRF Online Radio Awards in Zurich 3-6 September 2014. 
Anyone, anywhere in the world, will be able to nominate a show or a station simply by filling in a form at www.mixcloud.com/onlineradioawards

Unlimited Audio Without Data Charges on the Internet

Mobile operator first with free audio streaming

T-Mobile's Simple Choice customers are now able to stream all the music they want from all the most popular streaming services, including Pandora, Rhapsody, iHeartRadio, iTunes Radio, Slacker, and Spotify – without ever hitting their high-speed 4G LTE data service. Music services from T-Mobile partners – Samsung's Milk Music and the forthcoming Beatport music app from SFX – will also stream without data charges for T-Mobile customers.

British Analogue Radio for Another 12 Years

New FM licenses good news for small-scale broadcasters

Ofcom is to extend the duration of advertised or re-advertised local commercial analogue radio licenses (AM and FM) from seven to 12 years. The policy changed in 2010 in light of possible announcements on a DAB switchover but in December last year, the Government said that there was still more to do before the transition to digital could be completed.

India Will Have 1.000 New Community Radio Stations

Government aims to license up 1.000 stations on FM in near future

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar on 19 June promised a stable policy regime with transparency and time-bound mechanism. Efforts would be streamlined so as to make the process of clearances speedy and transparent. He said that there is a need for expanding the reach of Community Radio and that the ministry aims at opening up of 1000 Community Radio Stations in near future. 

Community Radio on DAB+ in Three Major Cities in France

Not joined by public service and major commercial networks

Today 45 community radio stations - radio asociatifs - in Marseille, Nice and Paris in DAB+ multiplexes. The stations are in most cases those extending its coverage into additional areas or stations which previously have not succeeded to get an FM permit.

There is a low key interest with this premiere as Radio France - the public service broadcaster - will not be on DAB+ because the French government says DAB+ will be to costly. Also the major commercial networks - as RTL - are not participating in DAB developments. According to the media authority CSA there are no plans to switch-off FM radio in France.

Expanding Space for Mobile Online Digital Radio

Europe and South Korea together on 5G mobile technology

It has been projected that by 2023 a mobile traffic increase on the order of 1,000 times is expected. To meet that dramatic traffic growth, next-generation mobile networks are also expected to achieve a 1,000-fold capacity increase compared to the current generation of wireless network deployments. This will include expanded space for mobile distribution of audio/video services as digital radio and television.

According to the European Commission the agreement signed in Seoul today is a milestone in the global race to develop 5G mobile technologies.