EBU Shocked By Swedish UHF Band Decision

The EBU today expressed serious concern at a Swedish government decision to reallocate the 700 MHz spectrum band to "other forms of use" from 2017, since such a fast switchover will jeopardize the integrity of television services in Sweden. Television will now have to partly return to the VHF Band III, which is also utilized by DAB radio. 

Swedish Television To Leave Upper UHF Band

Mobile Broadband taking over. DAB Radio to share the 200 MHz band with terrestrial digital television.

The Swedish government today decided that the UHF frequency band 694-790 MHz should be assigned solely to mobile communications from 2017.
Broadcasters now have three years to migrate from this space to 470-694 MHz and also coming back to the VHF band III 174-240 MHz.

DRM+ In New Multi-standard Receiver Chip

Advanced Digital Radio Receiver Chip For A Global Market

The israeli company Siano, today announced the launch of SMS2160, a new multi-standard digital radio receiver chip designed for automotive and portable/mobile consumer electronics applications. SMS2160 is the world’s most versatile digital radio IC to support T-DMB/DAB/DAB+, DRM+ and FM Radio, including RDS/TMC. 

First Broadcast in Sweden with New Digital Radio Technology

DRM+ Enables Digitalization in the FM Band

Today the first transmissions with the new digital radio system DRM+ went on-air in the Stockholm region. The test trial is run with a DRM+ transmitter on the 97.0 MHz FM band with a power of 500 Watts. The first six months test trials are made in consultation with the Post- and Telecom Authority in Sweden (PTS).

Most British Radio Listening Still Analogue

Young people are listening on smartphones. DAB is left behind.
Weekly listening figures for the fourth quarter of 2013 has now been presented by Rajar. Still listening on analogue platforms (AM and FM) dominates in spite of DAB being established in the UK already 1995. AM/FM has a weekly listening of 58,5 percent (down 4,1 percent points from 2012). DAB 23,4 (+2,3), digital terrestrial tv platforms 5,2 (+0,1) and online 5,8 (+0,9).  The 2013 uptake increase of DAB is less than anticipated the year before; DAB +9,8 and Internet +15,6 %. This signals a DAB stagnation.

Now FM in BlackBerry Phones

BlackBerry users who download the latest 10.2.1software update will unlock FM capabilities in certain models. The handset maker says the update “unlocks the built­in FM radio” for the Z30, Q10 and Q5 BlackBerry models. The update is available now to customers in U.S., Europe, Canada, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America, and will be available for the entire line of smartphones running BlackBerry 10.