A Grã-Bretanha muito à frente na rádio digital (DAB)

"The UK is significantly ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to digital radio broadcasting thanks to enlightened legislation and regulation, and significant infrastructure and content provision by both BBC and Commercial Radio. Digital radio is now becoming highly competitive as Commercial Radio players seek new infrastructure opportunities and audiences for their new digital services. New blocks of Band III spectrum have been found which could be used for a variety of purposes.

CRCA supports the notion that at least three of the available blocks should be used to fill in gaps in current local digital radio transmission. As far as the year ahead is concerned, principle developments will be BT’s Livetime data service and the fast moving Korean version of DAB (called Digital Multimedia Broadcasting or DMB) which promise the mobile end user much in the way of television and data services alongside digital radio ones."

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DAB Digital Radio is a new way of broadcasting radio. Because it uses new digital technology, DAB is a much more efficient way to broadcast, and that means there’s room for many more radio stations, both local and national. Some towns and cities will have 40 or more digital stations, at least double the number currently available to most people on FM.

DAB Digital Radio means diversity of listening, so while you’ll still find many of your old favourites broadcasting in improved, digital quality sound on DAB, you’ll also find a whole raft of new, specialist radio stations, unique to DAB. Some of these might be stations that are available on analogue in other parts of the country, but are only on DAB where you live. Others are brand new formats, tailored to specific demographics and tastes.

DAB Digital Radio means interference free listening with no hiss, crackle or fade; and with a DAB radio there are no frequencies to remember, just choose the station you want by name from the text display screen. National digital radio stations, both commercial and BBC, are broadcast on the same frequency across the country, so you never need to retune when you’re on the move. DAB digital radios come with an LCD display on which you will see messages about the station or music to which you’re listening. Many stations transmit the name of the artist, the title of the song, and sometimes what’s coming up next.

DAB Digital Radio is free, there are no subscriptions

— just buy one of the many DAB radio products on the market and you’re ready to go. Digital radio is currently available to 85% of the UK population, but to check you are covered, use the postcode checker at www.digitalradionow.com.

(relatório da Commercial Radio Companies Association, "Commercial Radio Pocket Book", 2005, pág 8 e 21)