digital radio united_kingdom united_kingdom roll digital radio proceeding engineering test started bbc followed public launch september currently world biggest digital radio network national local regional broadcasting commercial bbc radio stations capital london different digital stations available addition radio stations broadcast digital television platform internet radio april april bbc frequencies digital radio ensemble operators stations need broadcasting licence media broadcast digital radio united_kingdom promoted radio stations broadcasting industry premise provides superior quality sound wider choice radio stations easier use resistant interference broadcast media susceptible notwithstanding basic flaw mentioned fact sets inferior ones fact price paid extra number stations audio quality lower areas country presently covered bbc says provide coverage final population use instead published consultation intent push coverage united_kingdom level enjoyed broadcasting united_kingdom intends migrate vast majority services digital subject targets met coverage listening figures digital radio agreements relation funding decisions related memorandum understanding media sport broadcasters ensemble operators radio listening hours second quarter digital platforms making majority digital radio listening million households claim access radio set experimental standard station bbc started permanent covering london september expansion single frequency network spring bbc national ensemble available population broadcasting act allowed introduction national regional local commercial united_kingdom national ensemble licence advertised applied licence licence awarded broadcast launch renamed companies formed digital ensemble began broadcasting november digital ensemble grown currently available population report puts robust household coverage growth benefits united_kingdom increased launch bbc national ensemble lower prices new radio stations marketing increased radio digital radios sold car radios priced costing released years later digital invested produce new processing chip allow cheaper portable radios produced pure digital award winning evoke series radios broke price barrier increased result increase electrical retailer announced selling radios continues stock sell radios given indication august bbc broadcasters encouraging promoting number features new improve technology sales literature benefit use technology technology broadcasters including bbc able launch exclusive digital radio stations alongside existing radio stations broadcasters state offers better reception problems interference noticeable radio radios come features station lists listeners need receivers scrolling text providing information breaking news travel information latest track information marketed having major advantages radio broadcasting audio compression technology parts audio spectrum heard humans discarded meaning data needs sent air technology allows number channels broadcast frequency opposed channel radio broadcasts national local regional use frequency area cover single frequency network ensemble broadcasting number stations cover area number frequencies required cover area station bbc carried successful tests single frequency network london launching national ensemble criticisms technically provides low audio quality stereo stations bit rate level audio provides poorer sound quality quality assuming good reception bit rate judged provide high quality stereo broadcast signal large growing number music stations bit rates radio stations digital platforms cable terrestrial satellite usually higher audio quality higher example bbc stations use higher bit rates digital platforms apart hand survey undertaken consultation responses citing poor quality found listeners thought good estimates extra spectrum allocated local radio stations unable transmit space local afford high transmission costs operators charging announced regarded option local stations unable secure carriage unable pay high transmission costs addressed simple terms frequency broadcast carrier frequency wave order carry information carrier frequency signal receiver radio information retrieved signals radios different areas areas hear broadcast continuously contrast digital signals finite time digital radio takes different time broadcast signal different radios apart likely hear broadcast twice miss parts depending time signal individual radios interference loss moving broadcast signal receive signal case hear january report daily_mail claimed radios sold support service future people favouring traditional radios reported sales started rise follow fate 1980s january announced fewer radio sets sold christmas previous year group states customer confidence remains high january allowed electrical retailers granted licence signals stores demonstrate radio sets stores united_kingdom consumer charity warned consumers adequate signal store sets replied report stating stores contain steel structure produce cage effect signals blocked recommended consumers check coverage online purchasing radio avoid disappointment november number commercial radio operators refused run advertisement promoting operator stating fundamentally immoral coverage matches commercial radio executives argued bbc pick majority cost expanding network united_kingdom company february chief executive presented new strategy fend takeover bid strategy included closure national stations march disposal digital said platform economically viable growth digital radio come internet radio announcing deal apple stream stations touch iphone day takeover led keeping digital looking stake channel_4 second national commercial defended stating showing signs growth attractive consumers broadcasters bbc issued joint statement february stating commitment october channel announced pull consortium launch services second national axe digital radio services pure channel chief executive admitted ending channel_4 foray digital radio cost corporation million frequency plan radio stations united_kingdom broadcast number frequency blocks original plan devised framework europe frequency blocks broadcasting expanded frequency advertised local national ensemble licence blocks outside original plan reserved launch local additional blocks opened small scale trials months plan band local terrestrial plans broadcast digital radio stations band auctioned spectrum band number uses including terrestrial digital radio declared won auction band frequencies bbc national ensemble broadcasts frequency block united_kingdom coverage currently owned operated bbc transmitted number sites country bbc national carries bbc national radio stations local bbc radio stations carried relevant local ensemble commercial operating commercial number commercial operators run local regional united_kingdom operators include national operators digital local operators including digital local regional cover ruled transition future decision backed radio industry media sport chief executive mirrored calls radio industry experts adopt interview website stated red herring introduced future growing number digital radio sets currently sold future access stations cited greater expense broadcasters overall satisfaction current audio quality stations benefit small number reasons independent radio analyst stated economic decision adopt industry consumers led channel_4 originally awarded licence operate new national planned launch service format despite opposition aired government introduction united_kingdom industry experts began testing ensemble january period month media sport published minimum specifications digital radio receivers february states receiver sold capable stream capacity units march bbc announced undertake trial later year september began month trial ensemble early new stations launched services portsmouth trial operators second national sound digital launched time broadcasting services february stations portsmouth trial manchester trial liverpool local plus sound digital network digital terrestrial television digital radio digital terrestrial platform started october launch bbc digital radio services bbc existing stations stations broadcast bbc day radio owned launched radio stations kiss commercial radio stations launched jazz bbc later launched bbc_radio_1 radio february channels later moved october currently digital terrestrial platform seven radio stations broadcasting broadcasters including bbc digital satellite radio unlike north_america commercial satellite radio service north american service provided company called radio stations broadcasting aimed home users satellites television broadcast usually use series satellites east satellite east radio stations broadcast free air sky platforms set box platform bbc national regional digital radio stations bbc london launch planning subscription based digital radio satellite service upper frequencies band beat securing band frequencies auction process digital cable television number digital radio stations broadcast digital cable platforms including internet radio united_kingdom radio stations stream stations online including radio stations hospital radio stations stations solely broadcast online figures taken april showed million people listened radio online million people listening week listening media player computer number british firms including pure digital brought internet radio devices use signal stream internet radio stations range apple deal february stations broadcast iphone touch devices recently dedicated tablet computer applications published radio stations party companies smart applications allow radio stations listened announced charge additional royalty fees internet radio stations broadcast outside radio stations stream online including implemented blocking prevent listeners outside listening radio stations avoided increased fees march article reported negotiating royalty fees paid internet radio stations result negotiations fees increase bbc commercial radio operators industry body launched unified end player radio station internet streams personal computers named player replaced listen windows radio station websites added listen capabilities individual shows station supported confused considered introduction britain present medium wave band tests radio european broadcasting united_kingdom performed premier classic rock asian sound started broadcasting radio hours day europe suffolk norway england wales bbc undertook trial digital radio technology allowed explore digital radio medium wave frequencies trial broadcast new technology plymouth area april closed october bbc released report trial devon report gave number conclusions trial sound quality trial better quality good average quality daytime coverage trial extended discontinued service night time service expected smaller daytime coverage characteristics medium wave broadcasting cause problems interference trial bbc stated interference avoided redesign transmission network single frequency network possible significantly robust carried technical trial ensemble trial assessed reception qualities technologies urban rural areas mobile television radio services delivered currently ongoing experimental broadcast london cambridge video audio data applications switch january government interim report digital communication future lord carter suggestion future direction digital radio united_kingdom report stated following conditions met migration begin digital radio listening figures hit coverage matches report stated achieved report mentioned government work bbc meet coverage target original published specified threshold listening figures based subsequently incorporate listening digital platform easier meet criteria main driver proposed switch transmission system intense lobbying commercial radio sector save costs carter suggested report manufacturers devices pick radio signals ensure ready forthcoming migration report indicates plans create major investors plan ensure smooth transition consumers advise digital radio migration september integrated organisation purpose digital radio june final report concluded national local services currently broadcast place chosen digital economy act requirement stating united_kingdom prepare digital aid transition digital radio started june people trade old radio new digital radio participating retailers sets sent southern africa november reported ministers considering delaying earliest publish official plans increasing reception places date july media sport created memorandum understanding bbc commercial radio broadcasters ensemble operators future direction digital radio phase plan decision government creates phases scenarios drawn suggest begin step staged regions united_kingdom application licensing united_kingdom media communications formation provides licenses digital radio services united_kingdom application licensing procedures awards licenses digital radio services differently depending type service platform new digital radio subject open competition highest ensemble licence awards awarded years digital television services individual stations apply digital cable satellite licence broadcast aforementioned platforms apply digital terrestrial licence broadcast digital terrestrial television broadcasters need contact ensemble operator local national ensemble digital terrestrial broadcast region subject fee ensemble operator radio stations need secure capacity operator satellite broadcast platform broadcaster secure slot allowing viewers navigate channel set boxes provided request slot months advance procedure applies secure slot platform stations need contact ltd instead broadcasters need contact cable supplier carriage stations broadcast legally hold music copyright licence music mechanical copyright protection society order royalties paid musicians main bodies represent national ensemble march advertised time planned national ensemble broadcast national commercial services included ensemble classic licence awarded sole broadcast form digital original licence application included following stations closure original licence amended allow launch new classic contemporary jazz service launched december december deadline set licence amendment april acquired owner digital sold stake ensemble making sole owner operator ensemble july digital extended broadcasts northern_ireland previously frequency allocated northern_ireland allocated local commercial ensemble block available digital television united_kingdom local subsequently continue award regional ensemble number radio groups advertising starting licence awards awarded birmingham ensemble local licence issued birmingham ensemble licence award followed awards manchester glasgow south yorkshire awarded october announced locations ensemble local ensemble currently offer coverage blocks available band iii replaced york proposed licence area licence covers merged cover surrey areas covered follows digital economy act gained law april reorganised merged result local waited act commence june report planning coverage frequencies final publication government going ahead announcements launch additional local regional regional licence cover greater area land compared local ensemble awarded october areas awarded classed regional include march recommendation government radio report regional expand nationwide service fill gap pulling second national ensemble cited regions second national ensemble mid southern lincolnshire london northern_ireland scotland wales west south west england yorkshire september announced close july september shareholders decided renew stated released frequencies closed regional reused local coverage roll second national ensemble licence advertisement announced advertising second national digital ensemble result threatened court told national ensemble court action dropped assured stations second ensemble compete existing stations digital ensemble december advertised licence second national digital ensemble launch new digital radio services frequency block applications needed submitted march march announced received applications second national digital ensemble radio channels applications follows july awarded licence second national ensemble required launch services year licence award october pulled plans digital radio including launch second held talks remaining shareholders willing continue launch march recommended government second national ensemble formed existing regional second licence advertisement july advertised second national ensemble licence frequency interested parties submit applications october deadline extended january january announced applied licence run second national ensemble run primarily run march announced winning list proposed radio stations submitted follows experimentation brighton experimental ensemble advertised small scale broadcast united_kingdom month trial period trials test viability free open source software low cost equipment broadcast single single frequency network channel allow smaller radio stations broadcast cost effectively currently possible local organisation represents interests digital radio industry including bbc commercial radio companies transmission network operator organisation promotes use united_kingdom ensure deadline digital migration met formed absorbed plans promote website consumers print radio advertising official sites digital radio channels satellites national regional sites operators website digital website website digital website website small scale sites operators digital website internet radio internet radio station database sites known main site list services currently including radio digital radio news information trial
Digital radio in the United Kingdom