Over the years, France has experimented with all formats in the Eureka 147 family, DAB, DAB+ and DMB, comparing the benefits all parts of the standard offer.

At the end of 2007, France's regulator, the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA) announced that the official standard for digital radio in France would be DMB-A, to be marketed as Radio Numérique Terrestre (RNT).   (It is worth noting that DMB-A differs from the DMB in use in Korea because the audio codecs are different.)

In March 2008, the CSA published a call for tenders for terrestrial digital radio licences.  It received an enthusiastic response with approximately 300 plus applications and in 2009 the licences were allocated in three main towns: Paris, Marseille-Aix and Nice-Cannes. Following this in January 2009 a law was passed setting out a three step programme of integration of digital radio into all receivers including those in cars. It stated that on the 1st September 2013 all radio receivers must be digital enabled, including those in cars.

Roll out of France’s proposed digital terrestrial radio system, which was scheduled to start in December 2009, was postponed. The move comes amid opposition from several sources - including private radio operators arguing that the cost would be prohibitive and the expected financial returns insufficient. For that reason, the CSA asked the French government to express a strong commitment to digitalization of radio in the country.

To answer this request from the CSA, the Prime Minister requested a further report to be written on the status of digital radio and the views of the different players within the industry. This report was written by David Kessler, former chief executive of Radio France.

Mr Kessler submitted a 22-page interim report on the planned launch of digital terrestrial radio in France to the government on 23 October 2010. This is the third such report on the topic that the government has commissioned in the last year the others coming from Mr Marc Tessier and Mr Hamlin. Mr Kessler’s interim report summarized the existing position of the main players in France (public radio, commercial radio networks, local stations, etc.), but it also outlined some wider market issues.

The final Kessler report was published in mid 2011 it suggests that the conditions have not been met for the full scale deployment of digital radio in France and suggested a moratorium on launching. During this moratorium,  2-3 years, the French market will look at the deployment of digital radio in the rest of Europe. Also, CSA and the whole radio industry will look at possible business models and all digital radio technologies. In the report it also states that the Government approves of the CSA's decision to allow further trials to continue.

The CSA is now responsible for taking the findings of the Kessler report forward and in order to do this has set up a 'Observatory' which includes all of the industry players.

The publication of the Kessler report means the market can now move forward after a period of stagnation and to this end various trial are either on-air (RNT Lyon) or planned a positive step towards digital radio.

The full English version of the Kessler report is available to WorldDMB members.

In January 2012 it was reported by the French newspaper 'Les Echos' that the CSA has requested that the Ministry of Industry include DAB+ in the technical standard for France.

The network operator (TDF) produced comprehensive coverage plans in 2009 ready for the start of national and regional services. One of the benefits of digital to French listeners as pointed out by the CSA is that it will allow greater coverage and more stations in many areas. This is important to the CSA and to Radio France who have a remit to provide the best service including coverage to the widest audience possible.

In Lyon the RNT Lyon project has two multiplexes covering 85% of the population and some of the major highways. Details of coverage and coverage maps can be obtained from the project leaders, VDL.

In this country there are

• Regional multiplexes: 2 Trial

Although the market has not yet launched French consumers have already shown that there is a demand for new radio receiver products. Digital radio receivers capable of receiving DAB, DAB+ and DMB audio have already been launch in the market and are selling in some of the major retailers (FNAC, DARTY, Boulanger, Auchan).

PURE digital leads the way in the market with the following models available: PURE Sensia, PURE Chorons iDock, PURE Evoke 1S, PURE Siesta Mi, PURE One Mini, PURE One Classic. For more information on PURE products available in France please visit - www.pure.com/fr

Other manufacturers with products in or planned for the market are REVO, Tivoli, Dual, Philips, Roberts and Sony.

For more information on products available in stores in Lyon go to www.rntlyon.fr

After the findings of the Kessler report France will now run further trials of the DAB family of standards. Trials currently on-air in the market include:

RNT Lyon - A nine month consumer trial being held in the Lyon area with 15 commercial broadcasters on two multiplexes covering 85% of the population. This trial started in April 2011 and will be complete by December 2011. With a focus on consumers the trial leader VDL, a French network operator, is raising awareness of digital radio through press conferences, a consumer website (www.rntlyon.fr), in-store promotions, public events, social networking and on-air marketing/promotional campaigns. In December 2011 it was announced that new stations would join this trial including:  ADO, Antinea Radio, Beur FM, Crooner, Euronews, Just Hit, Generations, La Radio Plus, Prestige FM, Radio Festival, Radio Public Santé, SNCF La radio and Urban Hit. Joining these stations will be new local stations: Radio Vinci Autoroutes Sud and Phare FM.

RNT Marseille trial - In November 2011 a further trial was planned for the Marseille area. This trial supported was co-ordinated by RAJE and supported by the network operator TDF. It includes 10 new digital stations for the Marseille. For more information on this trial go to www.rntmarseille.fr

RENUTER - A trial by the car industry into the consumer needs from the TPEG traffic and travel services.

The local broadcasters supported by the SIRTI organisation have requested funding for the start of digital radio in regions highlighted for the start of digital radio. Further information on this is due from the CSA in 2012.

The current work of the CSA could have an affect on the previous regulation released in 2009 to launch digital radio. At this time the current regulation stands;

Digital radio licences will be issued in France with a duration of 10 to 15 years and any broadcasters going digital will get a five year extension of their analogue licences. Simulcasting, associated data and audiovisual communication services will be permitted. Analogue and digital licences are both issued free of charge. There is a quota for French music and new artists and the current analogue rules which govern advertising and sponsorship will apply to digital radio.

The French Law on digital radio released in March 2009 can be found in the Useful Links section (French version).

Currently in France there is a lack of FM spectrum which means the French radio market has little opportunity to expand. The French market in line with the GE-06 has allocated Band III for digital radio. There has been some discussion into using the L-Band for coverage of motorways although this has not been confirmed.