News

Italian broadcaster Radio Rai can now be received on DAB+ on major Italian highways, after five new multiplexes were switched on on Tuesday. DAB+ services are now available on the highways connecting Bologna and the northern town of Brenner (bordering Austria), as well as improvements in the coverage between Verona and Vincenza, Milan and Como, and on the A5 route between Turin and Mont Blanc on the French border.

Standard features include a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with satellite navigation and DAB+ digital radio, 17-inch alloy wheels, single-zone climate control air-conditioning, automatic headlights and wipers, a rear-view camera with rear parking sensors, along with Bluetooth phone and audio streaming.

Arqiva has announced its FY18 financial results, and has confirmed its work in rolling out DAB services in the UK, with revenue in the terrestrial broadcast business grew 8.6% to £487.5m from £449.0m last year, driven by increases in its DAB rollout programme. “Whether through spectrum clearance, smart-metering, DAB radio or digital television, Arqiva continues to underpin the country’s most popular digital services," Arqiva chief executive Simon Beresford-Wylie said.

JLR’s Classic parts and accessories catalogue has introduced an infotainment system to bring an authentic-looking, classically-styled, head unit to its vintage vehicles in use today. The single DIN-sized Classic Infotainment System units incorporate customisable satellite navigation in up to 32 languages, smartphone integration, Bluetooth connectivity and dual DAB/DAB+ digital radio.

WorldDAB Vice President and Digital Radio NL director Jacqueline Bierhorst will speak on digital radio development across Europe at Digital Radio UK's Drive to Digital event on Tuesday 25 September in London, after the final programme for the event was confirmed on Monday.

Representatives of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine (NRADA) attended the recent IFA Berlin event to discuss best practice and experience of introducing and implementing DAB+ digital radio. The council's executive secretary Oleksandr Iliashenko and member Serhii Kostynskyi had a meeting with WorldDAB to discuss the the impending DAB+ service launch in Kyiv, with 14 stations confirmed to broadcast digital radio.

The LPR Hessen Assembly has allowed the distribution of three radio programmes via DAB+. The approval authorises the use of the multiplexes in Rhein-Main / Südhessen and in Northern Hesse to enable radio B2 to broadcast via DAB+. The two non-commercial local radio stations "Freies Radio Kassel" and "Rundfunk Meißner" can also distribute their programmes permanently on DAB+.

A DAB+ workshop held in Kuala Lumpur in July saw a diverse mix of countries working together to take the next steps in establishing DAB+ digital radio. Led by Dr Les Sabel of the WorldDAB Technical Committee, and jointly organised alongside the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) and Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcast Development (AIBD), the five-day workshop covered a wide range of topics aimed at the benefits of transitioning to DAB+ digital radio and the technical requirements for each market to successfully adopt digital radio.

In Germany in 2018, 18.1% of the population has access to at least one DAB+ receiver, with two million sold in the last 12 months (including 700,000 original equipment radios, 4.4 million equipped vehicles). This results in 40% of new vehicles that are now equipped as standard DAB+.

German-speaking Swiss station Radio Südostschweiz has expanded its DAB+ reception area to the canton of Graubünden and the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino.