Select Country:

France

Last update: 22.09.2023 - older versions

DAB+ : a structural choice for the radio industry

Launched in 2014 in Paris, Nice and Marseille, DAB+ is now seen as critical to contribute to the future of radio and to address the saturation of FM. It is a means to preserve diversity and plurality. As DAB+ is reaching a turning point, the regulator, Arcom, is launching in 2023 a consultation with the radio industry which will include the switchover from FM to DAB+ both in the metropolitan area and overseas. The economics of radio are a key element of the expected white paper, as well as the potential acceleration of the deployment.

Deployment of DAB+

On 12 October 2021, France launched two new national multiplexes broadcasting 26 DAB+ stations, including national services from Radio France, leading private broadcasters and four new national services. The new multiplexes are broadcast along the major motorway corridors of Paris-Lyon-Marseille. The 26 services include four new DAB+ only stations and 22 stations that are also broadcast in FM. Extension to more main roads and highly populated areas is planned for the end of 2023. These 26 radios are in addition to the hundreds of radio stations already available regionally and locally on DAB+

The CSA rollout plan, the so-called "nodes and arcs strategy" described in 2017, which also includes continued regional and local rollouts alongside the launch of national services, was updated in 2021.

Arcom says that "In total, it is expected that 17 multiplexes, extended or local, will have started broadcasting during the summer of 2023. At the end of these start-ups, the coverage of the metropolitan population by DAB+ will exceed 50%."

French DAB+ Broadcast Networks Factsheet

A new factsheet on DAB+ digital radio in France has been produced for automotive manufacturers, as the country achieves over 50% DAB+ population coverage.

The factsheet from WorldDAB - the global industry forum for DAB digital radio - was produced as part of the work of its Automotive Working Group, in partnership with network operator TDF, and RadioDNS which promotes hybrid radio.

France DAB+ Broadcast Networks

Receiver legislation

Older pieces of legislation in France related to DAB+ in cars have been superseded by the transposition in November 2020 of the EECC into French legislation. This law passed the last stage and was made official in December 2020, with the transposition of the EECC into French law officially published on 28 May 2021. Domestic receivers, for which the reception function of radio services broadcast is not purely incidental, and have an alphanumeric screen, must be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio. Discussions are ongoing to make DAB+ mandatory in all receivers.

Last update: 22.09.2023 - older versions

DAB+ digital terrestrial radio continues to roll out across France. With its arrival in towns such as Bayonne, Besançon, Brest, Clermont-Ferrand, Metz, Nancy and Pau, this summer DAB+ passed the symbolic milestone of covering 50% of the French population. A trial has also been underway in Martinique since January. With the continued roll-out of national antennas between October 2023 and March 2024, more than 60% of the population will be covered by DAB+ by early 2024.

In December 2021, the French media regulator CSA, published an updated DAB+ roadmap highlighting DAB+ developments plans for the 2022-2024 period.

According to the new roadmap, calls for applications will be launched for 50 local allotments in that period of time – these primarily concerned the cities of Dijon, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes, Caen, Nancy, Paris, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Poitiers and Toulouse. An overseas trial has also been licensed in Martinique.

Last update: 22.09.2023 - older versions

In this country there are

on air.

French DAB+ Broadcast Networks Factsheet

A new factsheet on DAB+ digital radio in France has been produced for automotive manufacturers, as the country achieves over 50% DAB+ population coverage.

France DAB+ Broadcast Networks

Please note:

(a) These web pages are updated regularly to reflect current services on air, however they may not be exactly up to date.

(b) The logos shown on these pages are for illustrative purposes only – manufacturers and broadcasters are directed here for information on implementing station logos.

An interactive map showing all services currently on air in France, as well as those licensed to go on air, can be found at: Ma radio DAB Plus - CSA - Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel.

	Simulcast on AM / FM	Exclusive on digital	Total of services
DAB+ programmes	358	102	460

Last update: 16.02.2022 - older versions

In France, as of H2 2021, 90% of new cars sold are equipped with DAB+ as standard (Source: JATO Dynamics 2022).

Last update: 05.02.2021 - older versions

Receiver legislation

In December 2018 DAB+ coverage reached 21.3% of the French population, which triggered a law requiring that all radio receivers (including in-car) sold in France be compatible with the broadcasting standards (ie DAB+). This 2018 law was amended in June 2020 to align with the EECC deadline of 20 December 2020.

In November 2020, the French parliament voted in favour of a law to transpose the EECC into French legislation. This law passed the last stage and was made official in December 2020, enabling the government to take a final decree which is expected by early 2021. The decree will confirm that new passenger cars in France will be required to include digital terrestrial radio from 20 December 2020, in line with the EECC. Additional obligations regarding consumer receivers have yet to be agreed and may also be included in that decree enacting the EECC.

More detailed information is in the WorldDAB EECC Factsheet.

Last update: 02.10.2018 - older versions

40,000 households in eastern Paris can now receive DAB as part of a test by Towercast. Radio France is broadcasting their portfolio of radio stations on that trial.

There is one trial local multiplex in East Paris and one trial local multiplex on air in Rambouillet. One of the 5 DAB+ stations on air in Rambouillet are available exclusively via DAB+ digital radio (not on FM).

Several stations offer Slideshow services (SLS).

Last update: 13.06.2022 - older versions

The Regulator (ARCOM - previously CSA) refers to a “Nodes and Arcs” phase of DAB+ rollout bringing DAB+ coverage to the 50 largest cities and to the highways connecting them. The target completion date is end of 2022. Then the so-called “Percolation Phase” will cover the lower density regions.

Four calls for applications are expected by end of 2023 to reach 50 smaller cities and their surrounding areas. From the point of view of enhancing the digital radio experience for consumers, the CSA initiated a forum with French broadcasters to discuss the DAB+ user experience.

DAB+ regulation in France is outlined on the French Media regulator's website here.

The 2021 annual report of the CSA / ARCOM which includes substantial information about the deployment of DAB+ in France is available to download here.

Last update: 05.02.2021 - older versions

DABplus.fr

The website DABplus.fr was set up to summarise the deployment of DAB+ in France. It is paid by and for stakeholders of DAB+ in France. www.DABplus.fr

Consumer Marketing

French broadcasters are developing a marketing strategy in preparation for the national launch of DAB+. The work involves collaboration between all broadcaster groups - Radio France, the large private broadcasters as well as independent radios.

Delta FM and Delta+ extend their coverage areas

29.02.2024 - France

Delta Média, publisher of the Delta FM and Delta+ radio stations, is continuing its terrestrial development by adding a new transmission site to its DAB+ network. DAB+ is FM radio made even better! With HD quality, you can receive more programmes free of charge and enjoy better territorial coverage. Delta Média was a pioneer in DAB+, offering its programmes in HD in Dunkirk, Calais and Lille from 2018. This was followed by Boulogne in 2021 and St Omer in 2023. Now, towns in the Berck, Montreuil and Le Touquet area can receive our two stations on radios and car radios equipped with the DAB+ standard.

(Delta Média) Read more

Everything you need to know about DAB in a free ebook

26.02.2024 -

- France

With DAB+ set to cover 60% of the population of mainland France in the coming weeks, and other French-speaking countries around the world showing significant interest in DAB+, WorldDAB is publishing its first digital book in French: "Mise en place du DAB+ - la radiodiffusion numérique". This 118-page publication, which can be downloaded free of charge from the WorldDAB website, is a French translation of the highly acclaimed ebook "Establishing DAB+ Digital Broadcast Radio", which is an exclusive and comprehensive guide to the regulatory, technical and commercial aspects of successfully setting up a DAB+ digital radio service.

(La Lettre Pro de la Radio) Read more

Maison FG claims 115 DAB+ frequencies

22.02.2024 - France

On 22 February, Maison FG celebrates its 115th DAB+ frequency with the launch of Radio FG in Dinan, Brittany. Maison FG is thus continuing to develop its DAB+ network in France, with its radio bouquet of 4 programmes in DAB+. In addition to its network of 35 FM frequencies, Radio FG, a national network present in 108 towns, is also developing FG Chic "the lounge and nu disco radio" present in Paris, Monaco, Nice and Côte d'Azur, Maxximum "the new music radio", broadcast in Paris IDF and DanceOne which is broadcast in Paris and Île-de-France as well as in Marseille, Nice and Cannes, Bordeaux and on the Bassin d'Arcachon. "DAB+ makes it possible to listen to digital terrestrial radio stations free of charge in digital quality," says Antoine Baduel.

(La Lettre Pro de la Radio) Read more

Le Bon Mix announces expansion in Switzerland on DAB+

22.02.2024 - digris AG WorldDAB Member - France - Switzerland

As part of a drive to broaden its horizons, Toulouse-based radio station Le Bon Mix, whose chairman is Pierre Denjean from Cadur, is announcing its expansion into Switzerland via DAB+ broadcasting in the cities of Geneva and Neuchâtel, covering an area of more than 1.3 million inhabitants. "The introduction of DAB+ in Switzerland is an important step for Le Bon Mix, but we're keeping a close eye on the reactions of our new audience and are ready to adapt," said Denjean. Broadcasting is entrusted to the Swiss company DIGRIS via two transmitters in Yverdon/Neuchâtel and two transmitters to cover Geneva, with outdoor listening possible as far as Annecy, as well as in the Arve Valley as far as Chamonix.

(Medialot) Read more

100 new DAB+ transmitters across France

14.02.2024 - France

Throughout 2023, network operator TDF worked to deploy 100 new DAB+ transmitters at 70 sties across mainland France. Through this effort, more than 55% of French citizens have access to DAB+ digital radio signals and more than 550 radio stations broadcast using the technology in the country. “2023 marks an essential milestone for DAB+, with more than one in two French people now able to listen to the radio thanks to this technology,” stated Karim El Naggar, General Director of Audiovisual and Networks at TDF. “I congratulate … the TDF teams, who, through their expertise and professionalism, enabled the deployment of a very large number of transmitters in a very short time.”

(Radio World) Read more

Several international organisations are calling for radio to remain accessible to all

13.02.2024 -

- France

In an appeal published on Tuesday 13 February, some 15 international organisations representing the media and manufacturers are calling for radio to remain "accessible to as many people as possible", with the emphasis on the car, where it must be "unmissable". Radio is "a compass in a changing world", say the signatories on World Radio Day. They include the European Broadcasting Union, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, WorldDAB (promoting digital radio), an association of manufacturers and broadcasters, and UNESCO. They all say they are "firmly convinced that radio must remain accessible to as many people as possible, wherever and however they receive it", through "terrestrial broadcasting networks, which are still necessary for the majority of listeners in the world", and "online access, which is just as democratic and open".

(RFI) Read more

Roch-Olivier Maistre at the Paris Radio Show: "More than ever, radio needs to pull together"

07.02.2024 - France

We reproduce in full the opening speech given by Roch-Olivier Maistre, Chairman of Arcom, on Tuesday morning at 11am at La Bellevilloise in Paris on the first day of the Paris Radio Show. "Another technological innovation is opening up new prospects for the sector we share: I'm talking, of course, about the roll-out of digital terrestrial radio, or DAB+. We all know the advantages of DAB+: improved listening comfort, a revitalised radio landscape (since radio is a supply medium), a lower environmental impact than FM or Internet listening, and no risk of disintermediation for the players."

(La Lettre Pro de la Radio) Read more

Roch-Olivier Maistre opens Paris Radio Show 2024

07.02.2024 - France

"Another technological innovation is opening up new prospects for the sector we share: I'm talking, of course, about the roll-out of digital terrestrial radio, or DAB+. No fewer than 555 services have been authorised, and more than 60% of the population of mainland France should be covered by this broadcasting standard by the end of March. The increase in coverage is accompanied by a growing awareness of DAB+, including among public authorities, thanks to the work of the promotional association and an active communications campaign. We can finally hear people talking about DAB+ on social networks, in the corridors of the Paris metro and in several major French cities! We should be delighted about this and continue our collective efforts to go further, faster and stronger with the general public and opinion leaders, including distributors and equipment manufacturers."

(Arcom) Read more

Crooner Radio is betting on DAB+ more than ever

07.02.2024 - France

Building on its image and its lead, Crooner Radio is now attracting its first audiences, which are being snapped up by advertisers and partners such as Aston Martin and Live Nation. It is also developing its podcast production activity, digital radio and the implementation of a "new economy for the radio medium". On Tuesday 6 February, the Crooner Radio team, led by Jean-Baptiste Tuzet, was at the Paris Radio Show at La Bellevilloise "to present its reinvention of radio advertising". Crooner Radio, which now has DAB+ coverage in France's biggest cities, is delighted with this positive impetus from major players in favour of digital radio.

(La Lettre Pro de la Radio) Read more

Digital terrestrial radio: working together for DAB+

31.01.2024 - France

To help as many people as possible discover the advantages of DAB+ technology, the "Ensemble pour le DAB+" association, with the support of the French Ministry of Culture, is launching a major national communications campaign from 29 January 2024. Digital terrestrial radio or "DAB+" is gradually being rolled out across France. Every year, new transmitters are brought into service to provide ever finer coverage of the country. By March 2024, 26 national radio stations will be available to over 60% of the French population. In total, more than 550 radio stations are already broadcasting on DAB+.

(Arcom) Read more

Select Country:

Key Information

Status:	regular
Population:	65.2 million
Population coverage:	54.8%
Services:	460 DAB+
Line-fit automotive sales (cumulative):	6,346,000 devices
New cars with DAB/DAB+ as standard:	98%
Total Sales (cumulative):	8,394,000 devices
Penetration by household:	13.7%
Last update: 26.02.2024