Singapore - Current situation - History

01.09.2007

SmartRadio, the digital radio service from MediaCorp Radio Singapore, was launched on 19th November 1999 and was the first commercial digital radio service in Asia. Since 1999, MediaCorp Radio has also collaborated with a number of third parties to undertake technical development work on data applications to add to the radio services. In March 2007, MediaCorp Radio upgraded its DAB multiplexer which helps enhance the transmission reliability and sound quality. 

Singapore is the first country in the world to introduce subscription digital radio services. Rediffusion Singapore launched seven channels on its DAB service on 17th July 2006 and has since developed a set of DAB receivers encrypted with Conditional Access (CA) for the wireless pay services application, making it the world’s first and only digital DAB conditional access system for the mass market. The technology behind these receivers, which can also receive SmartRadio free-to-air DAB services, is developed entirely in Singapore.