Spain

Last update: 01.12.2025 - older versions

On 2 October 2025, the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure published, for public consultation, the text of the draft royal decree promoting digital terrestrial radio in Spain using DAB+ technology.

Read the press release

For national broadcasts, the draft legislation stipulates that the transition to this technology must be mandatory and synchronised. RTVE will be allocated an exclusive block of frequencies, which will enable it to increase its content offering capacity. It will also have greater coverage obligations and must reach 85% of the population within 24 months. Private licensees will be integrated into another block, where current coverage obligations will remain in place.

For regional and local channels, a two-phase transition to DAB+ is proposed. In the first phase, any broadcaster may transition to DAB+ at any time and independently, provided that this does not affect other operators or channel planning. In the second phase, the autonomous community will decide on the date on which, on a mandatory and synchronised basis, regional and local network broadcasts in its community will be carried out exclusively using DAB+ technology.

The hearing was open until 4 November 2025: Public consultation

On 26 November, Spain's National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) issued its report on the Draft Royal Decree. The CNMC welcomed that the new plan provides for the transition to DAB+ technology and guarantees the continuity of all existing licences. It makes a series of recommendations to strengthen the effectiveness of the roll-out and ensure that the transition to digital radio is carried out with full guarantees.

RTVE to end medium wave, reinforces commitment to DAB+

In November 2025, RTVE announced the end of medium wave broadcasting. The public broadcaster said "Radio Nacional de España will play a leading role in the rollout of DAB+ digital radio in Spain. This step forward in the evolution of radio broadcasting in our country marks the end of RNE's medium wave broadcasts, after having been part of the radio service provided to citizens since its inception in 1937. The roll-out of DAB+ represents a milestone in the modernisation of Spanish public radio service provision and also responds to the need to adapt to the reality of European technological progress, where most countries are moving towards the digitisation of their radio broadcasting networks."

Radio Nacional de España begins DAB+ broadcasts

Coinciding with the celebration of World Radio Day and the centenary year of radio in Spain, Radio Nacional de España has started digital radio broadcasts in DAB+ together with Cellnex Telecom on 13 February 2024, with the firm intention of deploying this digital radio standard in our country, which is set to replace FM in the long term.

You can listen to the following broadcasts on DAB+:

- Radio Nacional and Radio 5 in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Murcia and Bilbao.

- Radio 3 in Valencia, Seville, Murcia and Bilbao.

These broadcasts are in addition to the existing DAB broadcasts of Radio Nacional, Radio Clásica, Radio 3, Radio 5 and Radio Exterior in Madrid and Barcelona.

On a monthly basis, RNE's offer on DAB+ and the coverage of the service will be progressively increased, starting broadcasts in other Spanish cities.

On 19 March 2024, Radio Nacional, Radio 3 and Radio 5 launched on DAB+ in the metropolitan area of Santiago de Compostela. On 18 April 2024, DAB+ broadcasts launched in Pamplona; on 17 May 2024, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife; on 18 June 2024, in Mijas, covering Málaga, Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Fuengirola; and on 18 July 2024, broadcasts started in Mallorca, from Cellnex Telecom's broadcasting centre in Alfàbia. 

Once deployed throughout Spain, DAB+ will allow Radio Televisión Española to provide the public radio broadcasting service in the terms currently entrusted to it by law, providing maximum geographical and social coverage, with the best quality and additional services specific to DAB+ and with free-to-air broadcasts and free reception.

Regional DAB+

In January 2020, the regional government in Navarra advertised capacity for six DAB services on a future ensemble for the region, designated FU-Nav. Simultaneously, the regional government advertised a total of 72 DAB licences across 12 ensembles, each of which will have local coverage.

In Mallorca, a multiplex licensed by the Autonomous Government of the Balearic Islands began broadcasting in February 2024, broadcasting four stations from the Serra de Alfabia.  

In July 2024, The Govern de les Illes Balears will implement, through DAB+ technology, IB3's digital radio in the first quarter of 2025. The Balearic Islands becomes the first Autonomous Community in which all three radio coverage (local, regional and national) will be offered in DAB+.