United Kingdom - Current situation - History

07.04.2020
Implementation of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) 

The UK government has published a consultation which sets out the Government’s proposed approach to implementation of the European Electronic Communications Code Directive and seeks stakeholders’ views - read more here. The consultation document states: 

“There are a number of elements in the EECC on which we are not seeking views. As an example, this includes Article 113, which requires Member States to mandate the installation of digital radio connectivity in all new car vehicles. We will implement this requirement as part of the transposition of the EECC. In the longer term, we will consider extending this requirement to commercial vehicles and to mandate for the installation of digital connectivity in all domestic radios” this means they will be considered in the Review".

Ofcom Digital Radio Reports

Ofcom has published the eighth annual Digital Radio Report on the progress of digital radio in the UK. The report provides an update on availability, take-up, listening patterns, and attitudes to digital radio, as originally requested by Government in 2010 as part of the Digital Radio Action Plan.

In the report, Ofcom highlights that there are now 337 services on DAB in the UK, and released the report on Twitter under the headline ‘digital radio continues to grow in popularity in the UK’. The full report can be read here.

Ofcom digital radio reports

Digital Radio Switchover

The UK radio industry is committed to a digital future for radio and is working towards a Digital Radio Switchover. 

Government criteria for setting a date for digital radio switchover are:

  • Digital listening share to reach 50% of all listening hours (criteria met Q1 2018)
  • When local commercial and national DAB coverage reaches FM equivalence (criteria met)

The DCMS Digital Radio Action Plan has now been completed.  Details can be found on the U.K Government website. 

 

Small-scale DAB

In April 2020, Ofcom announced that  they would keep the uptake of small-scale radio multiplex licences under review, and would then consider whether to advertise additional local radio multiplexes, where there is demand. For all small-scale multiplex licences advertised, a 40% limit on population of a local multiplex that can be covered by an overlapping small-scale multiplex or by multiplexes with the same licensee, will be applied.

Ofcom will advertise licences for small-scale DAB in eight batches - every six months - with each each Round taking nine months from advertising to awarding the licences.

 

KEY DIGITAL RADIO FACTS AND FIGURES:

  • Digital listening share has increased by 11% to a new record of 58.5%, up from 52.6% inQ4 2018,  while overall digital listening grew by 43.4 million hours or 8% year on year
  • Digital listening in the UK has increased by 11% to a new record of 58.5%, up from 52.6% in Q4 2018 in the latest figures for Q4 2019

KEY DAB FACTS AND FIGURES:

  • Listening via DAB grew by 16.1 million hours (or by 4%) year on year to now account for 41% of all listening and 70% of digital listening (Q4 2019)
  • Digital listening in car reached a new record of 44.5%, growing by 15.4 million hours or 16.4% year on year (Q4 2019)
  • With 95% of new cars now coming with DAB as standard (Source: Q4 2019, CAP/SMMT), the majority of in car growth was to DAB which increased by 14 million hours or 15.6% (Q4 2019)

 

07.02.2020
Implementation of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) 

The UK government has published a consultation which sets out the Government’s proposed approach to implementation of the European Electronic Communications Code Directive and seeks stakeholders’ views - read more here. The consultation document states: 

“There are a number of elements in the EECC on which we are not seeking views. As an example, this includes Article 113, which requires Member States to mandate the installation of digital radio connectivity in all new car vehicles. We will implement this requirement as part of the transposition of the EECC. In the longer term, we will consider extending this requirement to commercial vehicles and to mandate for the installation of digital connectivity in all domestic radios” this means they will be considered in the Review".

Ofcom Digital Radio Reports

Ofcom has published the eighth annual Digital Radio Report on the progress of digital radio in the UK. The report provides an update on availability, take-up, listening patterns, and attitudes to digital radio, as originally requested by Government in 2010 as part of the Digital Radio Action Plan.

In the report, Ofcom highlights that there are now 337 services on DAB in the UK, and released the report on Twitter under the headline ‘digital radio continues to grow in popularity in the UK’. The full report can be read here.

Ofcom digital radio reports

Digital Radio Switchover

The UK radio industry is committed to a digital future for radio and is working towards a Digital Radio Switchover. 

Government criteria for setting a date for digital radio switchover are:

  • Digital listening share to reach 50% of all listening hours (criteria met Q1 2018)
  • When local commercial and national DAB coverage reaches FM equivalence (criteria met)

The DCMS Digital Radio Action Plan has now been completed.  Details can be found on the U.K Government website. 

KEY DIGITAL RADIO FACTS AND FIGURES:

  • Digital listening share has increased by 11% to a new record of 58.5%, up from 52.6% inQ4 2018,  while overall digital listening grew by 43.4 million hours or 8% year on year
  • Digital listening in the UK has increased by 11% to a new record of 58.5%, up from 52.6% in Q4 2018 in the latest figures for Q4 2019

KEY DAB FACTS AND FIGURES:

  • Listening via DAB grew by 16.1 million hours (or by 4%) year on year to now account for 41% of all listening and 70% of digital listening (Q4 2019)
  • Digital listening in car reached a new record of 44.5%, growing by 15.4 million hours or 16.4% year on year (Q4 2019)
  • With 95% of new cars now coming with DAB as standard (Source: Q4 2019, CAP/SMMT), the majority of in car growth was to DAB which increased by 14 million hours or 15.6% (Q4 2019)

 

22.01.2020
Implementation of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) 

The UK government has published a consultation which sets out the Government’s proposed approach to implementation of the European Electronic Communications Code Directive and seeks stakeholders’ views - read more here. The consultation document states: 

“There are a number of elements in the EECC on which we are not seeking views. As an example, this includes Article 113, which requires Member States to mandate the installation of digital radio connectivity in all new car vehicles. We will implement this requirement as part of the transposition of the EECC. In the longer term, we will consider extending this requirement to commercial vehicles and to mandate for the installation of digital connectivity in all domestic radios” this means they will be considered in the Review".

Ofcom Digital Radio Reports

Ofcom has published the eighth annual Digital Radio Report on the progress of digital radio in the UK. The report provides an update on availability, take-up, listening patterns, and attitudes to digital radio, as originally requested by Government in 2010 as part of the Digital Radio Action Plan.

In the report, Ofcom highlights that there are now 337 services on DAB in the UK, and released the report on Twitter under the headline ‘digital radio continues to grow in popularity in the UK’. The full report can be read here.

Ofcom digital radio reports

Digital Radio Switchover

The UK radio industry is committed to a digital future for radio and is working towards a Digital Radio Switchover. 

Government criteria for setting a date for digital radio switchover are:

  • Digital listening share to reach 50% of all listening hours (criteria met Q1 2018)
  • When local commercial and national DAB coverage reaches FM equivalence (criteria met)

The DCMS Digital Radio Action Plan has now been completed.  Details can be found on the U.K Government website. 

KEY DIGITAL RADIO FACTS AND FIGURES:

  • Digital listening share has increased to 56%, up from 50.2% in Q2 2018, according to RAJAR Q2 2019 data released in August 2019 (Q2 2019).
  • Across all platforms digital listening grew by 58.9 million hours or 11.6% year on year (Q2 2019).

KEY DAB FACTS AND FIGURES:

  • DAB digital radio accounts for 38.6% of all listening, and 69% of digital listening, growing by 6.5% year on year (Q2 2019).
  • In-car digital listening grew 17.1 million hours or by 20% year on year and reached a new record share of 41.8% (Q2 2019).
  • The CAP/SMMT data for Q4 2018 shows that 93.1% of new cars came with DAB as standard in Q4, up from 91.4% in Q3 and 88.8% in Q4 2017.