ABU-ASBU-WorldDAB Technical Workshop

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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Moderator

Dr Les Sabel
Chair, WorldDAB APAC Technical Group

Dr Sabel has over 30 years of experience in communications systems, including broadcast digital radio (DAB/DAB+ and DRM), mobile communications, wireless broadband, and satellite communications. A technical expert on DAB+, he provides independent engineering consultancy to WorldDAB, the ITU and broadcasters, regulators, network operators and equipment suppliers in Australia, Southeast Asia and around the globe. The Asia-Pacific Technical Group meets 2-3 times a year and gives guidance on the technical aspects of implementing DAB+ digital radio, with help and advice that is tailored specifically to the needs of the APAC region.

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Jacqueline Bierhorst
President, WorldDAB, and Project Director, Digital Radio NL

JacquelineBierhorst has been a pioneer in commercial radio since 1987, specialised in distribution, marketing, and content. She has a strong track record in launching and leading successful commercial television and radio channels in The Netherlands and Belgium. From 2011 until 2015 she was project leader on the roll out of the DAB+ network in The Netherlands and since 2015 she is project director Digital Radio NL, a collaboration between public and commercial broadcasters and the Ministry of Economic Affairs coordinating involvement of all stakeholders and joint marketing of Digital Radio. Bierhorst is owner of Jacky B Entertainment Solutions, President of WorldDAB, a member of the WorldDAB Steering Board and an active ambassador of digital radio throughout Europe. She is also a consultant to the Flemish Government, Department of Culture, Youth and Media for the introduction of DAB+ in Flanders, initiating collaboration throughout the Flemish stakeholders on digital radio and country manager Radioplayer Netherlands. 

Dr Veysel Binbay
Director of ABU Technology & Innovation, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU)

Dr Binbay is Director of ABU Technology and Innovation and joined ABU in 2019 as Senior Engineer – Broadcast Systems. He brought a wealth of experience and expertise to the Technology Department and was instrumental in setting up ABU's virtual training and webinar delivery system during the pandemic. He holds a Ph.D. in Science and has a remarkable track record in the technical field. He has over 20 years of experience working as a broadcast engineer at Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) in various roles and capacities.

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Lindsay Cornell
Chair, WorldDAB Technical Committee, and Principal Systems Architect, BBC Digital
Lindsay Cornell has worked for the BBC for more than 30 years, in a variety of engineering, editorial and leadership roles spanning radio, TV, and spectrum regulation. He has considerable experience in leading collaborative projects through his roles as Chairman of CEPT FM PT51, dealing with spectrum issues for programme-making, and as Chairman of the WorldDAB Technical Committees, managing the stability and development of the respective standards.

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Jean-Marc Dubreuil
France Country Manager, WorldDAB

Jean-Marc Dubreuil has been involved in the digital audio broadcasting world as early as 2009, with Frontier Silicon, focusing on the automotive sector. Since 2012, he is the WorldDAB representative in France, working with the industry to promote the adoption of DAB+.

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David Fernández Quijada
Co-Founder, Research Director, South 180

Dr. David Fernández Quijada is Co-founder and Research Director at the Geneva-based consultancy South 180. In this role, he carries out market research, foresight and strategic projects for a number of European companies, including broadcasters such as Yle, Rai, RTVE and RPO, as well as trade bodies such as Broadcast Networks Europe. Previously, he was the Head of the Media Intelligence Service at the European Broadcasting Union.

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Alexander Kurz
Sales Director EMEA, GatesAir

GatesAir’s Alexander Kurz is a driving force behind the company's sales and business development in the EMEA region. With over 25 years of broadcast industry experience, Kurz joined GatesAir in 2019, bringing a wealth of expertise in digital TV/radio transitions and quality assurance solutions.

In his role, Kurz oversees the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and extends his influence to many European, CIS, and Middle Eastern countries. His deep understanding of the evolving broadcast landscape, particularly the growing popularity of DAB+ radio and the shift from DVB-T to DVB-T2, positions GatesAir at the forefront of broadcast tech advancements.

Kurz's vision aligns perfectly with GatesAir's commitment to reliable high-efficiency transmitters, addressing the changing habits of video consumption while recognizing radio's enduring appeal. His expertise in IP-based transport methods also supports broadcasters in their transition to more flexible and efficient content delivery systems.

Photo: © www.fotostudio-staudigl.at

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Lars-Peder Lundgren
CEO, Paneda Sweden

Lars-Peder Lundgren has been involved in DAB from the beginning, with 25 years in the DAB business. He brings wide experience across several technical business areas including telecoms, radio communications and broadcasting. He joined Paneda as Sales Director in 2014 and has been CEO since 2020. Prior to joining Paneda, he oversaw international technical sales at Factum Electronics. Paneda develops and sells DAB related technology, including DAB head-end systems with multiplexers and audio encoders, road tunnel break-in system and related DAB systems. 

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Bernie O'Neill
Project Director, WorldDAB

An experienced people connector within the digital radio industry, Bernie has headed WorldDAB since 2011, with overall responsibility for the direction and management of WorldDAB activities. Together with her team and the global network of WorldDAB members she works to further the adoption and implementation of DAB+, the digital successor of FM radio.  With a background in leadership of international trade associations for over 25 years, her career expands over several industries including radio, ICT, water and education. She is an expert at driving business development, delivering value to stakeholders, strategically aligning teams, and developing effective marketing communications. Trained in international business, she has held postings in London, Brussels, and The Hague. 

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Rosemary Smith
Automotive, WorldDAB

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Anupon Tajawanno
Asia regional sale manager, Paneda (ASIA)

Anupon Tajawanno joined Paneda in 2017. Anupon has worked extensively in area of telecommunication and broadcasting. Anupon’s prior role at Cisco Systems (Thailand) was to head business development of telecommunication and broadcast service providers. Anupon start his career in Hong Kong in 1999 and his role expanded across Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand. In 2007, he was assigned as a business development manager role for Cisco Systems in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates where the company headquarter for the Middle East and Africa was based. Anupon returned to Singapore in 2011 to be responsible to business development in South East Asia and then relocated to Thailand for the same company. Anupon is currently responsible for Paneda Tech AB business in Asia based in Bangkok, Thailand. PanedaTech AB is a member of WorldDAB and a global leading partners in DAB+ digital radio broadcast technologies

Anupon is a graduate of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, RMIT (B. Eng Communications Engineering) with Honours in Melbourne, Australia.

 

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Hanns Wolter
Technical Director, DAB Italia and Chair, WorldDAB Spectrum and Network Implementation Committee

Hanns has been working in the DAB world since 2000 as a Product Manager and has, in these years worked on all issues regarding DAB, at both a national and international level, including the introduction of DAB+ in 2007. He is involved in network planning and spectrum issues and also works closely with hardware manufacturers for the deployment of a comprehensive DAB environment. Currently, he is responsible for the planning and management of the ongoing roll-out of DAB Italia’s network and all issues related to the creation, distribution and transmission of the multiplex.

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Bassil Zoubi 
Director of Technology & Innovation at the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU)

Eng. Bassil Zoubi is the Director of Technology & Innovation at the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU). He has extensive experience in broadcast engineering, radiocommunication, telecommunications, broadcast production, and content delivery.

Since joining ASBU in 1994, he has contributed to major regional and international broadcast projects, including satellite contribution, digital terrestrial television planning, broadcast cloud development, archive preservation, IT-based production, and radio/TV transmission systems. He has also been involved in the technical coverage of major events such as the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, Arab Summits, and regional sports championships.

He has served as rapporteur and member of several ASBU and international technical working groups related to broadcasting, satellite services, digital transition, and cloud-based news exchange.

 

July 20th, 10:00-11:30 CET
10:00 - 11:30	Day 1 - Progress and Policy Day 1 - Technical Workshop on the latest DAB+ advances. Hosted by ASBU/ABU/WorldDAB
10:00 - 10:15	Global update - Includes status update for Arab States Speakers: Bernie O’Neill, Project Director WorldDAB and Bassil Zoubi, Director of Technology & Innovation, ASBU
10:15 - 10:30	Why DAB+ makes strategic and economic sense for broadcasters Examples of how DAB+ has improved the business case of radio stations / networks Speaker: Jacqueline Bierhorst, President WorldDAB
10:30 - 10:45	Economics of DAB+: A comparison of DAB+ and 5G MBS With recent activity updates Speaker: Dr Les Sabel - Chair, WorldDAB APAC Technical Group
10:45 - 11:00	WorldDAB Public Policy Toolbox Overview of what it provides and how to use it Speaker: David Fernández Quijada, Co-Founder, Research Director, South 180
11:00 - 11:20	Country updates APAC: Thailand, Speaker: Mr Anupon Tajiwono Arab states, Speaker: tbc
11:20 - 11:30	Q&A We welcome audience participation and encourage delegates to ask questions of the speaker panel
July 21st, 10:00-11:30 CET
10:00 - 11:30	Day 2 - DAB+ Systems Day 2 - Technical Workshop on the latest DAB+ advances. Hosted by ASBU/ABU/WorldDAB
10:00 - 10:20	DAB+ Technical advancements Push to local Update on EWS interfaces Service Linking What is needed: coordinated FM RDS PI codes Coordinated SId etc Basic operational scenarios FM+=>DAB+, DAB+=>FM Speaker: Lindsay Cornell, Chair, WorldDAB Technical Committee, and Principal Systems Architect, BBC Digital
10:20 - 10:40	Advances in car listening and systems Research report and policy Industry positions UX and prominence Speaker: Rosemary Smith, WorldDAB
10:40 - 11:00	Multiplex systems feature advances Highlight on IP security Speaker: Lars-Peder Lundgren, CEO, Paneda Sweden
11:00 - 11:20	Transmission systems advances Highlight on energy savings Speaker: Alexander Kurz, Sales Manager, GatesAir
11:20 - 11:30	Q&A We welcome audience participation and encourage delegates to ask questions of the speaker panel
July 22nd, 10:00-11:30 CET
10:00 - 11:30	Day 3 - Network Design Day 3 - Technical Workshop on the latest DAB+ advances. Hosted by ASBU/ABU/WorldDAB
10:00 - 10:10	DAB+ Network design – MFN or SFN? Speaker: Dr Les Sabel, Chair, WorldDAB APAC Technical Group
10:10 - 10:30	Designing DAB+ SFN transmissions for resilience Network design examples Speaker: Hanns Wolter - Technical Director, DAB Italia and Chair, WorldDAB Spectrum and Network Implementation Committee
10:30 - 10:50	DAB+ EWS/ASA review and progress Speaker: Jean-Marc Dubreuil, France Country Manager, WorldDAB
10:50 - 11:10	Reliable contribution and distribution networks using public internet Speaker: tbc
11:10 - 11:20	Q&A We welcome audience participation and encourage delegates to ask questions of the speaker panel
11:20 - 11:30	Webinar wrap-up Webinar wrap-up and close Speaker: Dr Les Sabel, Chair, WorldDAB APAC Technical Group