Arqiva, previously a 37% shareholder in Digital One, is understood to have paid a nominal sum for Global Radio's 63% stake. In return, Arqiva is expected to cut the rent Global Radio pays to broadcast on digital.
As this deal also included the local "Now" muxs, looks like Global will also get reduced rent for Heart, Capital, XFM etc
But I do think if eg Talksport are going to cover big national events like the Rugby World Cup, then they need national coverage. I personally would have no problem with licence fee money going on this, as it already is on broadband.
Digitalone (now Arqiva) on DAB is going to meet Classic FM's current FM coverage according to http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/dab-coverage-planning/annexes/annex-d.pdf
What's the Talksport AM coverage area like compared to Classic FM's? There was talk that Talksport may keep AM as long as possible beyond a radio DSO which could be perhaps 10 years time, which will also allow the BBC to add extra transmitters beyond the 97% target in 2017?
.....and then sit back and watch Digital 1 hand the licence back, just like Channel 4.
I don't think so. Without their commitment to DAB, their "rent" for the classic FM frequency block could jump from £50k to £6M+, and the FM frequency block would be re-advertised in a few years with no guarantee that they'd win it.
Given the value of CFM 101MHz to them, they would do anything OfCom demanded - though of course they would fight tooth and nail and try to get HMG to cripple OfCom further.
It's not going to happen because HMG wants to drop OfCom altogether. But a regulator with balls could easily get commercial DAB pushed out with the BBC - it has the levers to make this happen. Just not the political will/support.
A better question would be which areas only have partial coverage - Northampton as an example does have coverage but only of the National MUXes - so no local / regional services.
i have the same problem I have just written to ed vaizey, the minister pointing this out. Not sure what effect it would have but the more people who email him the better.
I have the added problem that Radio Scotland, Scotland's only national station is carried on the national commercial multiplex and so if FM was dropped we would not be able to receive it
I don't think so. Without their commitment to DAB, their "rent" for the classic FM frequency block could jump from £50k to £6M+, and the FM frequency block would be re-advertised in a few years with no guarantee that they'd win it.
Given the value of CFM 101MHz to them, they would do anything OfCom demanded - though of course they would fight tooth and nail and try to get HMG to cripple OfCom further.
It's not going to happen because HMG wants to drop OfCom altogether. But a regulator with balls could easily get commercial DAB pushed out with the BBC - it has the levers to make this happen. Just not the political will/support.
Cheers,
David.
They could still comply with this by putting Classic on the regional muxes, plus one in London and a few other local muxes. That would give them the 80% population coverage that qualifies them for "national" DAB carriage without Digital 1 being on-air, and the FM licence wouldn't be re-advertised.
It isn't going to happen because Ofcom has already rolled over the Digital 1 licence until 2030 (?) with no conditions on coverage attached. The only way Digital 1 will reach 97% is if public funds are available to roll out the transmitter network.
They could still comply with this by putting Classic on the regional muxes, plus one in London and a few other local muxes. That would give them the 80% population coverage that qualifies them for "national" DAB carriage without Digital 1 being on-air, and the FM licence wouldn't be re-advertised.
It isn't going to happen because Ofcom has already rolled over the Digital 1 licence until 2030 (?) with no conditions on coverage attached. The only way Digital 1 will reach 97% is if public funds are available to roll out the transmitter network.
Rather than raid the TV Licence or DSO money yet again, I wonder if there is any way the BBC could partially fund it to get coverage for the regions then get a proportion back from the commercial users. That way it might actually end up national rather than cherry pick just a few areas like the current Classic FM coverage.
The speech says compete coverage of the motorway network and fm equivalent of the primary road network.
I wonder what they mean by 'complete'. I can think of a couple of quite sizeable stretches of motorway that have no FM coverage, I'd be very surprised if they ever get DAB coverage. They certainly weren't covered in that consultation document that ofcom produced a while back presenting different levels of coverage for comparison.
I wonder what they mean by 'complete'. I can think of a couple of quite sizeable stretches of motorway that have no FM coverage, I'd be very surprised if they ever get DAB coverage.
I drove from the North of Scotland to Falmouth last year.
After Tarbet I only lost DAB in two small areas on the M74 and Shap on the M6. I suspect they would not be that difficult to cover perhaps by a bit of coverage for some nearby towns that would also reach the motorway.
Yet thinks DAB was launched in 1999. Those BBC broadcasts in 1995 must have been a figment of my imagination, though I'm sure there's video evidence.
From wiki the first commercial DAB sets were sold in 1999 where the public (if they could afford the sets) could listen. so guess that does mean the true launch of DAB,
It's only later in 2002 where Pure, with help from Digitalone, introduced more affordable sets
There are rumours, unopposed by the BBC, of a suggestion of a switch to DVB-T2-lite. It'll be interesting to see what "certified" radios must support. I'd be surprised if it was DVB-T2-lite within one year, but I bet it'll include DAB+, integrated analogue+digital channel lists, and just maybe DRM+. They'll be some bickering over this I bet.
Cheers,
David.
There is an aricle by Barry Fox about this in November's Hi Fi News where he talks about what might or not be included in the tests, but was concentrating on ease of use, sensitivity and power usage. Maybe there will be 2 types, a basic DAB/FM spec for UK only for low price sets and a more complicated set spec for car and travel sets which includes DAB+, DMB , maybe Internet and other formats as they get agreed.
Technically DRM, DRM+ and DVB-T2-lite although they may have tech approval are basically still under test in Europe!
Did not the funding come from the licence fee and the £230m surplus is now to be used broadband rollout?, plus and extra 3.5% of the current licence fee http://www.ispreview.co.uk/story/2010/10/18/uk-chancellor-confirms-gbp230m-for-universal-faster-broadband-coverage.html
which upset the commercial stations as they hoped some of the surplus was to be used for local DAB which includes BBC services, now the Government have agreed to help the final bit of the local DAB mux rollout, but have not confirmed it yet?
On top of this news about national distribution, we will be working hard with the minister and his team to try to agree a plan for further extending local coverage. As Ed outlined, more details of this will be announced as we move to agreement with government.
I have the added problem that Radio Scotland, Scotland's only national station is carried on the national commercial multiplex and so if FM was dropped we would not be able to receive it
Isn't Radio Scotland on the local commercial multiplexes?
Isn't Radio Scotland on the local commercial multiplexes?
Yes, but there are large areas of Scotland they don't cover.
Maybe Radio Scotland should be on the Scottish version of D1 (AFAIK that *would* be possible because D1 uses 12A in Scotland- a different channel to D1 in England and Wales)
Yes, but there are large areas of Scotland they don't cover.
Maybe Radio Scotland should be on the Scottish version of D1 (AFAIK that *would* be possible because D1 uses 12A in Scotland- a different channel to D1 in England and Wales)
Somewhere in the Ofcom coverage consultation http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/dab-coverage-planning/ 31(? anyway a large number) more transmitters were to be added to the Inverness mux to make a North Scotland mux, plus other local muxes to be extended! as well as Radio Scotland, the BBC Gaelic radio station is also to be extended, so there may not be enough room on D1!
This is to be funded 3 ways by BBC, DCMS and commercial sector if they get agreement!
Somewhere in the Ofcom coverage consultation http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/dab-coverage-planning/ 31(? anyway a large number) more transmitters were to be added to the Inverness mux to make a North Scotland mux, plus other local muxes to be extended! as well as Radio Scotland, the BBC Gaelic radio station is also to be extended, so there may not be enough room on D1!
This is to be funded 3 ways by BBC, DCMS and commercial sector if they get agreement!
You mean this, perhaps? Modified network 2 is 26 extra sites, and modified network 3, for near universal coverage* is an extra six for a total of 32 sites.
In both cases us lot in Daliburgh are invited to the party. Curiously the Beeb seem to define The End of the World on 12D as Clettraval, about 30 miles north of here. So I've been putting out feelers with some Ofcom types about a 'self-help' style site on our local Wireless Infrastructure Group mast for us few hundred souls huddled round our peat fires in Daliburgh and Lochboisdale.
A BBC R. Scotland service on D1/12A might not be a flyer, as although the Gaelic channel is a uniform service all over the country, the English language service has regional variations with morning and evening news/weather opt-outs. Ours is BBC Radio Highland, which would fit perfectly with carriage on an extended Inverness local mux.
* for which 85% indoor households seems to Ofcom to be a good enough definition for us Teuchtars - but we're not bitter...
From wiki the first commercial DAB sets were sold in 1999 where the public (if they could afford the sets) could listen. so guess that does mean the true launch of DAB,
Did not the funding come from the licence fee and the £230m surplus is now to be used broadband rollout?, plus and extra 3.5% of the current licence fee
No .. all PSBs have to fund the ASO/DSO process with their selected Transmitter operator with NO government money
(it's a minimum of 25 year contract) .
The government top sliced the licence fee for the Help Schemes (which is underspent) and the new license settlement uses this for Broadband roll out ...
The last Gvt Paper Digital Britain had 11 uses of the whole of the top slice including DAB matters
and the government gets income from selling the 800MHz band.... so it is keeping our taxes down!
Arcam (UK), HiFi manufacturer, will launch the Alpha 10 DRT domestic DAB radio in the UK in November 1998, the world's first DAB radio for the home. Additional units will be delivered in December 1998, with volume production starting by January 1999. The device is expected to sell in the UK for GBP799.90. The tuner will initially be sold by 150 Arcam dealers located within range of the BBC's current digital radio transmissions. The device was developed in co-operation with Roke Manor Research (UK) and uses the latter's Gold Card digital radio module. Sharp is expected to launch a domestic DAB radio in 1999.
So looked like volume production started in 1999! with only simulcasts of FM available, can't think there was much demand!
The wiki also mentions a car set in 1999, but no make?
There is an aricle by Barry Fox about this in November's Hi Fi News where he talks about what might or not be included in the tests, but was concentrating on ease of use, sensitivity and power usage. Maybe there will be 2 types, a basic DAB/FM spec for UK only for low price sets and a more complicated set spec for car and travel sets which includes DAB+, DMB , maybe Internet and other formats as they get agreed.
Technically DRM, DRM+ and DVB-T2-lite although they may have tech approval are basically still under test in Europe!
Apart from Denmark, any one know which other countries are testing DVB-T2 lite for sound broadcasting?
I have to say that I'm pessimistic about future broadcast quality. The industry seem to have developed a fetish for low bitrates; Not for maximum efficiency but for the lowest quality we 'can get away with'. (How times have changed!)
So even if MPEG-4/DVB-T2L or DAB+ would be used, I can see them attempting to squeeze the equivalent of MPEG-2 128kbp/s (or worse) into the MPEG-4 pint pot.
The 'authorities' also have a fetish for 'choice': More stations which, in practice, provide very similar programming (ie BLAND). Anything that offers a specialist genre such as JazzFM tends to have funding issues due to the size of its audience and carriage network costs. Past surveys and focus groups revealed people like 'choice' but the limits and biased questions tactics underplayed the 'quality' issue.
Conversely, the Radio 3 HD stream is an example of what can be done if they try. And, undermines arguments about bitrate 'sufficiency'.
Further, the public have been brainwashed through a untruthful campaign as to the "clarity" of DAB over FM and also the definition of MP3 and 4 at low bitrates.
Yeah, right. The digital dividend - for whom exactly?
...And thus limiting the expansion of HD to existing channels. The usual amount of forward planning by politicians.
It's an EU decision to use the top part of the UHF spectrum for mobile broadband after DSO across Europe, so it isn't possible for the UK to allocate this to more HD channels.
It's an EU decision to use the top part of the UHF spectrum for mobile broadband after DSO across Europe, so it isn't possible for the UK to allocate this to more HD channels.
as well as Radio Scotland, the BBC Gaelic radio station is also to be extended, so there may not be enough room on D1!
There is no room at all on D1 as things presently stand. I was thinking maybe move a couple of the existing D1 stations onto the local MUXs in Scotland and replace them with Radios Scotland and Na Gadheal.
Then roll out D1 and the BBC MUX to every current Scottish FM transmitter.
As well as providing Radio Scotland, that would give Absolute Radio, Classic and Talksport to people who can't currently get them.
As far as I am concerned National public service DAB roll out should mean everyone (defined as 97% which is fair enough) can get not only the BBC National MUX, but the three national commercial stations and their BBC local or national regional station. Only then should we even think about analogue switch off.
Other multiplexs such as D2 (if it ever happens) and regional MUXs could be run on purely commercial grounds. That would give a similar situation to Freeview, where everyone gets a basic PSB service, with the most populated areas getting extra commercial channels.
Comments
What's the Talksport AM coverage area like compared to Classic FM's? There was talk that Talksport may keep AM as long as possible beyond a radio DSO which could be perhaps 10 years time, which will also allow the BBC to add extra transmitters beyond the 97% target in 2017?
Given the value of CFM 101MHz to them, they would do anything OfCom demanded - though of course they would fight tooth and nail and try to get HMG to cripple OfCom further.
It's not going to happen because HMG wants to drop OfCom altogether. But a regulator with balls could easily get commercial DAB pushed out with the BBC - it has the levers to make this happen. Just not the political will/support.
Cheers,
David.
i have the same problem I have just written to ed vaizey, the minister pointing this out. Not sure what effect it would have but the more people who email him the better.
I have the added problem that Radio Scotland, Scotland's only national station is carried on the national commercial multiplex and so if FM was dropped we would not be able to receive it
They could still comply with this by putting Classic on the regional muxes, plus one in London and a few other local muxes. That would give them the 80% population coverage that qualifies them for "national" DAB carriage without Digital 1 being on-air, and the FM licence wouldn't be re-advertised.
It isn't going to happen because Ofcom has already rolled over the Digital 1 licence until 2030 (?) with no conditions on coverage attached. The only way Digital 1 will reach 97% is if public funds are available to roll out the transmitter network.
Rather than raid the TV Licence or DSO money yet again, I wonder if there is any way the BBC could partially fund it to get coverage for the regions then get a proportion back from the commercial users. That way it might actually end up national rather than cherry pick just a few areas like the current Classic FM coverage.
I wonder what they mean by 'complete'. I can think of a couple of quite sizeable stretches of motorway that have no FM coverage, I'd be very surprised if they ever get DAB coverage. They certainly weren't covered in that consultation document that ofcom produced a while back presenting different levels of coverage for comparison.
Where are they, just out of interest?
The only poor spots I can think of are Shap and some parts of the M74 around Moffat.
The ones I'm thinking of are a stretch of the M6 around and to the south of J38, and a stretch of the M74 to the south of J14
After Tarbet I only lost DAB in two small areas on the M74 and Shap on the M6. I suspect they would not be that difficult to cover perhaps by a bit of coverage for some nearby towns that would also reach the motorway.
Did not have any problems after Shap.
It's only later in 2002 where Pure, with help from Digitalone, introduced more affordable sets There is an aricle by Barry Fox about this in November's Hi Fi News where he talks about what might or not be included in the tests, but was concentrating on ease of use, sensitivity and power usage. Maybe there will be 2 types, a basic DAB/FM spec for UK only for low price sets and a more complicated set spec for car and travel sets which includes DAB+, DMB , maybe Internet and other formats as they get agreed.
Technically DRM, DRM+ and DVB-T2-lite although they may have tech approval are basically still under test in Europe!
http://www.ispreview.co.uk/story/2010/10/18/uk-chancellor-confirms-gbp230m-for-universal-faster-broadband-coverage.html
which upset the commercial stations as they hoped some of the surplus was to be used for local DAB which includes BBC services, now the Government have agreed to help the final bit of the local DAB mux rollout, but have not confirmed it yet? Isn't Radio Scotland on the local commercial multiplexes?
Yes, but there are large areas of Scotland they don't cover.
Maybe Radio Scotland should be on the Scottish version of D1 (AFAIK that *would* be possible because D1 uses 12A in Scotland- a different channel to D1 in England and Wales)
This is to be funded 3 ways by BBC, DCMS and commercial sector if they get agreement!
You mean this, perhaps? Modified network 2 is 26 extra sites, and modified network 3, for near universal coverage* is an extra six for a total of 32 sites.
In both cases us lot in Daliburgh are invited to the party. Curiously the Beeb seem to define The End of the World on 12D as Clettraval, about 30 miles north of here. So I've been putting out feelers with some Ofcom types about a 'self-help' style site on our local Wireless Infrastructure Group mast for us few hundred souls huddled round our peat fires in Daliburgh and Lochboisdale.
A BBC R. Scotland service on D1/12A might not be a flyer, as although the Gaelic channel is a uniform service all over the country, the English language service has regional variations with morning and evening news/weather opt-outs. Ours is BBC Radio Highland, which would fit perfectly with carriage on an extended Inverness local mux.
* for which 85% indoor households seems to Ofcom to be a good enough definition for us Teuchtars - but we're not bitter...
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/dab/incompetent_adoption_of_dab.htm
...but various on-line sources say 1997, 1998, and 1999. I have a review from 1998. It was the Arcam 10.
Enjoy a trip down memory lane...
http://www.gaia-technology.com/sites/arcam/alpha/tuners/alpha10.html
...when DAB was expensive but still sounded quite good.
Cheers,
David.
No .. all PSBs have to fund the ASO/DSO process with their selected Transmitter operator with NO government money
(it's a minimum of 25 year contract) .
The government top sliced the licence fee for the Help Schemes (which is underspent) and the new license settlement uses this for Broadband roll out ...
The last Gvt Paper Digital Britain had 11 uses of the whole of the top slice including DAB matters
and the government gets income from selling the 800MHz band.... so it is keeping our taxes down!
http://www.gaia-technology.com/sites/arcam/alpha/tuners/alpha10.html So looked like volume production started in 1999! with only simulcasts of FM available, can't think there was much demand!
The wiki also mentions a car set in 1999, but no make?
Apart from Denmark, any one know which other countries are testing DVB-T2 lite for sound broadcasting?
I have to say that I'm pessimistic about future broadcast quality. The industry seem to have developed a fetish for low bitrates; Not for maximum efficiency but for the lowest quality we 'can get away with'. (How times have changed!)
So even if MPEG-4/DVB-T2L or DAB+ would be used, I can see them attempting to squeeze the equivalent of MPEG-2 128kbp/s (or worse) into the MPEG-4 pint pot.
The 'authorities' also have a fetish for 'choice': More stations which, in practice, provide very similar programming (ie BLAND). Anything that offers a specialist genre such as JazzFM tends to have funding issues due to the size of its audience and carriage network costs. Past surveys and focus groups revealed people like 'choice' but the limits and biased questions tactics underplayed the 'quality' issue.
Conversely, the Radio 3 HD stream is an example of what can be done if they try. And, undermines arguments about bitrate 'sufficiency'.
Further, the public have been brainwashed through a untruthful campaign as to the "clarity" of DAB over FM and also the definition of MP3 and 4 at low bitrates.
I'm buying uncompressed CD's whilst I still can.
Goodnight and good luck.
Yeah, right. The digital dividend - for whom exactly?
...And thus limiting the expansion of HD to existing channels. The usual amount of forward planning by politicians.
It's an EU decision to use the top part of the UHF spectrum for mobile broadband after DSO across Europe, so it isn't possible for the UK to allocate this to more HD channels.
Damn, I forgot this!
Still doesn't make it right though...
But more people want more mobile communications and this is a very good band for this use.....
you may like to read this http://www.ebu.ch/en/union/news/2011/tcm_6-72525.php
There is no room at all on D1 as things presently stand. I was thinking maybe move a couple of the existing D1 stations onto the local MUXs in Scotland and replace them with Radios Scotland and Na Gadheal.
Then roll out D1 and the BBC MUX to every current Scottish FM transmitter.
As well as providing Radio Scotland, that would give Absolute Radio, Classic and Talksport to people who can't currently get them.
As far as I am concerned National public service DAB roll out should mean everyone (defined as 97% which is fair enough) can get not only the BBC National MUX, but the three national commercial stations and their BBC local or national regional station. Only then should we even think about analogue switch off.
Other multiplexs such as D2 (if it ever happens) and regional MUXs could be run on purely commercial grounds. That would give a similar situation to Freeview, where everyone gets a basic PSB service, with the most populated areas getting extra commercial channels.