Yes, 14 of the 19 multiplexes in Paris, Marseille and Nice were set to launch before the end of the month, the first ones going live today. 58 stations in Paris alone!
This is a useful overview of them. What is happening to the remaining 5 multiplexes is unclear to me. I know those stations were still negotiating with an infrastructure provider so presumably they couldn't close the deals in time for today.
Yes, 14 of the 19 multiplexes in Paris, Marseille and Nice were set to launch before the end of the month, the first ones going live today. 58 stations in Paris alone!
This is a useful overview of them. What is happening to the remaining 5 multiplexes is unclear to me. I know those stations were still negotiating with an infrastructure provider so presumably they couldn't close the deals in time for today.
I believe some of the stations on those multiplexes are more-or-less equivalent to community stations here, e.g. Radio Galere, Frequence K. Is DAB+ viable for small stations in France?
I believe some of the stations on those multiplexes are more-or-less equivalent to community stations here, e.g. Radio Galere, Frequence K. Is DAB+ viable for small stations in France?
Yes, most of these stations are smaller. Some of these are niche stations that will never attract a massive audience and they are not planning to. Others are small but fast growing stations that could very well end up being serious competitors to the current giants.
The absence of very big stations has two reasons. Radio France, the public broadcaster, had to cut its budget right around the time the tender went out. They're not on any of the multiplexes at the moment but I expect them to go DAB+ in a few years. The big commercial groups are not on DAB+ because they gambled they could stop the roll out of DAB+. If you ask me they were quite happy with the previous situation where it was very hard for new contenders to get capacity and they fear the competition digital radio will bring. Despite the launch yesterday they are still trying to have the courts rule the roll-out illegal. Not only do I expect them to lose that case, I also expect them to be on DAB+ themselves within a few years.
How the smaller stations can afford being on the multiplex? I don't know. Although I can imagine that the distribution costs are actually relatively low considering these are essential all local muxes and they share the cost with 9 other stations on the mux. Also, with very limited available capacity on FM I expect this was an opportunity for these stations that was just too good to miss. The stations just pays a fixed cost to a mux and they take care of all the technical challenges and broadcast your station to over 12 million people.
The only challenge is that not many French have a DAB+ capable set yet. However, considering they are shouldering that challenge with 175(!) other DAB+ licensees together they must be able to educate the public about digital radio. The government might also reconsider the legislation to make DAB+ compulsory in new cars, they had planned it but it was put on ice some time ago. Introducing that regulation would make a massive difference.
Wohnort has now updated its table for France with the first stations. Interestingly enough, while 35 of the stations on the list so far have chosen to broadcast using DAB+, two (France Maghreb 2 and Radio Pays) have opted for DMB-Audio.
I wonder why they would deliberately choose a less used standard over the now ubiquitous DAB+?
The only challenge is that not many French have a DAB+ capable set yet. However, considering they are shouldering that challenge with 175(!) other DAB+ licensees together they must be able to educate the public about digital radio.
The commercial groups boycotted the applications round and since then have campaigned vigorously against DAB+. The president of their body, Michel Cacouault, told one French newspaper this morning: “We are certain that digital radio (RNT) is destined to fail.”
Their boycott appears to have motivated independent stations to make an even bigger noise about going digital. The group representing smaller stations, Sirti, is firmly behind the new medium, calling it “a historic moment, a decisive turning point in the digitisation of media – and essential for the future of free, unlimited and accessible radio.”
The national union of ‘free’ radio stations, SNRL, has also enjoyed extra publicity from smaller stations’ decision to go their own way and seize an opportunity from digital.
The union’s director-general Pierre Montel said “the most fragile” stations in the radio economy had got one over on the big groups.
Work is under way now for a co-ordinated marketing effort under the brand “Prêt pour la Radio” (Ready for Radio). WorldDMB and Pure have both been very supportive of the launch efforts – as have French retailers Fnac and Darty.
WRP is encouraging the English and American communities to get DAB+ sets and has a coverage map for when it goes on full power later http://www.worldradioparis.com/getdab.html
Please remember that the current power is sufficient to cover the city, but some parts will not get proper indoor reception. We applologize for this. Full power will solve this problem.
Driving around Paris, reception is OK, provided your car has the proper DAB antenna.
Starting this Fall, thanks to a radiated power of 4 Kilowatts, you will be able to tune in all the way to the airports
I wonder why they would deliberately choose a less used standard over the now ubiquitous DAB+?
Frm wohnort looks like all the Paris stations are moving to DAB+ with only 2 DMB-A stations, MEDI 1 and LCF left.
January 13th
On the French ensemble RNT Paris 5, the service Radio ALFA is reported to have switched from DMB-Radio to DAB+
and a report paves the way to a further roll out,
January 22nd
In France, the regulator has published its report on the future evolution of digital radio. It identifies priority areas for licensing such as Nantes and Lyon, where trials have already been conducted successfully, border areas such as Lille and Strasbourg where FM frequencies are scarce and areas with limited analogue offerings
but Radio France and the big commercial stations are still not onboard and signed with the Onde Numberique subscription satellite service which is mentioned in the report
On 15 January 2013, the Council authorized the company Onde Numberique as a distributor of radio services other. In this project, the model of target coverage is hybrid , satellite and terrestrial radio transmitters. To date, the service offer has not marketed .
There were some problems with the S band antenna on the Eutelsat 10A satellite but Echostar has brought the allocation and may launch another S band satellite so there is a chance the subscription radio service may launch? But if not Onde Numberique has already launched it's own station Zebradio on Paris DAB+.
Also Radio France has taken part in a DAB traffic data service test.
There was a recent update http://m.lalettre.pro/#!section=5566718&item=7707250
Le Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel did a report suggesting that as the RNT DAB+ network has successfully been launched in 3 cities it could be rolled out next in border areas where FM coverage is not good?
http://www.onde-numerique.fr/on/?p=2257
The report also seems to suggest Onde Numberique be allowed to keep the terrestrial L band allocation it has not used. With the recent announcement Echostar is launching a high power S band satellite in 2016, it could be Onde Numberique could finally launch it's satellite/terrestrial subscription service alongside DAB+?
There was a recent update http://m.lalettre.pro/#!section=5566718&item=7707250
Le Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel did a report suggesting that as the RNT DAB+ network has successfully been launched in 3 cities it could be rolled out next in border areas where FM coverage is not good?
Radio France is not on DAB+ because when the other 176 stations signed up to DAB+, Radio France was just in a cost cutting mode and couldn't do the same. Years later, that cost cutting is far from over as we have just seen with the weeks long strike.
I wonder if some smart alec will try to kill kill two birds with one stone and develop a strategy where moving some of Radio France's services from AM (or even some FM?) to DAB+ will actually present cost reductions.
If I had have downloaded it, would the radio have still worked on my return to the UK?
Almost certainly.
I updated my Pure Highway to v.1.5 in the UK and then unlocked DAB+ in Australia. Both procedures were free of charge. It still works happily in the UK.
According to Wohnort 4 Radio France stations are finally on DAB+, took a while.
Yes, although as I understand it they are only used as an in-fill for now. The eastern part of Paris has poor FM coverage and due to a few obstructions it is not easy to solve with FM. That's why Radio France decided to add their services to a DAB+ mux so people in that part of town can still receive Radio France.
It's taken a while but Wohnort reports the station list for the national mux for 2020.
France Inter
France Culture
France Musique
France Info
FIP
Mouv'
Air Zen
BFM Business
BFM Radio
Chérie
Europe 1
Fun Radio
Latina
M Radio
Nostalgie
NRJ
Radio Classique
RFM
Rire et Chansons
RMC
RTL
RTL 2
Skyrock
Virgin Radio
There may not be old sets in France with a 20 ststion mux restriction?
It's taken a while but Wohnort reports the station list for the national mux for 2020.
France Inter
France Culture
France Musique
France Info
FIP
Mouv'
Air Zen
BFM Business
BFM Radio
Chérie
Europe 1
Fun Radio
Latina
M Radio
Nostalgie
NRJ
Radio Classique
RFM
Rire et Chansons
RMC
RTL
RTL 2
Skyrock
Virgin Radio
There may not be old sets in France with a 20 ststion mux restriction?
Looking forward to trying to pick that lot up when there's a lift on!
Good to see at long last the French big boys are finally going on DAB. The national mux will be particularly helpful for quasi-nationals like Nostalgie and Rire & Chansons which don't have nearly the coverage on FM compared to NRJ.
Same situation as here really. In France there are a whole load of local stations that are far better and more interesting than the DAB/ Satellite/ elite.
Same situation as here really. In France there are a whole load of local stations that are far better and more interesting than the DAB/ Satellite/ elite.
I'll give you that. Unlike the UK market where the majority of the remaining local commercial stations which are still doing AC badly, there are some locals doing something different.
HAG' FM in Cherbourg is one of them, playing mainly classic rock instead of the usual nonsense.
A couple of years ago I did pick up a MUX of French DAB stations just outside Nantes, but since then there's been nothing when I travel through that way (a couple of times a year), that is until a week ago where the car radio alighted on 12B and produced a snatch of Radio 2! It was only a snatch, but the programme information appeared sporadically on various of the BBC stations for a few minutes. Of course it was during that period of settled high pressure.....
As an aside, entirely agree about the French FM situation with regard to the variety of stations available. I think they might have ended up where they are more by accident than design, but I imagine that for the average French listener the range of programmes available is a delight, at least compared to the lamentably poor situation in many parts of Britain......
Same situation as here really. In France there are a whole load of local stations that are far better and more interesting than the DAB/ Satellite/ elite.
I'll give you that. Unlike the UK market where the majority of the remaining local commercial stations which are still doing AC badly, there are some locals doing something different.
HAG' FM in Cherbourg is one of them, playing mainly classic rock instead of the usual nonsense.
Yes, I've listened to HAG FM when visiting Jersey in the past.
Probably one of the most slowly moving threads on the forum, just like the progress of DAB in France, but a worthwhile development to note is that the two national DAB+ Muxes commenced their rollout today, concentrating on a corridor between Paris, Lyon and Marseille. 40% coverage to start with.
Each mux will carry 13 stations, each broadcasting at 88kbps HE-AACv1, no matter what their content. In France they appear to subscribe heavily to Egalite!
These include all the FM national stations both from Radio France and the major commercial operators.
Incidentally 88kbps HE-AACv1 gives approximately the same audio reproduction as 160kbps MP2 Stereo, putting the UK to shame.
Given that this time they have decided to conform with the rest of Europe, and that DAB+ is now widespread in vehicles, it probably has a chance.
Incidentally 88kbps HE-AACv1 gives approximately the same audio reproduction as 160kbps MP2 Stereo, putting the UK to shame.
At the moment France only has 15% DAB household take up, compared to the UK's 67%. You need to provide enough new content to persuade people to go and buy the products, not just high quality versions of the same as they are getting on FM.
France now has 25 national DAB stations, compared to 45 in the UK. Is a choice of 25 stations enough to persuade people to go out and buy a DAB radio?
I can see several reasons why DAB is not taking off in France. While cars are fitted with receivers, household devices are not visible in shops, somply because the number of cities with DAB remains very limited. SouthCity is right about the range of stations available in DAB areas. It is common here for FM to offer around 30 stations in all major cities, whereas the choice was always much more limited on FM in the UK. Most of the national DAB stations are already available on FM. A wide range of radio stations is available via TV decoders linked to Internet (Orange Livebox for example). Different mobile charging plans from the UK mean access to Internet radio and streaming services is probably more widespread. During the lockdowns, listening figures to national radio fell with people working from home and travelling less. There appeared to be a slight recovery this summer, but maybe people's habits are changing.
Comments
This is a useful overview of them. What is happening to the remaining 5 multiplexes is unclear to me. I know those stations were still negotiating with an infrastructure provider so presumably they couldn't close the deals in time for today.
I believe some of the stations on those multiplexes are more-or-less equivalent to community stations here, e.g. Radio Galere, Frequence K. Is DAB+ viable for small stations in France?
Yes, most of these stations are smaller. Some of these are niche stations that will never attract a massive audience and they are not planning to. Others are small but fast growing stations that could very well end up being serious competitors to the current giants.
The absence of very big stations has two reasons. Radio France, the public broadcaster, had to cut its budget right around the time the tender went out. They're not on any of the multiplexes at the moment but I expect them to go DAB+ in a few years. The big commercial groups are not on DAB+ because they gambled they could stop the roll out of DAB+. If you ask me they were quite happy with the previous situation where it was very hard for new contenders to get capacity and they fear the competition digital radio will bring. Despite the launch yesterday they are still trying to have the courts rule the roll-out illegal. Not only do I expect them to lose that case, I also expect them to be on DAB+ themselves within a few years.
How the smaller stations can afford being on the multiplex? I don't know. Although I can imagine that the distribution costs are actually relatively low considering these are essential all local muxes and they share the cost with 9 other stations on the mux. Also, with very limited available capacity on FM I expect this was an opportunity for these stations that was just too good to miss. The stations just pays a fixed cost to a mux and they take care of all the technical challenges and broadcast your station to over 12 million people.
The only challenge is that not many French have a DAB+ capable set yet. However, considering they are shouldering that challenge with 175(!) other DAB+ licensees together they must be able to educate the public about digital radio. The government might also reconsider the legislation to make DAB+ compulsory in new cars, they had planned it but it was put on ice some time ago. Introducing that regulation would make a massive difference.
I wonder why they would deliberately choose a less used standard over the now ubiquitous DAB+?
From Matt Deegan's blog he has quotes from Paul McNally
http://www.mattdeegan.com/2014/06/20/meanwhile-france/ WRP is encouraging the English and American communities to get DAB+ sets and has a coverage map for when it goes on full power later
http://www.worldradioparis.com/getdab.html
Also Radio France has taken part in a DAB traffic data service test.
http://m.lalettre.pro/#!section=5566718&item=7707250
Le Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel did a report suggesting that as the RNT DAB+ network has successfully been launched in 3 cities it could be rolled out next in border areas where FM coverage is not good?
http://www.onde-numerique.fr/on/?p=2257
The report also seems to suggest Onde Numberique be allowed to keep the terrestrial L band allocation it has not used. With the recent announcement Echostar is launching a high power S band satellite in 2016, it could be Onde Numberique could finally launch it's satellite/terrestrial subscription service alongside DAB+?
I wonder if some smart alec will try to kill kill two birds with one stone and develop a strategy where moving some of Radio France's services from AM (or even some FM?) to DAB+ will actually present cost reductions.
This thread has pretty much explained why.
I know this post doesn't really add anything, just wanted to say thanks for sharing your knowledge.
If I had have downloaded it, would the radio have still worked on my return to the UK?
I updated my Pure Highway to v.1.5 in the UK and then unlocked DAB+ in Australia. Both procedures were free of charge. It still works happily in the UK.
Yes, although as I understand it they are only used as an in-fill for now. The eastern part of Paris has poor FM coverage and due to a few obstructions it is not easy to solve with FM. That's why Radio France decided to add their services to a DAB+ mux so people in that part of town can still receive Radio France.
Looking forward to trying to pick that lot up when there's a lift on!
I'll give you that. Unlike the UK market where the majority of the remaining local commercial stations which are still doing AC badly, there are some locals doing something different.
HAG' FM in Cherbourg is one of them, playing mainly classic rock instead of the usual nonsense.
As an aside, entirely agree about the French FM situation with regard to the variety of stations available. I think they might have ended up where they are more by accident than design, but I imagine that for the average French listener the range of programmes available is a delight, at least compared to the lamentably poor situation in many parts of Britain......
https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2019/03/06/qu-est-ce-que-la-radio-numerique-terrestre-dab_5432255_4408996.html
Yes, I've listened to HAG FM when visiting Jersey in the past.
Each mux will carry 13 stations, each broadcasting at 88kbps HE-AACv1, no matter what their content. In France they appear to subscribe heavily to Egalite!
These include all the FM national stations both from Radio France and the major commercial operators.
Incidentally 88kbps HE-AACv1 gives approximately the same audio reproduction as 160kbps MP2 Stereo, putting the UK to shame.
Given that this time they have decided to conform with the rest of Europe, and that DAB+ is now widespread in vehicles, it probably has a chance.
At the moment France only has 15% DAB household take up, compared to the UK's 67%. You need to provide enough new content to persuade people to go and buy the products, not just high quality versions of the same as they are getting on FM.
France now has 25 national DAB stations, compared to 45 in the UK. Is a choice of 25 stations enough to persuade people to go out and buy a DAB radio?