Ofcom DAB switchover coverage planning proposals
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV The proposals cover the most pressing needs for the DAB network:
- provision of local radio DAB for those areas with no current coverage
- coverage of both homes and in-car use
- the addition of a new block (5A) that will allow the local radio blocks to expand to fill the "editorial" coverage areas to match the current FM areas
- the use of 99%/99% DAB prediction for indoor home reception, and normal car use.
Of particular interest are:
- FM current coverage maps and tables which show maps for the current BBC local radio and largest commercial local radio for each "editorial region".
- Local DAB build-out plans that show the expected coverage for each DAB area after various plans have been implemented.
Ofcom is asking for responses using this online form: Responding to the DAB Coverage Planning consultation by 5pm on 14 September 2011.
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In this section
Saturday, 16 July 2011
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Trevor Harris10:57 AM
One thing I have not noticed being mentioned is that BBC Radio 1,2 & 4 are not even in stereo they use "joint stereo".
DAB is dead. Long live FM.
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Mark4:45 PM
@ Trevor Harris
Ed Vaizey, Culture Minister, 5th July 2011:
"two weeks ago, Ofcom published their consultation which set out how DAB can be built-out to current FM levels. This shows that is both a realistic and achievable ambition.
We are working closely with the multiplex operators and broadcasters to agree the funding mechanisms and timetable for the build-out of local DAB. We remain confident that agreement can be reached and that the necessary build-out of the local and national DAB platforms will be made to support a positive switchover decision.
So we have achieved a lot against our ambition for Radio but there is still much to do. We are still on course for a decision on switchover in 2013."
The future of digital entertainment
DAB is far from dead - it's in 38.2% of UK homes (March 2011 figures) and DAB sales figures for both May 2011 & June 2011 are up on last year.
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Trevor Harris11:47 PM
I think you are geting this from Rajars News release which is notoriously unreliable. Even if there is a DAB radio in 38.2% of households it does not mean they listen to DAB or that they can even get a reliable DAB signal in doors. I have a digital radio which has DAB but I never listen to DAB. Internet radio is far better with real stereo, much better sound quality and a more robust signal. For car radio FM is unbeatable.
The Government and Ofcoms approach is fundementally flawed. It is based on the assumption that it is coverage which is detering people adopting DAB. Simply not true. It is a combination of poor sound quality, difficult indoor reception, and poor signal robustness. Sound quality can be fixed just reduce the number of stations and increase the bitrate back to 256kb/s. The other problems are more difficult. In fact I would say they are technically unsolvable due to self interference. But even it was technically possible the cost would be astronomic as I showed in a previous post. Who is going to pay for it. The BBC hasn't got the money, the Government is broke and the commercial stations can't afford it.
Another problem is political. There is no way the BBC is going to be able to switch off its national FM stations while millions of people are still listening.
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Sunday, 17 July 2011
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Mark8:53 AM
The cost of building out the BBC's national multiplex to FM-equivalent levels is part of the licence fee agreement and they have already allocated the funds to this.
The BBC has agreed with the Government that they will reach 93.8% by the end of 2011 and 97.2% within the next couple of years (these percentages are for robust indoor portable use). The cost of building another 174 transmitters isn't astronomical, it's fully costed and will be achieved.
For the local multiplexes there is a three-way agreement between the Government, commercial radio and the BBC whereby they will each pay a third towards the cost of the transmitter rollout (the total is thought to be around £30 million).
Ofcom has already identified a possible use for the FM band after switchover, using White Space Devices, so the Government will claw back some cash when they auction off this spectrum.
It isn't possible to increase the bit rates of DAB stations to 256 kb/s, as nearly all DAB radios will only decode bit rates up to 192 kb/s.
Which stations would you remove to increase the others to 192kb/s? There was an outcry last year when 6 Music & Asian Network were proposed for closure, and each of the BBC networks has its own loyal audience.
You cannot use in-car FM to listen to Radio 4 Extra, 5 Live Sports Extra, 6 Music or Jazz FM so it isn't "unbeatable" for fans of those stations. Absolute is only on FM in the London area, and 5 Live sounds awful on AM, particularly at night.
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Trevor Harris2:37 PM
If you look at the BBC's document you will see
"Ofcom predictions of the coverage offered by the BBC's network radio services on FM
show that BBC Radio 2 reaches 99.1% of the UK population, and covers 95.7% of the major
road network.
The BBC does not yet have a technical plan for replicating this coverage with DAB."
In other words there is no plan for the increase to 99.1%. Because of the law of deminishing returns we do know it is going to be very expensive.
The DAB specification goes up to 256kb/s. I have heared that some radios only go up to 192 and so do not conform to the DAB standard.
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Mark3:36 PM
"The DAB specification goes up to 256kb/s. I have heard that some radios only go up to 192 and so do not conform to the DAB standard."
Nearly all portable DAB radios sold in the UK will only decode bitrates up to 192kb/s.
A switch to 256 kb/s for any of the BBC networks would render most DAB portables useless as they won't be able to decode it.
In reality the BBC has no proposals to use 256kb/s anyway, as they don't have the capacity. Although there is a spare national mux (Block 11A) they don't have the funds to roll this out.
Ofcom's 99.1% figure includes households that need roof aerials for decent FM quality.
Ofcom say that robust indoor FM coverage of BBC Radio 2 is only 94.9%.
The BBC is promising robust indoor DAB coverage of 97.2%, so some households with poor FM indoors should get a good DAB signal.
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Monday, 18 July 2011
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Trevor Harris12:49 AM
Actually Eureka-147 specifies 8-384kb/s. I know some Pure Radios specify a maximum of 192 and so do not conform to the standard. If this limit is widespread it means DAB is in a much greater mess than I thought. I guess Pure has done this to reduce power consumption. Another good reason for not buying a DAB radio.
Even if the BBC does achieve its coverage people will still not buy DAB radios.
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Trevor Harris10:56 AM
One thing not previously mentioned is that Ofcom public consultations are a complete waist of time and money. Ofcom have a legal obligation to to consult but there is no legal requirement for them to take any notice. In the past the best example was the 2004 survey where a massive number of people voted for higher sound quality on DAB and totaly ignored it.
The latest example is Arqiva's request to extend the coverage of its Exeter and Torbay DAB multiplex to North Devon. The reason Arqiva wanted this extention was so their Barnstable FM licence would automaticaly be renewed without it going out to tender. You can read more at Grant Goddards blog.
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Tuesday, 19 July 2011
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michael9:18 AM
North Devon DAB - This wee subterfuge just might explain the NowDigital coverage map showing no interest in areas other than prime advertising audiences. The Ofcom rationale is revealing. "Consultation" has always been an artifact of pretend-democracy. Nothing new under the sun! As an aside : when a main transmitter mast in Holland came crashing down last week, a pre-existing emergency plan moved public information and news to an AM frequency.
Spectacular pictures and video, which should be food for thought in high places...
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Mark10:26 AM
Now Digital are proposing to pay for three transmitters out of their own pockets which will give 70% coverage of North Devon.
BBC Radio Devon & Heart currently reach 83% of the North Devon DAB area on FM, and a further 4 transmitters will be required to match this coverage.
A further 14 transmitters (21 in total) will be required for 93% coverage (the proposed DSO level).
The costs for the further rollout (beyond the initial three transmitters) will be split three ways between commercial radio, the BBC & the Government. There is no question of FM being switched off in North Devon while there is only 70% coverage- anyone who suggests this is just scaremongering.
The legislation (Digital Economy Act 2010) allows multiplexes to extend coverage areas provided that the line-up of stations in the original area is not compromised. In the case of North Devon it isn't, which is why it was permitted.
If Ofcom had refused the request Now Digital would have had good grounds to take legal action against them under the terms of the Act. Any Ofcom consultation has to operate within the law.
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