Digital radio switchover likely to be delayed by at least two years
It looks increasingly likely that the switchover to digital radio (DAB) will be delayed until at least 2017, and even as far out as 2020.
A leaked memo from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) says the original switchover date of 2015 has been abandoned, according to The Daily Mail website.
It says digital radio has failed to grab the public's imagination as digital TV did, and suggests the radio industry is unlikely to be able to meet the infrastructure costs required for DAB rollout before 2012.
Even then, the DCMS believes the switch from analogue to digital would have to be phased in region by region, rather than on a single day – which could take up to three years to complete.
Earlier this year speakers at the Westminster eForum on the Future of Radio called for a rethink on the Government's plans for DAB, with one – William Rogers, CEO of UKRD – saying: "The DAB switchover is a shambles; it's incompetent and inept, with irresponsible promises made."
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Comments
Yes, definitely on the fix list, we know all about it.
Yes, sorry about that: it's a known problem, and (somewhere) on the fix-list
Surely, if this is the case, theirs an argument that the government should look into moving to DAB+ now that theirs potentially more time to do this?
We are talking about shutting down analogue signals but not even moving with the rest of Europe to get the best from the DAB platform ?
This countrys not even giving it a fair fight at the moment.
Ps - Whatever logs the date and time on this, is badly wrong, not that its an issue - just thought you might want to know :-)