Ten Years After: Dab in Europe （1）

Published:2011/8/4 22:13:00 Author:Li xiao na From:SeekIC

By Hans Weber

Preparations for the market introduction of DAB digital radio have been underway in Europe for more than ten years. Although setting up the transmitter network proceeded rapidly in most countries of western and central Europe, sales figures in the receiver market were initially modest. In the UK, sales came up to speed starting in late 2002, and recently there are increasing signs that an upturn could also occur on the Continent.

Actually, the strategists and technical specialists in the European radio broadcasting industry all agree that the analogue systems used for FM broadcasting (not to mention medium-wave broadcasting) are technically outdated. Reception quality is not ideal, and the available frequencies are insufficient to meet the demand. They argue that within 15 sears, radio broadcasting should be completely converted from analogue to digital. Nevertheless. Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) initially remained stuck in the starting blocks. Until recently. Germany (of all countries) provided a splendid example of an unsuccessful strategy.

Please wait..,

With wonderful regularity, the ’breakthrough’ of DAB was forecast ever)’ two years at the Berlin Broadcasting Exhibition. There plans for constructing the transmitter network were presented, public and commercial programme providers declared their willingness to quickly enter into the era of digital radio broadcasting, and several manufacturers presented prototypes and (later on) equipment ready for mass production. Although at prices beyond the pale of commercial reality, Nationwide coordination and frequency assignments were discussed in the committees of the federally organized radio broadcasting administration. Broadcasting experts disputed the question of whether listeners should be provided with their accustomed programmes in both digital form and analogue form (’simulcast’), or whether new programmes were needed to attract new customers. Was traditional radio broadcasting sufficient as an application, or would the breakthrough only come with additional data services’.’ On top of this came the great ’religious war’: was it to be DAB.

DVB-T, or possibly even DRM?

The decision was announced only last year: the/igital successor to VHF (FM) radio could only be DAB. A DVB-T transmitter network providing truly national coverage could not be expected in the near future, since it was not clear who would pay for it. Furthermore, an independent DVB-T multiplex for radio broadcasting alone would not be economically viable, except perhaps in large urban areas, which would mean that radio programmes would only originate as ’companions’ to TV programmes and would take second placed to the them. And in its present form, the third sort of terrestrial digital radio. DRM, is not suitable for servicing regional customers, let alone local customers. The conclusion of a long dispute was thus iliat DAB. DVB-T and DRM were conceived for three different application areas, and although they can coexist and complement each other, they cannot replace each other.

All of the involved parties agreed on at least one thing; establishing DAB could only succeed with generous state assistance. In the technical area, there was already a substantial stream of state funding. The infrastructure for converting to D.AB is now largely in place in Germany. More than 80 percent of German citizens are presently considered to already enjoy coverage, and nearly complete coverage should be achieved by late 2005.

There are also a sufficient number of programmes available now. Although the question of which strategy is correct has still not received a unanimous answer. Bavaria in particular has embraced the strategy of providing new programmes that cannot be received via VHF. The simulcast philosophy still prevails in many other German states, primarily for cost reasons.

Consumers have apparently not gained very much from all of this: the number of receivers sold up to now is estimated to be around 100,000. That is presumably because there is not yet sufficient awareness of the product. Most Germans regard DAB as a brand of beer, and the trademark currently being used. ’Digital Radio", does not provide adequate differentiation from other types of digital radio broadcasting. As the marketing organisations to be found in almost all of the German states explain. ’First we invested a lot of money in the technology, and now we have to invest even more in promotion’. Success will still take a while.

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