ARLA/CLUSTER: Ministro de governo britanico não assume data do "switchover" para a radio digital

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

Ed Vaizey delays DAB switchover

The switchover to DAB had originally been penciled in for 2015 but the
Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries Ed Vaizey
has avoided setting a deadline

We know at some point in the future AM transmissions and the National
Services on FM will be shut down and will only be available on DAB but
the Coalition Government has avoided setting a date.

The closing down of the national FM services of the BBC and the only
commercial national broadcaster Classic FM would free up a large
amount of spectrum in FM Band II which could be used for alternative
local services.

Each of the four BBC national FM networks occupies an exclusive 2 MHz
of spectrum. The more efficient Classic FM national network occupies
just 1.6 MHz with a number of local stations also interleaved within
their allocation. Potentially up to 9.6 MHz of spectrum could become
available to provide listeners with more choice when these national
services become DAB only.

Additionally the Coalition Government did not give any indication as
to when the current obsolete DAB system would be replaced by the
modern high-performance DAB+ standard used in other countries which
could offer four times more spectrum efficiency. There have been calls
for the UK to adopt DAB+ since 2006.

On their website Radio Today report:

Ed Vaizey has confirmed the Government’s vision of a digital future
for radio but said he wanted to continue to improve the service, and
reach coverage and listening criteria before a radio switchover.

This means the radio industry has no deadline to work towards, but
will continue as it has been doing for over a decade in trying to
build a better digital radio experience for listeners.

The Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries
confirmed that we are not ready for a radio switchover and that
consumer listening and DAB coverage criteria would need to be met in
order for switchover dates to be set. He said that funding was in
place for Ofcom to develop a route to digital for small local
stations. The Minister stated that the DVLA was preparing to include
information about digital radio in all vehicle tax reminders.

No switchover date for DAB, Vaizey says
http://radiotoday.co.uk/2013/12/
no-switchover-date-for-dab-vaizey-says/

Go Digital Day: Ed Vaizey's speech in full
http://radiotoday.co.uk/2013/12/digital-day-ed-vaizeys-speech-in-full/

Analogue radio will continue in Blighty as Minister of Fun dodges
D-Day death sentence
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/12/16/
minister_kicks_dab_can_miles_down_the_road/

Read the Essex Ham article at
http://www.essexham.co.uk/news/no-date-for-the-dab-switchover.html

2005 - Digitally Imported Radio adds aacPlus
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/jan2005/dir.htm

2007 - DAB radios to be obsolete in a few years ?
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/may2007/dab_radios_obsolete.htm




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Dr. R. B. Mannion G3XFD

Practical Wireless Consultant Editor Rob Mannion G3XFD is one of those
who has grave doubts about the rush to digital radio, and was among
the first to highlight the problems that he believes will ensue.

He has launched a national campaign aimed at maintaining essential
traditional analogue broadcast radio for everyday listening and for
use in times of national emergencies.

Read: Save Analogue Radio campaign
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/
april2010/save_analogue_radio.htm