The European Electronic Communications Code came into force in connection with the transition to digital radio broadcasting on December 20, 2018. According to the code, all radio receivers in new cars in all EU countries must be able to receive DAB + standard digital radio programs. This decision is taken into account in the legislation of many European countries, and this work is being done in other countries.
Currently, digital radio broadcasting in DAB + standard is carried out in more than 30 countries around the world.
Along with European countries, DAB + radio is broadcast in Tunisia (75%), Kuwait (100%), Algeria (7%) and other countries.
Ukraine – in 2018, for the first time, DAB + radio broadcasting was launched in Kiev (14 radio programs, 7.14% of the country’s population). The transition to digital radio broadcasting is also planned in the Ukrainian city of Lvov in the near future.
Russian Federation – The DAB + standard has been adopted as the digital radio broadcasting standard. According to the decision of the State Commission on Radio Frequencies of the Russian Federation dated April 16, 2018, the frequency band 174-230 MHz was determined for the application of DAB + digital radio broadcasting. Digital radio broadcasting has been tested in Moscow.
Republic of Belarus – in early 2019, a regional frequency plan for DAB + digital radio broadcasting was developed. In April 2019, DAB + digital radio broadcasting was tested in Minsk.
Republic of Uzbekistan – Trial broadcasting of DAB + digital radio is expected to begin by the end of this year.
Republic of Kazakhstan – Discussions are underway on the transition to digital radio broadcasting and setting a standard.
In Georgia, a strategy has been developed related with transition to DAB + digital radio broadcasting.
DAB + digital radio broadcasting (16 radio programs) is carried out by IRIB in the Islamic Republic of Iran – Tehran, Kerman and Isfahan cities.
In the Republic of Turkey – in May 2017, TRT started test broadcasting with 4 transmitters in Istanbul, Ankara, Bursa and Kocaeli (7 radio programs, 30% of the country’s population).
At present, radio broadcasts in Azerbaijan are carried out in FM analog format. For this purpose, about 100 FM radio transmitters of various capacities are used in 40 Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations operating in the country. The coverage of Azerbaijan FM radio broadcasting in the country varies from about 99%, the coverage of Public FM radio broadcasting from about 93%, and the coverage of private FM radio broadcasting from about 40-90%. Reception of FM radio programs is carried out mainly in cars. In some regions, and especially in border areas, the number of FM radio programs is many times less than the number of radio programs in the capital and major cities. To bridge the gap between radio programs in the capital and the regions, the installation and operation costs of additional transmitters required by private broadcasters.
On August 26, 2019, for the first time in Azerbaijan, DAB + standard digital radio transmitter was installed in Baku TV Tower Complex and currently 11 local digital radio programs are being tested in Baku and Absheron Peninsula on 11B channel (218.6 MHz) in one package. Receivers that support the DAB + standard are required to receive digital radio programs in homes and vehicles.
Despite the fact that modern European-made vehicles imported into the country are equipped with a radio receiver that supports DAB + digital radio broadcasting, users now prefer FM analog radio broadcasting because of the introduction of FM analog radio broadcasting in Azerbaijan. However, if DAB + digital radio broadcasting is introduced throughout the country, this tendency will change. Vehicles that do not support DAB + digital radio reception will receive digital radio programs using converters. As a result, the population will be able to receive better digital radio broadcasts both through household and vehicle radio receivers and benefit from new types of information services. At the same time, DAB + will be able to inform the population during emergencies and other situations via digital radio broadcasts, which in turn will allow the transmission of emergency information to the population.
Advantages of DAB + digital radio broadcasting:
- More efficient use of radio frequency spectrum;
- More quality and reliable reception of the radio signal;
- Possibility to transmit information such as video, graphics and text along with an audio signal on a single frequency band;
- Possibility of broadcasting in single-network (SFN) mode;
- Possibility of reliable reception of the radio signal at any point of the coverage (no interference), regardless of the speed of the moving object (car, train, etc.) where the receiver is located (no Doppler effect);
- Transmission and reception of urgent and urgent information from one source to all receivers.
- And so on.
For technical issues on DAB + digital radio broadcasting, please contact Teleradio PU at 012-493-22-63.