Population:	83.0 million
Coverage:	82%
Services:	121 DAB, 9 Data
Sales (accumulated):	546,000 devices

Last update: 18-01-2008

Germany is among the leading European proponents of DAB Digital Radio, with an extensive local and regional network.  It was the first European country to launch a commercial DMB service (for the 2006 FIFA World Cup), and is now planning a nationwide digital radio re-launch and marketing campaign for 2009. 

 Today, Germany is anticipating further market developments thanks to the outcome of the Regional Radio Conference 2006 (RRC '06).  Subject to the final decision by the relevant political institutions, it may be possible to install further multiplexes and increase transmitter powers to achieve more efficient and reliable coverage. The common initiative of federal and regional governments FDM (Forum Digitale Medien) is backing DAB as the preferred method of radio distribution and a recent market review indicated that more than 20 companies were highly interested in a nationwide multiplex.

 Many German car manufacturers (including Audi, BMW and Opel) already offer DAB receivers as line-fit, as it is the preferred platform through which to offer state-of-the-art telematic services.

Coverage for DAB radio services in Germany amounts to about 82% of the population. 

In this country there are

• Regional multiplexes: 15 Regular
• Local multiplexes: 8 Regular

There are now more than 120 radio stations in Germany (both public and commercial) and nearly 80 types of stations. There are up to 15 stations per site, split into a variety of regional and local multiplexes. Most are simulcasts of FM stations, but there are an increasing number of DAB-only channels. Rockantenne, a commercial station in Bavaria, (pictured) has recently started broadcasting DAB surround sound.  Data services broadcasting news and travel information are also available in many areas.

There has been no official market research on the number of DAB/DMB receivers sold, but a study by ZEM/Universitat Bonn carried out in 2007 estimated that 546,000 receivers have been sold in Germany to date.

There are more than 1,000 DAB retailers in Germany listed by the www.digitalradio.de  website. Users can search by postal code, map or name of retailer. There is also a list of online traders. Included in this list are: Debitel, TV-Hifi-Bang & Olufsen, Bosch, HiFi Studio Unger, Prestel, Media Markt, Elektro-Kraft, Wittenberg-Antennen & Technik, D&G Telecom, Auto & Sound, Saturn, Quelle AG, Pure-Digital Shop.

The European DMB-project MI FRIENDS, ‘Mobile Interactive Television, Radio, Interactivity, Entertainment and New Digital Services’, was launched by the Bayerische Landeszentrale für Neue Medien (BLM) as a pilot project based on article 30 of the Bavarian Law of Media (BayMG). This project is attempting to realise ‘anywhere-anytime-anyway’ and its goal is to enable mobile and interactive usage of already existing as well as new media applications in receivers. The project is also aimed at gaining experience relating to new (interactive) technologies, business models and user requirements to support the commercial launch in Germany. MI FRIENDS uses ‘ready for market’ receivers, which are to be developed further. This project is currently using Band III (South Tyrol also L-band) frequencies. The latest subproject, in Lake Constance on the border of Germany, Austria & Switzerland, is designed to be a “mixed mux approach” broadcasting DAB/DMB & DAB+ on the same ensemble. This multi-standard trial allows services to be broadcast on all of today’s digital multimedia standards DAB, DMB, DVB-H, TPEG and GPRS/UMTS on a single device.

Germany has a two-tier government, federal and state, which is reflected in the country’s broadcasting legislation. The federal government issues telecommunications licences to network operators and regulates frequency and spectrum issues. Broadcast programme providers are regulated by the states, each of which has its own regulatory framework. The federal government assigns frequencies, but content distribution is licensed by State Media Authorities. Network operators are granted frequency allocation for 15 years and state licences run for between four and eight years and holders must promote DAB digital radio. It is a requirement that within three years of a licence being issued there is 80% population coverage. There are also no defined rules relating to data capacity use, up to 20% multiplex capacity is normal. Analogue switch off is targeted for between 2010 and 2015.