Population:	60.6 million
Coverage:	85%
Services:	415 DAB, 19 Data
Sales (accumulated):	6,500,000 devices
Penetration by household:	20.2%

Last update: 20-01-2008

The UK has recently announced 7 million sets sold and despite a difficult economic climate, DAB sales are currently running slightly ahead of forecast.  Latest research data (RAJAR Q2 08) shows that 27.3% of adults (15+) own a DAB receiver and this results in the medium recording a 10.8% share of all radio listening.

The radio industry, alongside manufacturers, retailers, legislators, the car industry and chip makers, has been working with the government's Digital Radio Working Group to identify and overcome barriers to further growth of the UK DAB market.  Much progress has been made and, by the end of 2008, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport is expected to give a statement on a clear route forward for DAB in particular and digital radio in general.

The UK regulator, Ofcom, awarded a second national DAB digital radio multiplex in July 2007 to the 4 Digital Group Limited. Shareholders in this group include Channel 4, Sky News, Bauer Radio, UTV, The Carphone Warehouse and UBC. This multiplex licence will allow the 4 Digital Group to broadcast a radio and multimedia service. No launch date has yet been announced.

Slideshow, "DABverts", the first DAB chip in a mobile phone, docking stations with DAB, and the greater inclusion of DAB in MP3 players have all contributed to the success of DAB digital radio in the UK.

About 90% of the population now live within the coverage area of DAB services.

In this country there are

• National multiplexes: 2 Regular
• Regional multiplexes: 10 Regular
• Local multiplexes: 37 Regular

There are 43 public services and 126 commercial services available on DAB.

There are over 340 DAB products on the market in the UK being sold through a large number of retailers as well as most of the big electrical chains. The cheapest receivers are sold at no more than GBP20.

Slide show trials via DAB are currently on-going in the London area.

An on-going DMB trial using L-band is designed to test and showcase audio and visual capabilities as well as covering the potential for data and interactive services. Mobile TV content is provided by BBC News 24, Bauer, ITV, Cartoon Network and Teachers TV.

A Royal Charter and Agreement govern the public broadcaster; the BBC, with new stations subject to Government approval and the Office of Communications (Ofcom) regulate the commercial sector. Multiplex licences are currently awarded on a “beauty contest” formula rather than auctioned. Regulation controls such things as minimum bit-rate for music stations, mandatory ‘must carry’ obligations, maintenance of service providers’ stations’ commitments and the amount of data content. An Ofcom consultation document entitled ‘The Future of Radio’ requested comments from the industry on changes to the current regulation system (total% of data permissible etc), there were around 160 responses to this document and Ofcom issued its final report at the end of 2007. Analogue commercial broadcasters who receive a DAB licence have their existing analogue licences extended for an additional eight years. Digital One (the national commercial multiplex operator) is required to carry the three existing commercial analogue national radio stations, and local and regional commercial operators must carry local and regional BBC (public radio) stations. DAB licences are awarded for 12 years. Commercial and public operators may carry broadcast data services. The national commercial operator must invest in promoting and marketing DAB. As part of the bid for the second multiplex DAB it was stipulated that DAB+ could not be used for radio stations though it could be used for data services such as podcasts.