DAB digital radio?

Question

If i bought a digital radio here in the uk for my dad who lives in France, would he be able to pick up English stations over there?

Answer 1

No. DAB digital radio is a terrestrial broadcast technology, using land-based transmitters. You can only listen to stations when you are within their transmission range as DAB still adheres to the laws of local terrestrial radio.

Taking your radio elsewhere will give you DAB transmission local to that area, providing the broadcast frequency is the same as your radio.



French radio groups want to adopt DAB+ & DVB-H

27th September 2006

All of the main French radio broadcasters have formed a new Digital Radio Group, which has issued a press release saying that they plan to launch digital radio in France in 2007, and that they plan to employ the new DAB+ system, along with transmitting digital radio on the DVB-H system, and on DVB-T for in-home reception.

Although the press release doesn't mention DAB+ by name, it does say that the capacity of the old DAB system (the one that the UK uses) is insufficient to allow all existing analogue stations to transmit on digital radio, and that it will be necessary to use the upgraded version of the DAB system, which is precisely what DAB+ is.

The following radio groups are participating in the newly-formed Digital Radio Group:

* Lagardère Active Broadcast (Europe 1, Europe 2, RFM)
* NextRadioTV (RMC, BFM)
* NRJ Group (NRJ, Nostalgie, Chérie FM, Rire et Chansons)
* Radio France (France Inter, France Info, France Bleu, France Culture, France Musique, FIP, Le Mouv)
* RTL (RTL, Fun Radio, RTL2)
* SIRTI (130 local and regional commercial radio stations)

Together, 90% of all radio listeners listen to stations owned by these groups.

One significant addition to the radio groups that spoke out against using the old DAB system in a previous public consultation about digital radio is the NRJ Group, which is one of the largest French radio broadcasters.

The press release also mentions that they plan to transmit radio stations at high audio quality; that data services will be transmitted; and that many existing analogue radio stations will be able to extend their coverage, for example to regional or national level.

It should be said, however, that it has not been officially confirmed that France will use DAB+ and DVB-H for digital radio, and the French communications regulator, the CSA, is set to launch a public consultation on the subject of digital radio in the near future. However, considering that all of the main French radio groups have cooperated to form this new Digital Radio Group, and they've said that they want to use DAB+, I doubt the CSA will turn round and tell them that they can't use it!

Answer 2

DAB radio is still transmitted as conventional radio is, so I doubt a signal would reach France from an English transmitter unless he lives right on the coast. Although, with the introduction of DAB radio France may broadcast a couple of English speaking stations.

France though use a different band (set of frequencies) (Band 3?) to the UK, so any UK purchased recievers will not pick up any stations broadcast by French transmitters. I thought DAB was meant to eliminate problems like this! So I'm afraid the answer looks like a definate no.