When are they turning off the UK's analogue radio signal?

Question

I know that UK TV is going digital in the next few years, but does anyone know when they're planning to turn off FM and MW?

Answer 1

As far as I am aware, they will not and can not turn off MW, FM, LW or SW. All four of these are used world wide. The World Service (BBC) is still using Short Wave and almost all commercial radio stations around the world use FM, AM or both. Therefore, for the UK to switch off the radio tranceivers would be a disaster as many migrants would not be able to listen to stations from abroad, the BBC, ITV etc. would not be able to pick up foreign news and MI5 / MI6 would lose a lot of inteligence (assuming they are already inteligent LOL). Therefore, no worries about radio as the whole world would have to follow suit at the same time and DAB just hasn't taken off (too expensive).

Answer 2

There are currently no plans to switch off AM and FM.

Ofcom has proposed that it will be looking at it once digital listening reaches 50%; some commercial radio groups want a switchoff sooner, and some don't; and the BBC currently doesn't apparently want a switchoff at all. Perhaps the most sensible option for commercial broadcasters is to switch AM or FM off when it makes commercial sense to do so - i.e. when hardly anyone is listening to it any more. I don't see that for many years to come.

DAB is a fine substitute for FM/AM (in spite of what's written on digitalradiotech); but coverage of DAB is unlikely to ever equal AM/FM coverage in the UK.

Answer 3

In the unlikely event that shutting down analogue radio was ever mooted there would be a huge outcry from those of us who listen to f.m.

F.m. gives the best music reproduction.

D.a.b. in its present implementation is inferior and, in view of bandwidth constraints and corporate greed, will probably not get better.

Have a good read of this site http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/index.htm

Answer 4

Yes. Everything will go analog and auxiliary input