What is DAB radio? Exploring the digital future
The technology that we use to listen to radio has come a long way over the decades.
From Morse code signals transmitted across the ocean, the broadcasting stations capable of churning out constant entertainment programmes, music, and news, the world of radio has exploded.
Although DAB radio has been around for decades now, there are still many people who have no idea what it is, or how it works. They still rely on their analogue connections to access the shows they love.
However, in the eyes of many manufacturers and radio aficionados, #DABRadio did for broadcasting what CDs did for collectible records. The digital radio frequency introduced us to a world where it’s possible to listen to the stations we enjoy, without crackling, distortion, or poor-quality signals.
To help you get a clearer understanding of digital broadcasting, we’re going to explore the history of DAB radio, and what it means to the UK.
What is DAB radio, and where did it come from?
The term “DAB” stands for “Digital Audio Broadcasting.”
A DAB radio transmits and processes audio information through digital, rather than analogue signals. Although there are other digital radio standards in the world today, DAB is the most common for the UK.
The history of DAB in the UK began in 1990 when the BBC started conducting experiments with DAB engineering. However, it took five years before the company was able to introduce its first DAB service, which included transmissions for BBC 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 Live.
Through a single-frequency digital network, the BBC used DAB radio to expand the coverage of its broadcasting station to about 85% of the UK population by 2004.
Unfortunately, #DigitalRadio was far from an instant success. Many people preferred to stick with FM, fearing the hefty expense of a DAB device that might become obsolete. Some of the initial radios were about £700 each — which just wasn’t affordable for most consumers at the time. What’s more, these radios could only capture about 10 radio stations, to begin with.
By 2001, manufacturers had begun to catch up with the DAB frequency. The “Pure” brand released one of the country’s first budget-friendly DAB radios in 2002. This cheaper offering combined with the availability of new DAB radio stations paved the way for digital radio to gradually grow in popularity. Today, the UK has the largest digital radio network in the world.
Is DAB radio better than FM?
So, why did the UK start experimenting with #RadioBroadcast technology in the first place?
The simple answer is that FM radio is limited in what it can do. FM only has access to insufficient bandwidth. This means that there’s a cap on the quality of the audio you can get from an FM #RadioStation. Additionally, FM signals are frequently affected by noise and distortion. For a channel to operate well, it needs to be hosted miles away from an existing station. This means that you can only really have up to about 15 FM stations in a single area.
Alternatively, DAB radio processes signals in a different way to analogue stations. DAB feeds are sent across the airwaves in binary, and they don’t disrupt each other nearly as much. You could have up to 60 stations running from a single broadcasting station with digital radio, and you still wouldn’t experience any interference.
DAB radio also offers the benefit of a much stronger reception overall. FM stations can only broadcast in one specific frequency, which will affect the quality of your sound. However, DAB radios can capture signals at multiple angles, which means that you have a better chance of getting a good signal.
Of course, DAB isn’t perfect.
Like any technology, digital radio has its limitations. For instance, it’s better suited to built-up areas of the UK than rural spaces or countryside. Additionally, if you have any issues with your DAB signal, then it will just cut out completely. That means that you can’t even attempt to continue listening past the noise and distortion you’d expect from an analogue station.
The future of DAB radio channels
DAB has long been billed as a transformative technology for residents of the UK.
According to the government, the BBC and other companies backing DAB broadcasting, digital technology can provide better quality audio and more convenience for modern listeners. However, despite this, we still haven’t switched off our analogue stations entirely.
The BBC recently announced that it wanted to hold onto an FM frequency for longer, despite other countries turning away from analogue technology, and the UK has yet to officially choose a date for its digital switchover.
Although the digital #RadioChannel hasn’t taken over Britain yet, we are seeing an increase in the popularity of the technology. For instance, countless radio stations have seen a significant increase in their digital listenership in recent years.
If the country does decide to move to DAB completely, then the process is likely to be a slow roll-out, similar to the television digital switchover.
Are you ready to go digital?
Already, Norway has emerged as the world’s first country to remove the analog radio frequency, and other countries are announcing deadlines so that they can follow suit.
The UK has also accomplished its goal of making sure that at least 50% of all radio listeners are active on digital channels. The government claimed that it would not initiate a digital switchover until this standard had been met.
Now that digital radio is officially more popular than analogue broadcasting, the UK government has revealed that it will be deciding about the DAB switchover by the middle of 2020. It could be that we’re finally on the road to saying farewell to FM forever.
However, that doesn’t mean that DAB will be the only way you can listen to radio. There are still internet connections, audio apps, and podcasts available for people who prefer to tune in via mobile links and wi-fi.
To learn more about the switch to digital, and DAB radio, check out Radio Fidelity’s comprehensive guide here.
