German Radio Calls for DAB+ Allocations

04.06.2009

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At the end of March, the Rundfunkkommission der Länder, which coordinates broadcasting policy among the 16 German states, called upon the Bundesnetzagentur, the federal agency that includes telecommunications regulation among its duties, to authorize a nationwide DAB+ multiplex.

Under an agreement between public and private sector concerns from all 16 German states, national DAB+ services should allocate one-third of its frequencies to public-service broadcasters and commercial operators would program the remainder.

Once national DAB+ services are allocated, then regional multiplexes would be allocated.

The agreement foresees two or three digital radio multiplexes per state, each carrying 30 to 40 radio programs and additional services using DAB+ and/or T-DMB.

DAB+ services could be operational by 2010.

Currently, some 120 German radio stations broadcast digital signals using DAB, covering nearly 85 percent of the country.