Cumbria.Digital - What is DAB

DAB stands for ‘Digital Audio Broadcasting’ and is the future of over the air terrestrial radio in the UK and in many other countries around the world.

Like the old UHF TV signals that in November 2007 when Cumbria became the first place in the UK to undergo the official switchover from analogue to digital TV, FM radio is heading towards its own analogue switch off, potentially this could start as soon as 2030. As well as being less prone to interference DAB opens up new opportunities for broadcasters and a dramatic increase in listener choice.

Small-scale DAB is a new way of transmitting digital radio that provides a flexible and inexpensive approach to over the air broadcast of digital radio services that enables services to broadcast to a local geographic area.

For the first time in a generation, new broadcasters in Cumbria will have have potential access to local 'over the air' radio 'slots on local multiplexes with each multiplex offering up to 20+ new stations to communities in the service area of the small scale multiplex.

Unlike traditional analogue FM radio where only one station can use a frequency, with digital DaB broadcasts a number of stations can be transmitted together on the same frequency called a multiplex that can carry around 20 radio stations.

The DAB signal also has extra benefits, for listeners and the stations as additional information like pictures, song names and other info can be broadcast alongside the station audio broadcast and displayed on DAB radios equipped to display the information as well as link with other devices to display the information.