BBC National DAB
| Licensed area | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 12B (225.648 MHz) |
| Air date | 27 September 1995 |
| Owner | BBC |
| Website | www.bbc.co.uk |
BBC National DAB is a digital audio broadcasting multiplex in the UK, for a number of radio stations which have UK wide coverage. The multiplex is owned and operated by the BBC and is transmitted from a number of transmitter sites across the country; it only carries BBC radio stations.
The following channels are receivable on any digital-equipped DAB radio in the BBC National DAB coverage area:
The BBC National DAB multiplex makes extensive use of dynamic ensemble reconfiguration to allow a number of part-time services to broadcast. While these additional services are on air the bit rates of (one or more of) BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live, and data services are reduced.
In recent years, the BBC has begun experimenting with short-term "Pop-up" digital radio stations, each broadcasting for approximately 4 days at a time, covering music festivals and other special events. BBC Radio 2 Eurovision was the first to launch in 2014, and was joined by BBC Radio 2 Country and BBC Music Jazz in 2015. A fourth pop-up station, BBC Radio 2 50s is due to be launched in April 2016. When these temporary stations are on air, there is normally a reduction in bit rate of their parent station (Radio 2 or Radio 3).
BBC Asian Network was due to be axed in around 2011 after plans to close down the station were published. The BBC also planned to close 6 Music. Since then both stations have been saved from closure - 6 Music was retained after listening figures increased and a campaign was set up on Facebook which had 180,000 supporters.
The BBC had initially planned to increase their coverage of their DAB multiplex to at least 92% of the population by adding 61 new transmitters to their existing coverage.
With the publication of the Delivering Quality First paper, it was proposed that DAB coverage would be increased to 97% under the BBC DAB Phase 4 programme (the existing 227 transmitters having been delivered through phase 1, 2 and 3 between the late 1990s and 2013). Around 162 new transmitters were planned to be brought into service over a two-year period. The first of these new transmitters, Basingstoke, went into service on 6 December 2013.
...
Wikipedia