Key dates

2010 - Passing of the Digital Economy Act 2010, which laid the foundations for a digital radio switchover

2011 - Determine and agree the target level of DAB coverage in the UK post-Switchover.

2011 - Report published on the impact of the analogue switch-off on providers of traffic and travel services, and to ensure a digital replacement for analogue traffic services 

2011 - Minimum specifications for in-vehicle receivers in the UK published

2012 - Ensure conversion specifications are developed which allow car dealers and retailers to develop installation services. 

2013 - All new cars must be fitted with digital radios

2013 - Transition plan published

2013 - Quality kitemark for equipment and installers likely to be introduced          

2015 - Proposed switchover to digital radio

The Government's vision - Ed Vaizey, Minister for culture, communications and creative industries

Digital radio is an opportunity for greater choice, functionality and importantly control for the listener. Across Europe, other countries are recognising the benefits of digital radio. Both France and Sweden have passed legislation to incentivise growth of digital radio and Germany has recently agreed funding for the roll-out of national digital radio. The direction of travel in Europe, and in fact at an international level, is clearly moving towards digital.

The UK remains the world leader in the take-up of digital radio; nearly 11 million digital radios have been sold to 35% of households. Listening to digital radio accounts for 24% of all radio listening in the UK. 

We believe that any transition from analogue to digital radio must be consumer-led, both in terms of the take-up of digital radios and the extent to which listeners are choosing to consume their radio via digital, rather than analogue, platforms.

Any digital radio switchover should only begin when the market is ready. It is for that reason that a decision on switchover can only be made once:

• 50% of all listening is to digital; and
• National DAB coverage is comparable to FM, and local DAB reaches 90% of the population and all major roads.

CAP’s view - Mark Norman says:

“Generally it’s still too early to recommend specifying across-the-board fitting of DAB radios. Although the target date for switchover is 2015 the caveat is that at least 50% of all radio listening must be via digital channels before the major channels are moved from analogue to digital.

“Many consumer bodies are already suggesting that due to the slow growth of digital take up there is little chance of this being achieved by the target date and it is more likely to be 2017 or 2018 before switchover can take place. Therefore there is little likelihood that any fleet car bought over the next year will suffer when it returns to market with only an analogue radio.

“The government’s view is that new cars should have DAB radios as standard by 2013 and as things currently stand this should probably suffice. In any case, the market already offers some excellent in car convertors and there are likely to be even more sophisticated, compact and economical solutions available long before switchover. So whilst buyers of used vehicles in 2014/15 will probably see the inclusion of DAB as a nice little bonus they are unlikely to either pay more for such an “extra” or be put off buying the car in the first place.