Radio United – The launch of DAB+ in Australia

29 Sep 2009

Since the timeline for digital radio launch was first announced, Commercial Radio Australia, along with public broadcasters Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), have taken an industry-wide and national approach. This has led to an integrated industry deployment, with both public and commercial broadcasters launching services almost simultaneously (from commercial services in May, to public services in June and July) in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth.

More than 40 different radio stations celebrated the switch-on of digital radio on 6 August 2009, when the ‘Radio United’ event saw the industry put aside rivalries for a morning and broadcast side-by-side from five locations in five cities.Since the timeline for digital radio launch was first announced, Commercial Radio Australia, along with public broadcasters Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), have taken an industry-wide and national approach. This has led to an integrated industry deployment, with both public and commercial broadcasters launching services almost simultaneously (from commercial services in May, to public services in June and July) in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. More than 40 different radio stations celebrated the switch-on of digital radio on 6 August 2009, when the ‘Radio United’ event saw the industry put aside rivalries for a morning and broadcast side-by-side from five locations in five cities.

Collaborations of a different nature were required to make this happen. A vast number of technology suppliers, equipment manufacturers, system integrators, transmission site owners and operators, digital broadcast specialists, and of course the radio networks themselves have worked closely together to implement DAB+ digital radio services. As a digital broadcast transmission specialist, Broadcast Australia is responsible for the full management of transmission services on behalf of ABC and SBS, plus is providing ongoing transmission maintenance of the commercial services.

Broadcast Australia's Peter Kepreotes, Vice President Technology - International, talks about his experiences of the Sydney Radio United event.

"This was arguably the largest ever collective live outside broadcast in the country - a total of 38 DAB+ digital radio stations in fact!

In Sydney, Martin Place was a mix of tents, each boasting a well known announcer flexing their vocal chords as they went to air. SBS was live-to-air, periodically crossing between their Melbourne and Sydney outside broadcast locations during the morning language programs.

The atmosphere was of great anticipation of how DAB+ can be an enabler for broadcasters to enhance their services. The reality of clear audio reception, selecting by station name rather than memorising and dialing up a frequency and even the prospect of seeing the station's logo, text information and/or the announcer on screen! Wow - this is going to make a difference."

As part of the eventual introduction of digital radio across regional Australia, Broadcast Australia is currently exploring the possibility of supporting CRA with regional DAB+ trials in Hobart, Townsville, Darwin or Canberra.