11.2. Example ASO planning mechanisms

The switching off of analogue services is a difficult task unless it is embraced by the majority of radio ecosystem stakeholders. Norway made a bold decision in 2015 to move forward with DAB+ and switch FM off. Although there were some dissenting individuals and organisations, the Norwegian government authorities could see the overall advantages of undertaking an ASO in terms of cost, as their existing national PSB NRK’s FM transmitters were due for a full replacement, as well as the efficient use of spectrum and the number of services which could be offered using DAB being vastly larger than on FM. The Norwegian Ministry of Culture produced a study [19] in 2011 where they proposed that an analogue switch-off date would be set once at least 50% of Norwegian households had acquired a digital radio set. They further stated that “Analogue switch-off may not be completed until the following additional criteria have been fulfilled: (1) the population as a whole has access to digital radio (2) digital radio must offer added value to listeners.” The study included further requirements, including population coverage targets to demonstrate capability.

With the required targets being met, Norway started turning off analogue FM radio in January 2017 and completed the ASO in December 2017. An overview of the ASO plan was delivered to the WorldDAB General Assembly on 10 November 2016 by Line Langnes [21] where he outlined the decision-making process, the ASO process and target date and the challenges to be faced. The environmental and financial gains of the ASO are summarised in the relative number of transmitters required for the required DAB coverage being 1,160 for both NRK and commercial radio relative to approximately 3,000 for FM. The most challenging aspect was the number of DAB radio receivers, which in 2016 was only 30% for cars and 70% for households. Extensive marketing and education campaigns supported the ASO.

The approach of Norway to require specific DAB+ listening levels before establishing a date for ASO is also used in other countries such as Switzerland. In 2014, the Swiss broadcasters decided that FM transmissions would cease at the end of 2024 along with all licences. The Swiss DigiMig working group delivered a press release73 on 26 August 2021 stating: “In 2014, Swiss radio stations agreed to switch off FM broadcasting of their programmes by 2024 at the latest. Since almost three-quarters of radio usage was digital at the end of last year, the radio industry came to the conclusion that under these conditions an early and staggered shutdown of FM stations in August 2022 (SRG) and in January 2023 (private radio stations) would be responsible. 42 out of 44 radio broadcasters and the SRG agreed on this.”

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To support the switchover to DAB+ an ongoing marketing campaign is in progress featuring the animated DAB+ radio character “Dabsy” as shown in Figure 11-1. This campaign promotes DAB+ in a fun way while still providing information about better sound, more services and other features as well as the fact that FM radio transmissions will stop by the end of 2024.

In Italy, the Radio Director Robert Sergio of the PSB RAI proposed on 17 March 2022 that FM would be shut down starting in 2025, with the goal of being all digital and shuttering FM broadcasting entirely by 2030.75

The introduction of the EECC requirement for all car radio receivers in 2020 to include DAB+ will make a huge difference to the degree of difficulty for undertaking an ASO, as over several years the receiver base across EU countries will increase dramatically, making the ASO decision easier and likely sooner.

We now also see some FM broadcasters voluntarily switching off FM in preference for DAB+ only in Italy and Germany. This is primarily due to the combination of increased digital listening and increasing electricity costs.

11.3. Other uses for MW and VHF Band II

Once analogue services are switched off, the MW and FM spectrum can be cleared for future uses. It is, however, very early to look towards what services might use the vacated spectrum due a few reasons:

• FM in VHF Band II is only 20 MHz of spectrum in most countries, 88 to 108 MHz

• MW from 531 to 1602 kHz (Europe, Asia, Africa) has just over 1 MHz of spectrum

The small amount of spectrum makes it a small prize relative to the GHz of bandwidth that are being targeted by Telcos for 5G and beyond.

In addition, as the spectrum is not yet cleared and in most countries there is no plan for such clearance at this stage, the exceptions being Norway, Switzerland and Italy, there is no global initiative for this spectrum. On the other hand, we know that RF propagation in those bands is very power-efficient so it could possibly be used for a variety of Internet of Things systems, such as rural asset management and control of energy and utilities delivery monitoring amongst other applications.

75 https://www.radioworld.com/global/rai-radio-director-proposes-2030-fm-shutdown-foritaly#:~:text=For%20this%20reason%2C%20Sergio%20said,FM%20broadcasting%20entirely%20in%20 2030.