Digital audiobroadcasting (DAB)

2017: Failure of Norway from FM

In December, 2017 Norway announced a total failure from broadcasting in the FM range because of transition to digital audiobroadcasting (DAB).

Norway began to pass to digital broadcasting in January, 2017. On December 13 passed with the last northern regions of Norway and the archipelago Svalbard (Spitsbergen) in the Arctic to the DAB standard. At the same time radio stations continued broadcasting in a former format.

Thanks to digital technology more radio channels became available to listeners, and the quality of sound transmission improved in comparison with analog link. Besides, by estimates of the authorities, digital audiobroadcasting costs by eight times cheaper, than FM radio.

Norway first-ever refused FM radio for benefit of digital

Change of the standard of broadcasting was followed by discontent of inhabitants: Norwegians are forced to buy new receivers or   adapters worth from 100 to 200 euros. Most of all  owners of cars had to spend for the equipment, however the DAB format by December, 2017 is available only  49% of motorists in Norway.

 According to the Dagbladet newspaper, even before  start of an initiative  of 66% of Norwegians spoke against shutdown  of FM and  only 17%  — for.

Aftenposten writes that on social networks there were groups of opponents of DAB who are dissatisfied with the decision of the authorities and are going to support the movement of the Norwegian radio pirates. Such situation, however, does not arrange National administration on communications which employees already began hunting behind illegal transmitters and closed one of piracy FM stations.

Experts also point that a covering of DAB in the territory of Norway insufficient. The first digital radio stations began to work in Norway in 1995, and by December of the 2017th in the country there are 31 national stations of the DAB standard.

Norway became the first country which disconnected radio receiving stations of FM. It is expected that Great Britain, Sweden and Denmark will follow this example.^[1]

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