DAB radio finally hits home

DAB radios are set to become common in most UK homes within the next four
years.

According to the latest figures from the Digital Radio Development Bureau
(DRDB), household penetration for DAB radios will hit 58.5 per cent by the
end of 2011. By the end of this year, there will be around 6.6 million DAB
radios in UK homes, representing a penetration rate of 21per cent.

DAB radio functionality is no longer limited to dedicated radios but is now
being incorporated into hi-fi systems, iPod docks and digital music players,
which will drive take-up.

"A number of manufacturers are already starting to see the value of adding
DAB digital radio to some of these new form factors," explained DRDB chief
executive, Ian Dickens. "While it is important to continue to see successful
growth in traditional radio products, DAB's longer-term future lies in the
penetration of these new products, along with in-car and mobile phones. Over
the coming months, the DRDB will be changing its shape and focus to ensure
that radio moves swiftly down this road."

Ofcom is said to be considering a switch-off date for analogue radio, but no
date has been confirmed and a switch-off is not expected to occur until
after 2012, at the earliest. According to a recent Rajar report, DAB radio
listeners have grown from under a million in 2003 to over six million this
year.

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