We answer your most frequent questions about DAB radio
In case you’re wondering, DAB stands for Digital Audio Broadcasting, and it stands to replace more traditional FM and AM technologies for in-car radio listening. DAB radio constitutes a major part of our range of in-car technology here at Car Communications, and we stock DAB products for a huge range of makes and models. As you might expect, that means we field countless questions about it from customers year after year. However, we find that often, it’s the same few that keep cropping up over and over again - so here are our answers to some of the most common!
Can I get DAB digital radio anywhere?
The UK’s DAB infrastructure has been steadily expanding for the past few years now, and today our DAB coverage dwarfs that of FM-based national commercial radio stations. Meanwhile, DAB coverage for local radio stations matches that of FM - and it’s growing all the time. To put that in terms of the statistics, DAB coverage for BBC national radio stations covers 98% of the UK, whereas for Digital one stations it stands at 92%. DAB coverage for national commercial stations is at 83%, and it’s 91% for local DAB. All told, they’re pretty respectable numbers, and on the whole it means you can generally rely on good DAB reception over the majority of the UK!
Can I listen to DAB radio overseas?
Generally, yes. A growing number of European countries are adopting and developing their own DAB infrastructure, and the world’s global car manufacturers now include DAB and even DAB+ technologies in their vehicles as standard. This means if you’ve bought your car at some point within the last five years, it’s a reasonably sure bet that it’ll have both DAB and DAB+ technology. Recent years have seen a lot of work on an overarching international standard, which has greatly influenced the development of DAB stations.
In a nutshell - whether you’re taking your vehicle overseas for a holiday or you’re doing so for a business trip, for most major cities and urban areas you’re almost guaranteed to be able to enjoy digital radio stations.
Can I listen to local DAB stations from other UK regions?
That depends. The way terrestrial systems typically broadcast means that you can only receive local stations if you’re comfortably within their transmitter range. That means if you’re in Manchester, unfortunately you probably won’t be able to tune into a local radio station in Bristol if you’re using your in-car DAB radio. However, you can use the internet to circumvent this - say if you’re able to hook up your phone to your car’s speaker system, and stream local radio using your data. When you’re at home, you can also access them via digital TV.
Is the sound quality of in-car DAB radio better than analogue radio?
Trust us, when you listen to them side by side, you can really tell the difference! DAB provides a far superior listening experience without the hiss or crackle that’s often the hallmark of FM and AM radio. It’s clearer and crisper, and has consistently been rated above FM radio since Ofcom first began keeping their records over a decade ago. In-car DAB radio is a particular favourite, and official statistics say that in-car DAB radio accounts for about 25% of all listening. This is partially because when you’re sat in your car, you’re surrounded on multiple sides by several car speakers, so you can listen to DAB in a naturally stereo environment.
Do I need a new aerial for in-car DAB radio?
If you’re upgrading your existing car, then in a word: yes. Cars that were factory-fitted with an FM radio will typically have an aerial that’s short and helically wound, often roof mounted. While this makes it well suited to amplify FM transmissions, it makes it less ideal for DAB transmissions. We stock a range of DAB antennas here at Car Communications - perfect pieces to help you upgrade your car’s sound system for the digital age.
When is the digital switchover happening?
We’ll be honest with you - at the time of writing, nobody quite knows. If you’re not sure what the digital switchover is, essentially it refers to the current proposal for all UK national radio stations (as well as most regional and local stations) to go from analogue to digital, leaving only a few smaller community stations to continue using FM. In 2010, the government set a criteria as a prerequisite for the digital switchover, which included:
- 50% of all radio listening being digital
- National DAB coverage to match FM
- Local DAB must reach 90% of all UK population and major roads
This criteria was met in May 2019. Shortly afterwards Margot James, the UK Minister for Digital and Creative Industries, announced a wide-ranging review of digital radio in the UK. The review is due to conclude by 2020, at which point a more wide-ranging plan may be put into place.
These are just a couple of the questions we often get about DAB radio, but they’re far from the only ones! You can find even more detailed answers elsewhere on our advice centre, including guides to the different kinds of DAB radio, and an all-encompassing DAB digital car radio guide. Or, if you want to fit upgrade your own car with DAB capability, you’re in exactly the right place. You can take a look at our wide range of DAB car radios and OEM digital car stereo adapters, or just give us a call on 01254 694537, and we’ll be happy to see how we can help!