Aeranti-Corallo, Italy’s association of local radio and television broadcasters, continues to ask for more DAB+ frequencies to avoid impacts to its local stations.
Its president, Marco Rossignoli, stated it would be “unthinkable” for the switch to DAB+ to result in downsizing, according to a release from Aeranti-Corallo.
As we reported in October, the Italian Ministry of Business and Made in Italy (MIMIT), which oversees the allocation of DAB+ frequency usage rights, divided the country into 21 catchment areas. In 10 of these regions, the number of groups seeking to operate on the area’s DAB+ networks exceeded the planned capacity.
Aeranti-Corallo has proposed that unused frequencies of television multiplex no. 12, part of Italy’s digital TV broadcast standard, be reassigned to local DAB+ networks.
In response, MIMIT has sought an opinion on the frequency reassignment from AGCOM, the Italian Communications Authority.
“We hope that MIMIT and AGCOM will quickly find a solution to the need for additional frequencies for DAB+ broadcasts by local broadcasters,” Rossignoli said in the release.
Rossignoli noted that local radio in Italy has around 19 million listeners and employs approximately 2,000 people. He emphasized the additional frequencies would enable the implementation of sector regulations as an evolution of the existing FM system.
