WorldDMB has assembled key statistics from digital radio markets worldwide to present the status and progress of DAB/DAB+ in nine major territories.
According to the findings, DAB/DAB+ coverage in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark and Netherlands is now more than 90 percent. Also, during the last 12 months, DAB+ services launched in the Netherlands, Poland and France and a second national commercial multiplex was awarded in Italy.
The data published by WorldDMB also points out that in mature digital radio markets, household penetration is close to half of the population — U.K. 46 percent, Norway 43 percent, Switzerland 39 percent and Denmark 37 percent.
As regards Norway and its projected digital switchover in 2017–2019, the report states that as of Q2 2014, 47 percent of the country’s listeners were using a digital device, and that the market appears on track to achieve the switchover target of 50 percent by the end of 2014. Furthermore, it states that the Norwegian Media Authority announced this month that all other switchover criteria have been met.
Worldwide cumulative sales of consumer and automotive DAB/DAB+ radios now exceed 26.5 million, it says, with particularly strong growth in Germany, Switzerland and Norway. Today, about 30,000 kilometers of highways in mainland Europe and the Nordic region are covered by a digital radio signal with 63 percent of new vehicles in Norway, 55 percent in the U.K. and 29 percent in Switzerland line fitted with DAB digital radio.
