French media regulator CSA announced this month that the national DAB+ broadcast authorization across France will become effective on July 15, essentially setting the earliest day by which national broadcasters in France can go on air.
According to a WorldDAB summary of the CSA announcement, the first stage of the national broadcasts is set to cover highways in mainland France (often referred to as “metropolitan France” in French), starting with highways between the country’s two largest cities, Paris and Marseille, crossing Lyon.
A total of two multiplexes are set to launch in France in the summer of 2021, hosting 12 and 13 stations respectively. The 25 broadcasters that have been selected to broadcast nationally on DAB+ have already been determined, and include the six Radio France national radio stations.
WorldDAB said the CSA’s DAB+ rollout plan, the nodes and arcs strategy, which also includes continued regional rollouts alongside the launch of national services, aims to bring population coverage in France up to 40% by the end of 2022.
