BERLIN � DAB+ radio is not getting as much traction in Germany as it has in other European countries such as Norway, The UK, Switzerland, or the Netherlands, and now the German government is taking more of a proactive approach to the matter, according to heise.de.�
Germany�s Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi) is working to promote digital radio services by mandating certain features in new radios. The�draft recommendation of 5.4.2017 (PDF)�suggests that high-quality radio receivers may only be sold if they are suitable for the reception of standards-appropriate digital signals.
According to the draft, devices which are �primarily intended for the reception of sound broadcasting and which are capable of displaying program names must be provided with at least one interface, according to the recognized rules of technology, which allows the user to receive and reproduce digitally encoded contents.” Whether that interface is DAB +, LAN or WLAN does not matter, according to the same article.�� Auto radios will be affected by this new law because they show, by way of RDS, information such as program names.
Lawmakers say because of the new rule consumers will receive a “quantitatively and qualitatively improved radio program” through devices with the additional digital reception features. A twelve month transitional period will allow for old equipment to be sold off. Devices without display of the program name should not be affected, according to the same article.
BMWi also says “The legal regulation does not mean that the citizens are forced to procure a new device.”�
