The draft additional audio codec for DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) was announced by WorldDMB last November in Korea and now it has a name. The organisation has confirmed that DAB+ is to be the name of the additional audio codec. Marketing materials designed to help consumers identify DAB+ on receivers compatible with the additional audio codec are being developed by the WorldDMB Marketing Committee. The additional audio codec specification for DAB+ was submitted to ETSI for standardisation in December, and is expected to be issued as a worldwide standard in March 2007. Roll out of DAB+ services and receivers are expected to commence in a number of countries during 2007 and WorldDMB anticipates countries where DAB is currently in trial phase or has not yet been licensed will be the first to introduce the new audio codec.
DAB+ allows regulators and broadcasters to implement DAB with improvements in spectrum efficiency, lower per-station transmission costs and offer listeners an even greater choice of services. Standard DAB can be broadcast at the same time as DAB+ and new receivers, which include both types of audio codec, will work in any country. Visitors to this year’s Le Radio in Paris will have the unique opportunity to witness the first live on-air broadcast of DAB+ . WorldDMB member VDL has announced that all DAB based technologies (including DAB, DAB+ and DMB) will be on air throughout the exhibition, which takes place from the 11th –14th February. This demonstration will also showcase the unique scalability and compatibility of Eureka147– based solutions, which are particularly suited to any combination of radio, television or multimedia broadcaster.
