Some comments from government and BBC on switching off FM was down to having digital radio available to everyone. With local radio on Freeview and the UK wide coverage that is now the case. Although the majority of homes have a DAB radio there is little information on what they use as most radios also provide FM and AM and the poor signal strength of DAB means that many DAB radio are tuned into FM.

DAB and even DAB+ should be abandoned. Perhaps even being more radical and offering lower bit rate radio and TV designed primary for battery powered portables and in car entertainment and current news reporting. What is needed is a standard that see upgrades and improvements via software not hardware or at most updated software and a new chip – like changing a SIM or micro SD card. Even if the very best technology is implemented now there will be something better or very different in 5 years and in 10 years but computers will be able to change software and have new applications that can use the advancement. I have upgraded my digital TV from Freeview to Freeview+Freesat to Freeview+Freesat HD to Freeview HD + Freesat HD but changing a single add-on board – not needing to upgrade TV screen or sound system or the rest of the computer. There needs to be a design to do this for radio transmissions. unless the devices can be so cheap that it isn’t an issue.

As Jack Schofield points out most cars on the road do not have DAB – although all new cars will have DAB/DAB+ as standard. Devices for the car offering DAB+FM transmitter are now very cheap I can’t upgrade my car’s console as the manufacturer does not offer an upgrade service and no third party offers one.

Stereo FM is available on many mobile phones thrown in for “free” – but reception seems to be getting worse. Digital radio – what ever form or standard is used – consumes too much power and requires an adequate aerial so are unlikely to be ever offered with a mobile phone