The BBC has announced the build-out of the next phase of the BBC’s DAB digital radio transmitter network. This confirms the location of the next nine transmitting stations which the BBC hopes will be on-air by the end of April.
Two of the new DAB stations are already in service, having been commissioned into service over the last couple of weeks. These two – one located at Christchurch and the other at Sergeant’s Law – extend the coverage of the DAB network around Newport, Gwent (Wales) and South West Glasgow and Dumbarton (Scotland) respectively.
The other seven stations, all in England, are planned to enter service gradually over the next few months as the final project work is completed. These will serve the following areas:
- Bury St Edmonds (Puttocks Hill)
- Norwich and parts of East Norfolk (Stoke Holy Cross)
- Arundel and the South Downs (Burton Down)
- Alnwick and East Northumberland (Chatton)
- Newhaven (Newhaven)
- Mansfield (Fishponds Hill)
- York and the East Riding of Yorkshire (Acklam Wold)
In addition, the BBC is hoping to bring its DAB service to the Isle of Man and is working towards establishing a transmitter covering Douglas and the southern part of the island. It’s planned that this transmitter should come on air over the summer, subject to planning approval and engineering constraints.
All ten transmitting stations are being built and will be operated for the BBC by Arqiva. They represent the first of the new transmitters to be ordered under the £1.8 billion transmission agreement put in place between the two companies in September 2006.
Paul Eaton, Head of Broadcast Radio at Arqiva, said: “For many years we’ve built and operated transmitters for independent radio stations but these are the first we’ve provided for the BBC. It’s the start of a new digital era which will see us roll-out a completely new digital TV network for the BBC and, if approved, a substantial increase to their DAB network.”
Any expansion to the BBC’s DAB network beyond the transmitters mentioned above is subject to the further approval from the BBC Trust.
(Source: BBC)
