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Last update: 08.04.2024 - older versions

Radio Nacional de España begins DAB+ broadcasts

Coinciding with the celebration of World Radio Day and the centenary year of radio in Spain, Radio Nacional de España has started digital radio broadcasts in DAB+ together with Cellnex Telecom on 13 February 2024, with the firm intention of deploying this digital radio standard in our country, which is set to replace FM in the long term.

You can listen to the following broadcasts on DAB+:

- Radio Nacional and Radio 5 in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Murcia and Bilbao.

- Radio 3 in Valencia, Seville, Murcia and Bilbao.

These broadcasts are in addition to the existing DAB broadcasts of Radio Nacional, Radio Clásica, Radio 3, Radio 5 and Radio Exterior in Madrid and Barcelona.

On a monthly basis, RNE's offer on DAB+ and the coverage of the service will be progressively increased, starting broadcasts in other Spanish cities. On 19th March 2024, Radio Nacional, Radio 3 and Radio 5 launched on DAB+ in the metropolitan area of Santiago de Compostela.

Once deployed throughout Spain, DAB+ will allow Radio Televisión Española to provide the public radio broadcasting service in the terms currently entrusted to it by law, providing maximum geographical and social coverage, with the best quality and additional services specific to DAB+ and with free-to-air broadcasts and free reception.

Regional DAB+

In January 2020, the regional government in Navarra advertised capacity for six DAB services on a future ensemble for the region, designated FU-Nav. Simultaneously, the regional government advertised a total of 72 DAB licences across 12 ensembles, each of which will have local coverage.

In Mallorca, a multiplex licensed by the Autonomous Government of the Balearic Islands began broadcasting in February 2024, broadcasting four stations from the Serra de Alfabia.

Last update: 18.04.2024 - older versions

RNE DAB+ services are on air in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Murcia, Bilbao, Santiago de Compostela and Pamplona.

These broadcasts join the existing ones on DAB in Madrid and Barcelona.

RNE will increase monthly its content offer and coverage on DAB+ until the end of 2024.

RNE coverage: > 30% population

Rest of national stations: 20% population

Last update: 04.03.2024 - older versions

In this country there are

National multiplexes: 3 Regular

on air.

Please note:

(a) These web pages are updated regularly to reflect current services on air, however they may not be exactly up to date.

(b) The logos shown on these pages are for illustrative purposes only – manufacturers and broadcasters are directed here for information on implementing station logos.

A total of 18 DAB and 4 DAB+ legal audio services are on air, but enhanced features as text, images or programme guides are not available.

	Simulcast on AM / FM	Exclusive on digital	Total of services
DAB programmes	17	2	19
DAB+ programmes	3	0	3
Total	20	2	22

Last update: 04.03.2024 - older versions

In Spain, 98% of new cars sold in 2023 have DAB+ as standard (Source: JATO Dynamics 2023).

Last update: 04.03.2024 - older versions

Almost a 5% of digital radio receivers sold in retailers includes DAB/DAB+ receiver, although no DAB/DAB+ national promotion has been carried out.

It is estimated that nearly 3 million cars already have a DAB/DAB+ receiver in Spain.

Last update: 21.10.2019 - older versions

Spanish Broadcaster Radio Maria (http://www.radiomaria.es/) started DAB+ test transmissions in Madrid and Barcelona on 2014 December 30th.

This is the first time DAB+ has been used for radio broadcasting in Spain. This DAB/DAB+ network is operated by the Broadcast Network Operator Cellnex Telecom.

Last update: 04.03.2024 - older versions

National station licenses are issued by the central government, while local and regional licenses are the responsibility of the regional government. Licenses are valid for 15 years with an automatic renewal for a further 15 years. Advertising and sponsorship are permitted under the same rules which exist for analogue radio, and data is permitted on up to 20% of multiplex capacity.

Digital Audio Broadcasting is allowed by law in Band III.

There are three layers of services set out by law:

National, with 1 SFN multiplex and 2 MFN multiplexes
Regional (Comunidad Autónoma basis), with 1/3 SFN multiplex (nowadays without transmissions) and 2/3 MFN multiplex (not implemented)
Local, with 237 areas covered by different frequency blocks in Band III

Nowadays, due to the entry into force of the Digitalization Plan for Terrestrial Broadcasting, DAB services are on air only to cover a 20% of the Spanish population (Madrid and Barcelona including their metropolitan areas). It is the minimum population coverage required by the current National Technical Plan for Digital Audio Broadcasting.

RNE is providing DAB+ services covering a percentage of the population above that minimum.

¡Hola DAB! Ibertel jumpstarts DAB+ in Spain

11.04.2023 - Spain

Thanks to a new effort by telecom infrastructure company Ibertel, DAB+ is getting a jump start in Spain. After the initial roll out of digital radio in Spain in the late 1990s, the technology has largely stalled with DAB on the air in only a few markets. In recent years, however, the calls to implement DAB+ in the country have grown louder. In response, the Hola DAB project has quietly been moving forward to put in place the infrastructure needed to bring DAB+ to the whole of Spain. The initial phase of Hola DAB aims deploy DAB+ networks in 18 provinces across Spain, and then gradually growing to reach 95% of the Spanish population. Ibertel currently provides transmission services from 600 sites across Spanish territory. Despite being widely used elsewhere in Europe, Spain has not officially authorised the use of DAB+ in the country.

(Radio World) Read more

RTVE celebrates World Radio Day and switches on Ukrainian public radio on DAB

13.02.2023 - Spain

On World Radio Day, this year under the slogan 'Radio and Peace', RTVE has launched an initiative to support the Ukrainian people and its public radio, within the framework of the public service function of the Corporation: the temporary broadcasting of the generalist channel of the Ukrainian public radio, Suspilne Ukraine, which can be heard through Radio Nacional de España in its DAB broadcasting in Madrid and Barcelona.

(RTVE) Read more

Suspilne Ukraine to launch on DAB in Madrid and Barcelona

08.02.2023 - Spain

On Monday, RNE begins temporary broadcasting of the Ukrainian public radio channel, Suspilne Ukraine, on DAB radio. This is a solidarity initiative in support of Ukrainians fleeing the war and seeking refuge in the country, and of Ukrainian public radio, as part of the Corporation's public service function. The acting president of the Corporación RTVE and its Board of Directors, Elena Sánchez Caballero, together with representatives of the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, will visit on Monday the Centre for Care, Reception and Referral of Ukrainian Refugees (CREADE) in Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid), located a few metres from Prado del Rey, to "switch on" the signal of 'RNE - Suspilne Ukraine' and to hand over DAB receivers.

(RTVE) Read more

Javier Sánchez Pérez: "Lack of spectrum killed the radio star"

27.01.2023 - Spain

"The possible disappearance of DTT in 2030 could lead to the ostracisation of radio," says Javier Sánchez Pérez, a member of the Radio Committee of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Pérez reflects on the major challenges facing the broadcasting of audiovisual content. "Furthermore, in an adverse scenario, it could be questioned in Spain whether it is profitable to maintain FM services in a network initially designed to offer television services and without having undertaken the migration to DAB+. Because, so far, no one has demonstrated that there is a more efficient way of transmitting linear radio services to large audiences than with DAB+. Think of countries like Switzerland, whose DTT never had a high penetration rate and switched off in June 2019; but where DAB+ is profitable and overtook FM consumption already in 2019."

(Gorka Zumeta) Read more

Emisoras Musicales now broadcasting on DAB+

25.01.2023 - Spain

Spanish audio media company Emisoras Musicales has announced that its radio stations are now available on DAB+. The company launched the DAB+ offering with 17 stations, and since added three more from third parties. The company says the digital signal covers the entire Mediterranean coast of Spain and inland areas of the Valencian Community, where its analogue FM signal previously couldn’t reach. The company’s stations include Activa FM, MuyBuena, Bikini FM, La Flamenca, Esencia FM, La Mega, RockStar, Gold FM, La Indie and Corazón FM, which are now available on the digital radio channel in the peninsula — DAB+ channel 8D via wireless communications provider TelTower.

(RedTech) Read more

DAB in Spain, getting closer? Tender goes to the Constitutional Court

02.11.2022 - Spain

Jaime Rodríguez Díez, lawyer - partner at Díez & Romeo Abogados, shares the latest news on the state of DAB in Spain. Between September and October 2022, the Constitutional Court has admitted 16 Appeals for Protection (Recursos de Amparo) filed by several radio broadcasters against the refusal to award digital terrestrial sound broadcasting (DAB) licences. This is a step forward with regard to the situation of DAB.

(Panorama Audiovisual) Read more

Spain: regional and local DAB radio goes before the Constitutional Court

21.10.2022 - Spain

Spain's Constitutional Court has received 13 appeals from radio stations requesting digital radio licences. The challenge dates back to 2018 when the radio stations requested public tenders for available digital radio licences. Several reasons promoted the requests: low availability of broadcast radio licences, lack of available spectrum, an infringement on plurality and the ability operate in the digital world, leaving citizens with a reduced radio offer.

(Lawyer Press News) Read more

Javier Sánchez: "What about the future of radio in cars?"

17.06.2022 - Spain

Javier Sánchez, a member of the Radio Committee of the European Broadcasting Union raises concerns that Google is planning the future car entertainment system without taking into account the radio sector. "What could happen if the future of car radio ended up depending exclusively on Google, in the form of Android Automotive? (Spoiler: not good)," Sánchez says. "Because in Android Automotive there is no radio screen, but rather multiple buttons in the Media area. And one of those buttons is the radio button, sharing an area with aggregators..."

(Gorka Zumeta) Read more

Spanish Senator calls for urgent measures to implement DAB+

16.05.2022 - Spain

Compromís senator Carles Mulet announced that the Valencian coalition has tabled an amendment to the General Telecommunications Law to include the implementation of digital terrestrial radio DAB+ saying, "we are far behind in not digitising radio as in other countries around us". He recalled that in Europe all new vehicles are required to incorporate digital terrestrial broadcast receivers.

(Compromís Senate) Read more

Energy efficiency and sustainability of radio broadcasting in Spain

10.03.2022 - Spain

Javier Sanchez: "Perhaps it is worth opening a dialogue on the energy efficiency and sustainability of the radio in Spain... Extending it to the entire broadcast network in the territorial scope of coverage, it can be immediately deduced that electricity savings can be obtained by migrating from FM to DAB+."

(Gorka Zumeta) Read more