Pure pleasure
The ‘reworked' plan unsurprisingly received the backing of the digital radio industry.
Ashley Tabor, founder & group CEO of Global, said: "We welcome the clear direction that that the minister has laid out today with a clear role for the BBC, commercial radio, retailers and manufacturers."
Chair of the Consumer Expert group, Leen Petré, said the interests of consumers, particularly vulnerable listeners have to be put at the heart of the process for shaping digital radio.
Tim Davie, director of audio and music at the BBC, said: "We welcome the Government's commitment to radio's digital future and the importance they have placed on the listener in any future switchover. The BBC will, along with Digital Radio UK, work closely with Government and the rest of the radio sector to deliver the Action Plan."
General manager of Pure, Paul Smith, said: "Despite the strategic nature of digital broadcast and the inevitable need for technological advances, there have been many confusing messages around digital radio switchover and this announcement gives much needed clarity to consumers and the radio industry as a whole."
The plan allows manufactures to push ahead with their strategies, safe in the knowledge the UK and other governments have committed to digital radio, he added.
Pure has created a "Digital Radio Explained" booklet, available at its website, to answer consumers' questions, particularly as Vaizey highlighted the challenges facing the car industry to roll out digital radios. The firm has already launched its Highway in-car adaptor but has plans to address challenges of the market, such as poor reception in heavily built-up areas.
Hossein Yassaie, CEO of Imagination, (which owns Pure and makes chips for various digital technologies,) said the UK can be proud to lead the development and roll-out of digital radio technologies as Europe, Australia and other territories strive to accelerate their plans.
"As with any new technology deployment, what is most required is certainty to further drive this technology into products across the mobile, consumer and automotive markets. Following this much needed announcement we are confident that our licensing partners in the digital broadcast market, their customers amongst the leading radio OEMs, and our PURE consumer brand, will now be able to implement innovative roadmaps and products in full confidence and at an accelerated pace," he added.
New independent research also published today has found the difference in energy consumption between analogue and digital radios is presently minimal but expected to improve.
However, digital transmission networks are significantly more energy efficient than their analogue equivalents. For example, it is estimated that transmitting Classic FM nationally via DAB uses less than 7 percent of the electricity needed to transmit it via FM. Meanwhile, local and regional DAB transmissions offer energy savings of around 50 percent.