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News about SIBC
Well that is it, the FM Band will not be
closed down in 2015, not that anyone in the know really thought that it
could be. An early hint was that we had already been offered an
extension of our analogue licence until October 2016. All of this is
just as good, since we had already decided that there was no future for
SIBC in the established digital system, for technical and financial
reasons.
As you will know, if you have been following this tedious saga, since
1996 SIBC has been arguing that the European Eureka 147 Band III DAB
standard cannot achieve near-total coverage in hilly and large
geographical areas like Shetland. DAB on Band III is a cellular-like
system which, in difficult geography, results in large gaps in coverage.
It is also incredibly expensive for such local coverage, even when
compared to medium to high power FM. |
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Shetland's Location |
When the Digital Economy Bill was going through parliament earlier this
year (it is now law) there was a slight glimmer of hope that we might
achieve a digital radio alternative to DAB (such as DRM+) but compatible
with it. But that has not been adopted and it is probably too late for
an alternative to DAB anyway. Instead there was a concession that FM
will remain an option for local radio stations, with plans for an
electronic programme guide compatible with that of DAB.
Despite being committed to FM, SIBC acknowledges that the long term
future has to be some form of digital. For digital be suitable and
affordable for Shetland, it has to have near total coverage from a
single transmitter site. |
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