Some news about our Gloucestershire and Herefordshire & Worcestershire multiplexes.
We have been backwards and forwards a bit with these multiplexes. They were initially advertised and awarded as two separate areas. We then explored with Ofcom the opportunity to simulcast a mutiplex across two areas, which, in the early years, would provide the best coverage of local listeners’ favourite stations.
Since then, as part of Ofcom’s digital radio working group, we’ve been working on both the launch configuration and also the roll-out plan of more transmitters across the licence term. Whilst doing this work, it was announced that MXR would be handing back many of their licences over the next two years. This has now prompted Ofcom to re-distribute MXR frequencies to some local multiplexes.
This has meant another re-plan of our networks as new frequencies change the interference we will generate and also receive from other networks.
We have therefore decided to launch two separate multiplexes, with separate line-ups.
The Gloucestershire multiplex is currently scheduled to begin test transmissions in June this year. The Herefordshire and Worcestershire multiplex is going to use the MXR West Midlands frequency (and indeed their Bromsgrove transmitter) so will launch at a point shortly after their licence has been handed back to Ofcom. We expect our tests to start in September 2013.
If the Hereford/Worcester multiplex is using frequecy block 12A,what block will the Gloucestershire mux use?
please.
Glocestershire’s going to be on 10C.
Is it possible to give the TX sites for,H and W/Glos and
Tx powers.
Many thanks.
Also is it not possible to use Horizontal polarization
for some receiving Mux areas,in the future,to cope with all Radio stations that will migrate to DAB/or will only Vertical polarization ever be used?
What will 10B now be used for in this area, given that Worcestershire will no longer be using it? Thanks, James
Also, I notice elsewhere, comment has been made about the Forest of Dean not being covered. Can you explain how this area will be covered for the Gloucester mux and if necessary, on what frequency? Thanks.
Forest of Dean is very difficult to cover, it’s likely to be covered eventually, but not initially.
Regarding Gloucestershire, can I also say how very disappointed I am about the apparent lack of coverage for the Forest of Dean.
It is politically insensitive to have two transmitters serving the Cotswolds, yet nothing for the Dean – which constantly suffers as being the forgotten district, and the poor relation of the Cotswolds.
The Coleford TV transmitter (which has been identified by OfCOM for digital roll-out, could be employed. Also the large masts outside Cinderford at Collafield could be used.
The vague promise, Matt, of “it’s likely to be covered eventually” provides little (if no) comfort given Muxco’s poor track record on delivering services on time.
The Forest of Dean must not be excluded.
Whilst we would like to provide 100% coverage, the cost of doing this in the multiplex’s early days, I’m afraid, is uneconomic. As we add further stations during the licence term we will be able to increase the number of transmitters and cover difficult areas with lower population numbers.
As a multiplex operator, we (and other new multiplex operators) have been significantly encumbered by cross-industry discussions and developments. As the blog post talks about we have only been in a position to launch relatively recently.
We have developed significant plans to plan further roll-out: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/dab-coverage-planning/AnnexB/DSO_10C_Gloucestershire_DAB1.pdf