It’s probably time for a bit of an update about our forthcoming multiplexes launches. We’ve had a busy few months organising the technical roll-out of the next batch which includes North Wales, North Yorkshire and Somerset.
As you may be aware, commercial radio, the BBC, Ofcom and Government have been working together on the roll-out of hundreds of new local transmitters. We’ve also had changes as the regional multiplexes have been discontinued. Collectively all of this work has meant that the new launches have had to change quite a lot of their transmitter plans, which has a knock-on – generally positive – to the coverage and the cost and… well… taken together it just means a bit more work for everyone.
However, a decent amount of the work’s been completed which means we’ve been able to sign transmission contracts for our multiplexes in Somerset, North Yorkshire and North Wales.
*** Health Warning ***
As always, we try and be open as we can on the blog, however things do change – sometimes in our control and sometimes out of control. Millions of pounds of gear need to be attached to structures, lots of telecom lines need to be put in, there’s huge amounts of actual physical engineering, so launch dates do change! These are indicative and what collectively hundreds of people are working to!
So, we’re looking to launch Somerset towards the end of the Summer and North Yorkshire and North Wales will be on-air towards the end of 2014. Additionally Lincolnshire will launch in 2015.
Hopefully over the coming weeks we’ll be able to publish some coverage maps and also be a little firmer with the service provider line-ups.
As well as the usual suspects we’ve had some really interesting discussions with other service providers – from community stations to new local entrants – about these multiplexes. If you’re interested in broadcasting on them, now is an excellent time to get in touch. We have a questionnaire that allows us to find out a bit more about you, so we can respond better to your situation.
Hi, will the N.Yorks multiplex include Olivers Mount from launch?
Thanks for the update.
I thought Lincs FM had withdrawn from their DAB interests, so how can the Lincolnshire Muxco go ahead “in 2015”?
The Lincs FM guys are still very much on board.
Any info on Oliver’s Mount for the N.Yorks mux Matt?
Hello – Launch will be Bilsdale, Harrogate Hilderbrand and Acklam Wold. Phase 2 will be Oliver’s Mount. Definitely within two years, hopefully sooner.
You guys have been saying “couple of years” for years.
We have – but I would point you to he fact that we’re working through all of our multiplexes gradually launching them. There’s five on air at the moment, another three this year and Lincolnshire to follow next year.
A Lincs FM annual report from a year or so back suggested that they have withdrawn from DAB, indeed I believe they have taken most/all of their stations throughout the country off the service. How can Muxco go ahead with the Lincolnshire service if it’s senior partner has no interest in the development of digital radio?
Hi Steve, that’s probably a question direct for Lincs FM. I would say however that Lincs is a significant partner on this multiplex which I imagine makes the economics quite different to just being a tenant on one of Bauer’s legacy multiplexes.
Disappointing . II thought as the muxmux had been delayed for so long you might include it from launch
Oliver’s Mount is one of the transmitters that’s being funded by a consortium of the Government, BBC and ourselves. We have some more details to sort out with our partners before we can confirm when this will go live. This could be sooner or later, we won’t know for a little while.
OK, thanks Matt. Sooner would be good though 🙂