Digital Audio Broadcast
Singapore adopted the Eureka-147 Digital Audio Broadcasting System, the standard recommended by International Telecommunication Union for worldwide adoption. Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) provides listeners with benefits like clear sound quality and the ability to access information like traffic updates and airport flight schedules.
Deployment and Development
Commercial DAB services were introduced in Singapore in 1999 to offer consumers more ways of enjoying digital radio content. To date, two DAB licences have been issued by MDA to MediaCorp Radio and Rediffusion.
Free DAB Services
MediaCorp had launched Asia’s first commercial digital radio service, SmartRadio, on 19 November 1999. MediaCorp terminated SmartRadio as of 1 Dec 2011 due to declining listenership.
Subscription DAB Services
Currently, Rediffusion is the only subscription radio service provider in Singapore. Since obtaining a DAB Multiplex Licence from the MDA in April 2005, Rediffusion has developed a set of DAB+ (a more advanced DAB technology) receivers encrypted with conditional access for the wireless pay service application, making it the world’s first and only digital DAB+ conditional access system for the mass market. Rediffusion operates 15 subscription DAB+ radio stations.