DAB+ explained

Will UK digital radios soon be obsolete?

DAB+ offers better sound quality

In 2007 the World DAB organisation announced a new broadcast standard, DAB+, which offers better sound quality than the DAB standard used in the UK.

This left some people concerned that their digital radio would soon become obsolete. Communications regulator Ofcom has no plans to allow broadcasters to adopt the new DAB+ standard in the UK at the moment, but this could change in the future.

What will happen if DAB+ replaces DAB?

If the broadcasters and regulators dropped DAB in favour of DAB+ it's unlikely that current digital radio owners would be able to upgrade their model to receive the DAB+ signal.

However, it’s likely that if DAB+ were adopted in the UK, there would be a period when the two digital systems would run alongside one another. This would allow some stations to be broadcast in the new format and some in the old, which would give listeners time to switch to the new standard.

Newer digital radios will be upgradeable to the DAB+ and this is certainly something we'll be looking for in our digital radio tests.

Is it worth buying a new digital radio?

Don't be put off buying a DAB radio

If you're planning to buy a new digital radio, don't let the news about DAB+ put you off. Our discussions with broadcasters and regulators indicate that there is currently no deadline in place for the wholesale adoption of DAB+. 

This may not please everyone, as the current DAB standard has its critics. 

Sound quality

Despite its popularity, there are concerns about the sound quality of DAB radio.

Broadcasters use compression techniques to reduce the size of the DAB signal, which inevitably leads to some loss of sound quality.

We think the main advantage of digital radio is more station choice. If you have concerns about sound quality, we advise you to buy a Which? Best Buy digital radio that can receive an FM and a DAB signal.

Verdict

Technology changes over time, but it generally develops gradually and experiences periods of transition. The manufacturers are planning to bring out models that can be upgraded to receive DAB+ signals but we don't know when, or indeed if, this standard will be adopted in the UK – it could be several years away.

The future of DAB+

There are millions of people in the UK that have a DAB radio, so Ofcom will have to weigh up the advantages of phasing in a DAB+ system with the disadvantage of phasing out the current digital system.

It’s also likely that if DAB+ were to be adopted in the UK, there would be a period when both DAB and DAB+ would run alongside one another.

Find out more about DAB in the Which? digital radio reviews, our review of the best digital radio brands, and our guide to buying the best digital radio.