Firstly you need to identify which geographic areas you wish to broadcast to.
- The name of the local multiplex
- Its owner and operator
- Their contact details
- Whether there’s currently any space on that multiplex
Once you contact them they might ask for more information about the potential station and the financing behind it. For commercial multiplexes they also may ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement to get access to the pricing.
Some may want you to already have, or already have applied for a DSP licence from Ofcom.
These licences are issued on request and a single DSP licence covers all digital radio services that a particular person wants to broadcast, on any number of local / regional multiplexes. Further information about Ofcom licences can be found here.
Once you’ve agreed terms with the multiplex operator they’ll send you a contract and when you’ve signed that you’ll arrange a date for your station to launch.
Nowadays most multiplex operators will take an internet feed of your station. Ideally you want this to be:
- High bandwidth – at least 128kbit/s
- Something that doesn’t have any dynamic ads inserted
- Set up so that it doesn’t kick off listeners who’ve been connected for 24hours or similar.
Getting on DAB Digital Radio: Background – The Stages – The Costs