Anyone know anything about Brighton on 7D ? I somehow don't think they'll be on until the new year
I'm guessing when their trial date ends, so possibly the 1st Jan.
I am assuming that, as most of the team doing the tech work live near or in Brighton,it will happen over Christmas break.
As I understand it, (I may not have this 100% right) when a multiplex is tested and commissioned, details are reported to Ofcom for them to issue the licence.
Ofcom is about to close for the Christmas break. That means, any SSDAB ready and commissioned over the break, won’t be able to have their licence issued until Ofcom reopens on Jan 5. And then the paperwork may take a few days.
With twelve SSDAB multiplexes due to launch before Jan 22, and with Christmas/New Year in the way, things are a little on the tight side.
Anyone know anything about Brighton on 7D ? I somehow don't think they'll be on until the new year
I'm guessing when their trial date ends, so possibly the 1st Jan.
I am assuming that, as most of the team doing the tech work live near or in Brighton,it will happen over Christmas break.
As I understand it, (I may not have this 100% right) when a multiplex is tested and commissioned, details are reported to Ofcom for them to issue the licence.
Ofcom is about to close for the Christmas break. That means, any SSDAB ready and commissioned over the break, won’t be able to have their licence issued until Ofcom reopens on Jan 5. And then the paperwork may take a few days.
With twelve SSDAB multiplexes due to launch before Jan 22, and with Christmas/New Year in the way, things are a little on the tight side.
Wrong. They have to have the licence before it goes on. Technically
Anyone know anything about Brighton on 7D ? I somehow don't think they'll be on until the new year
I'm guessing when their trial date ends, so possibly the 1st Jan.
I am assuming that, as most of the team doing the tech work live near or in Brighton,it will happen over Christmas break.
As I understand it, (I may not have this 100% right) when a multiplex is tested and commissioned, details are reported to Ofcom for them to issue the licence.
Ofcom is about to close for the Christmas break. That means, any SSDAB ready and commissioned over the break, won’t be able to have their licence issued until Ofcom reopens on Jan 5. And then the paperwork may take a few days.
With twelve SSDAB multiplexes due to launch before Jan 22, and with Christmas/New Year in the way, things are a little on the tight side.
Wrong. They have to have the licence before it goes on. Technically
Anyone know anything about Brighton on 7D ? I somehow don't think they'll be on until the new year
I'm guessing when their trial date ends, so possibly the 1st Jan.
I am assuming that, as most of the team doing the tech work live near or in Brighton,it will happen over Christmas break.
As I understand it, (I may not have this 100% right) when a multiplex is tested and commissioned, details are reported to Ofcom for them to issue the licence.
Ofcom is about to close for the Christmas break. That means, any SSDAB ready and commissioned over the break, won’t be able to have their licence issued until Ofcom reopens on Jan 5. And then the paperwork may take a few days.
With twelve SSDAB multiplexes due to launch before Jan 22, and with Christmas/New Year in the way, things are a little on the tight side.
Wrong. They have to have the licence before it goes on. Technically
Well, yes, that’s true.
My understanding is, that the licence can only be issued after the technical report/commissioning has happened. Then the licence is issued and the mux switched on.
Talking to one operator, they said that Ofcom won’t issue a licence until they have been supplied with the technical test info. Meaning, anyone doing the technical tests over Christmas, will have to wait until Ofcom come back from their break.
Anyone know anything about Brighton on 7D ? I somehow don't think they'll be on until the new year
I'm guessing when their trial date ends, so possibly the 1st Jan.
I am assuming that, as most of the team doing the tech work live near or in Brighton,it will happen over Christmas break.
As I understand it, (I may not have this 100% right) when a multiplex is tested and commissioned, details are reported to Ofcom for them to issue the licence.
Ofcom is about to close for the Christmas break. That means, any SSDAB ready and commissioned over the break, won’t be able to have their licence issued until Ofcom reopens on Jan 5. And then the paperwork may take a few days.
With twelve SSDAB multiplexes due to launch before Jan 22, and with Christmas/New Year in the way, things are a little on the tight side.
Surely there is leeway on the ‘before January 2026’ stipulation if Ofcom itself is closed. Would be harsh if licence winners get revoked if not on air by 1st January because of this.
Anyone know anything about Brighton on 7D ? I somehow don't think they'll be on until the new year
I'm guessing when their trial date ends, so possibly the 1st Jan.
I am assuming that, as most of the team doing the tech work live near or in Brighton,it will happen over Christmas break.
As I understand it, (I may not have this 100% right) when a multiplex is tested and commissioned, details are reported to Ofcom for them to issue the licence.
Ofcom is about to close for the Christmas break. That means, any SSDAB ready and commissioned over the break, won’t be able to have their licence issued until Ofcom reopens on Jan 5. And then the paperwork may take a few days.
With twelve SSDAB multiplexes due to launch before Jan 22, and with Christmas/New Year in the way, things are a little on the tight side.
Wrong. They have to have the licence before it goes on. Technically
Anyone know anything about Brighton on 7D ? I somehow don't think they'll be on until the new year
I'm guessing when their trial date ends, so possibly the 1st Jan.
I am assuming that, as most of the team doing the tech work live near or in Brighton,it will happen over Christmas break.
As I understand it, (I may not have this 100% right) when a multiplex is tested and commissioned, details are reported to Ofcom for them to issue the licence.
Ofcom is about to close for the Christmas break. That means, any SSDAB ready and commissioned over the break, won’t be able to have their licence issued until Ofcom reopens on Jan 5. And then the paperwork may take a few days.
With twelve SSDAB multiplexes due to launch before Jan 22, and with Christmas/New Year in the way, things are a little on the tight side.
Wrong. They have to have the licence before it goes on. Technically
Well, yes, that’s true.
My understanding is, that the licence can only be issued after the technical report/commissioning has happened. Then the licence is issued and the mux switched on.
Talking to one operator, they said that Ofcom won’t issue a licence until they have been supplied with the technical test info. Meaning, anyone doing the technical tests over Christmas, will have to wait until Ofcom come back from their break.
Anyone know anything about Brighton on 7D ? I somehow don't think they'll be on until the new year
I'm guessing when their trial date ends, so possibly the 1st Jan.
I am assuming that, as most of the team doing the tech work live near or in Brighton,it will happen over Christmas break.
As I understand it, (I may not have this 100% right) when a multiplex is tested and commissioned, details are reported to Ofcom for them to issue the licence.
Ofcom is about to close for the Christmas break. That means, any SSDAB ready and commissioned over the break, won’t be able to have their licence issued until Ofcom reopens on Jan 5. And then the paperwork may take a few days.
With twelve SSDAB multiplexes due to launch before Jan 22, and with Christmas/New Year in the way, things are a little on the tight side.
Surely there is leeway on the ‘before January 2026’ stipulation if Ofcom itself is closed. Would be harsh if licence winners get revoked if not on air by 1st January because of this.
Jan 1 isn’t the deadline - that is Jan, 22.
The 18 month period from the original offer is cast in law and Ofcom have no ability to change that or give even 60 seconds of leeway.
If any of the round five offers, all made on the same day, are not on air by 22 Jan, then that’s the end of them.
Surely there is leeway on the ‘before January 2026’ stipulation if Ofcom itself is closed. Would be harsh if licence winners get revoked if not on air by 1st January because of this.
Given that they have had 18 months since the licence award to get on-air, (which was known at the time), and Christmas happens every year so shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, why should OFCOM give "leeway"?
Do OFCOM even have the power to offer a grace period, or is the 18 month award to on-air deadline part of the legislation that enabled SSDAB?
Surely there is leeway on the ‘before January 2026’ stipulation if Ofcom itself is closed. Would be harsh if licence winners get revoked if not on air by 1st January because of this.
Given that they have had 18 months since the licence award to get on-air, (which was known at the time), and Christmas happens every year so shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, why should OFCOM give "leeway"?
Do OFCOM even have the power to offer a grace period, or is the 18 month award to on-air deadline part of the legislation that enabled SSDAB?
As I understand it the statutory legislation requires it to be 18 months and Ofcom have no ability to extend. After 22 January the licence is dead and has to be re-advertised.
So the trail ends 31st so will to be switched off and the new 7D is not on air 1st Jan it could be up to 3 weeks silence, and if it never launches by the 22nd deadline Brighton wont have any DAB anymore ?
So the trail ends 31st so will to be switched off and the new 7D is not on air 1st Jan it could be up to 3 weeks silence, and if it never launches by the 22nd deadline Brighton wont have any DAB anymore ?
That seems to be what is being said (assuming you are referring only to small scale DAB).
Surely there is leeway on the ‘before January 2026’ stipulation if Ofcom itself is closed. Would be harsh if licence winners get revoked if not on air by 1st January because of this.
Given that they have had 18 months since the licence award to get on-air, (which was known at the time), and Christmas happens every year so shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, why should OFCOM give "leeway"?
Do OFCOM even have the power to offer a grace period, or is the 18 month award to on-air deadline part of the legislation that enabled SSDAB?
I get the impression almost every SSDAB licence takes it to the wire to get on air. Maybe they all have similar problems securing funding, securing site leases etc. Or it is just entrepreneurs trying to do this in their spare time amongst other things and procrastinating for too long until it becomes clear they need to step on the gas?
Surely there is leeway on the ‘before January 2026’ stipulation if Ofcom itself is closed. Would be harsh if licence winners get revoked if not on air by 1st January because of this.
Given that they have had 18 months since the licence award to get on-air, (which was known at the time), and Christmas happens every year so shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, why should OFCOM give "leeway"?
Do OFCOM even have the power to offer a grace period, or is the 18 month award to on-air deadline part of the legislation that enabled SSDAB?
I get the impression almost every SSDAB licence takes it to the wire to get on air. Maybe they all have similar problems securing funding, securing site leases etc. Or it is just entrepreneurs trying to do this in their spare time amongst other things and procrastinating for too long until it becomes clear they need to step on the gas?
Not sure you're right to say "almost every" awardee takes it to the wire. Even in Round Five (a more complex one with quite a few big muxes with multiple transmitter sites and a lot of constraints) three big London ones, Portsmouth, South Hertfordshire and Southend are on (in some cases for a while). In earlier rounds (and indeed later ones) those with single site plans, particularly if it's an existing site, are reasonably often on air pretty quickly.
I suspect there are multiple reasons why some take it to the wire:
1. Trial licensees (like Brighton) are already on air. Some of those have limited incentive to move from a trial WTA licence (which is a fair bit less restrictive) to a permanent one until they need to.
2. Some underestimate the planning and consent issues, and may even need to re-plan significantly. Grenfell has added to nervousness for freeholders of large buildings, planning authorities differ, and they've even had ones on churches where the bishop needs to give the nod. Others are just complex full stop - a five transmitter plan in a hilly area is just tricky to pull together.
3. Some are reliant on grants, donations and pre-payments from services carried - they might not have big technical headaches, but don't have ready cash and need to wait until the begging bowl is full.
4. For some, the business case is marginal. They might take the view that until they've signed up X number of services paying £Y, they don't want to incur costs. Some of these get over the line, and others hand back late on saying "on reflection, we can't make it work".
5. Some have other problems - a backer who pulls out, goes bankrupt, or even dies. In these situations, remaining partners might try to go ahead or essentially sell the business with the award, and it all takes time.
The revocation notices for those that don't make it aren't terribly detailed but hint at this sort of variety of reasons why some operators struggle and others fail to make it.
So the trail ends 31st so will to be switched off and the new 7D is not on air 1st Jan it could be up to 3 weeks silence, and if it never launches by the 22nd deadline Brighton wont have any DAB anymore ?
That seems to be what is being said (assuming you are referring only to small scale DAB).
They have updated their website and states ‘ On January 1st 2026, Brighton and Hove Digital Radio CIC, operating as Brighton DAB will upgrade the trial with a full ‘broadcast multiplex’ licence - issued by the Ofcom’.
So the trail ends 31st so will to be switched off and the new 7D is not on air 1st Jan it could be up to 3 weeks silence, and if it never launches by the 22nd deadline Brighton wont have any DAB anymore ?
That seems to be what is being said (assuming you are referring only to small scale DAB).
The whole process is ridiculously slow. Everything should be up and running well within a year if not sooner
Everything should be up and running well within a year if not sooner
Do you have personal experience of what is involved to validate this statement - or is it just what you think should happen?
No but surely most would agree 1 year is enough time to get it all sorted and on air. 18 months is realty letting it drag on for far too long
Take a look at post #8040, which lists several reasons these things take longer than you want. There are other reasons too.
Unless you have experience of building and financing something like this, or indeed a single or multiple FM equivalent transmission site, you really don't fully understand why some go down to the wire.
There are several people here who have either done this or are currently doing it, and who more fully understand what is involved.
If you are convinced you can do it faster, feel free to apply for an area in the future.
Everything should be up and running well within a year if not sooner
Do you have personal experience of what is involved to validate this statement - or is it just what you think should happen?
No but surely most would agree 1 year is enough time to get it all sorted and on air. 18 months is realty letting it drag on for far too long
Not really. While it's clear some of the one site muxes have been able to broadcast in rapid time, you have to look at London S where two of the four tx sites are shared with London W which has led to poor reception in parts of the TSA. At a guess despite having 18 months, some mux operators have struggled to find suitable sites, or get planning permission in time.
They have updated their website and states ‘ On January 1st 2026, Brighton and Hove Digital Radio CIC, operating as Brighton DAB will upgrade the trial with a full ‘broadcast multiplex’ licence - issued by the Ofcom’.
They have updated their website and states ‘ On January 1st 2026, Brighton and Hove Digital Radio CIC, operating as Brighton DAB will upgrade the trial with a full ‘broadcast multiplex’ licence - issued by the Ofcom’.
Comments
Im guessing when their trail date ends, so possibly the 1st Jan.
I am assuming that, as most of the team doing the tech work live near or in Brighton,it will happen over Christmas break.
As I understand it, (I may not have this 100% right) when a multiplex is tested and commissioned, details are reported to Ofcom for them to issue the licence.
Ofcom is about to close for the Christmas break. That means, any SSDAB ready and commissioned over the break, won’t be able to have their licence issued until Ofcom reopens on Jan 5. And then the paperwork may take a few days.
With twelve SSDAB multiplexes due to launch before Jan 22, and with Christmas/New Year in the way, things are a little on the tight side.
Wrong. They have to have the licence before it goes on. Technically
Well, yes, that’s true.
My understanding is, that the licence can only be issued after the technical report/commissioning has happened. Then the licence is issued and the mux switched on.
Talking to one operator, they said that Ofcom won’t issue a licence until they have been supplied with the technical test info. Meaning, anyone doing the technical tests over Christmas, will have to wait until Ofcom come back from their break.
Surely there is leeway on the ‘before January 2026’ stipulation if Ofcom itself is closed. Would be harsh if licence winners get revoked if not on air by 1st January because of this.
You mean a WT licence?
Jan 1 isn’t the deadline - that is Jan, 22.
The 18 month period from the original offer is cast in law and Ofcom have no ability to change that or give even 60 seconds of leeway.
If any of the round five offers, all made on the same day, are not on air by 22 Jan, then that’s the end of them.
Given that they have had 18 months since the licence award to get on-air, (which was known at the time), and Christmas happens every year so shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, why should OFCOM give "leeway"?
Do OFCOM even have the power to offer a grace period, or is the 18 month award to on-air deadline part of the legislation that enabled SSDAB?
As I understand it the statutory legislation requires it to be 18 months and Ofcom have no ability to extend. After 22 January the licence is dead and has to be re-advertised.
That seems to be what is being said (assuming you are referring only to small scale DAB).
I get the impression almost every SSDAB licence takes it to the wire to get on air. Maybe they all have similar problems securing funding, securing site leases etc. Or it is just entrepreneurs trying to do this in their spare time amongst other things and procrastinating for too long until it becomes clear they need to step on the gas?
Not sure you're right to say "almost every" awardee takes it to the wire. Even in Round Five (a more complex one with quite a few big muxes with multiple transmitter sites and a lot of constraints) three big London ones, Portsmouth, South Hertfordshire and Southend are on (in some cases for a while). In earlier rounds (and indeed later ones) those with single site plans, particularly if it's an existing site, are reasonably often on air pretty quickly.
I suspect there are multiple reasons why some take it to the wire:
1. Trial licensees (like Brighton) are already on air. Some of those have limited incentive to move from a trial WTA licence (which is a fair bit less restrictive) to a permanent one until they need to.
2. Some underestimate the planning and consent issues, and may even need to re-plan significantly. Grenfell has added to nervousness for freeholders of large buildings, planning authorities differ, and they've even had ones on churches where the bishop needs to give the nod. Others are just complex full stop - a five transmitter plan in a hilly area is just tricky to pull together.
3. Some are reliant on grants, donations and pre-payments from services carried - they might not have big technical headaches, but don't have ready cash and need to wait until the begging bowl is full.
4. For some, the business case is marginal. They might take the view that until they've signed up X number of services paying £Y, they don't want to incur costs. Some of these get over the line, and others hand back late on saying "on reflection, we can't make it work".
5. Some have other problems - a backer who pulls out, goes bankrupt, or even dies. In these situations, remaining partners might try to go ahead or essentially sell the business with the award, and it all takes time.
The revocation notices for those that don't make it aren't terribly detailed but hint at this sort of variety of reasons why some operators struggle and others fail to make it.
Yep no ELED, they are now hope to be fully on by Friday.
Green DAB has a date for the 17/01 😬
They have updated their website and states ‘ On January 1st 2026, Brighton and Hove Digital Radio CIC, operating as Brighton DAB will upgrade the trial with a full ‘broadcast multiplex’ licence - issued by the Ofcom’.
The whole process is ridiculously slow. Everything should be up and running well within a year if not sooner
Do you have personal experience of what is involved to validate this statement - or is it just what you think should happen?
No but surely most would agree 1 year is enough time to get it all sorted and on air. 18 months is realty letting it drag on for far too long
Yikes indeed!
Take a look at post #8040, which lists several reasons these things take longer than you want. There are other reasons too.
Unless you have experience of building and financing something like this, or indeed a single or multiple FM equivalent transmission site, you really don't fully understand why some go down to the wire.
There are several people here who have either done this or are currently doing it, and who more fully understand what is involved.
If you are convinced you can do it faster, feel free to apply for an area in the future.
Not really. While it's clear some of the one site muxes have been able to broadcast in rapid time, you have to look at London S where two of the four tx sites are shared with London W which has led to poor reception in parts of the TSA. At a guess despite having 18 months, some mux operators have struggled to find suitable sites, or get planning permission in time.
https://www.opendab.org/brighton-about
I can’t post links yet.