DAB – Digital Audio Broadcasting – technology might feel relatively modern, though it was actually first developed in the 1980s, and introduced in the UK in the 1990s. The BBC turned on its DAB service in 1995. DAB radio has gradually become more popular since then, with a growing range of stations available on the digital radio network, and the prices of DAB radios more accessible in comparison to the early days. DAB+ started broadcasting in 2016.
Although it’s likely to happen at some point in the future, the full UK-wide switchover to DAB hasn’t taken place. FM radio stations still operate, which is why many Roberts DAB radio products also provide access to FM – digital broadcasting works much better in urban areas – towns and cities – than in the countryside, so some parts of the UK may struggle to access radio through DAB.
