Germany's DAB+ Radio Booms: New Sites, Stations, and Expansion Plans
Germany's DAB+ radio network has seen significant growth and improvements in recent months. Several new transmission sites have come online, enhancing reception and enabling new stations to join the digital platform.
In early September, the transmission site Neustrelitz in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern went live, boosting indoor reception in the region. Meanwhile, rs2 and Schlager Radio expanded their reach by joining the rbb multiplex in Berlin and Brandenburg. In the same area, 98.8 Kiss FM and Radio Bollerwagen started broadcasting in the private two-region multiplex.
Further north, Nius - Das Radio zu hoeren launched in Berlin, Hamburg, and other regions. In the Hunsrück region, the Haardtkopf transmission site resumed operation in early October, filling a significant gap in Rhineland-Palatinate and improving reception in the middle Mosel area. Looking ahead, expansion plans for 2025 include new locations in Meschede, Neuruppin, and Schwarzer Mann/Schnee-Eifel.
In the Muensterland region, 11 applicants, including local radio stations and program providers, participated in the tender for the last regional multiplex. The Eberswalde transmission site in Brandenburg began operation, improving indoor reception of the first national multiplex. Metropol FM has also started broadcasting in Hamburg on DAB+, its second digital terrestrial broadcasting area after Berlin. Lastly, Radio Mixtape will replace Noxx in the nationwide DAB+ multiplex for private providers in North Rhine-Westphalia from October 29.
These developments indicate a thriving DAB+ radio news landscape in Germany, with improved reception, expanded coverage, and new stations joining the platform. As the network continues to grow, listeners can expect more diverse and accessible digital radio news options.
