Applications received by Ofcom by the closing date for the eighth round of small-scale DAB radio licences. 

SSDAB Round 8 Areas - Applications Received:

Area	Applicant
Armagh	NIDAB Limited
Ballymena	NIDAB Limited
Barnsley	Communication Media CIC
Burton-on-Trent & Lichfield	Maxxwave Ltd
Cheltenham & Tewkesbury	TLRC (Radio Investments) Ltd
Chippenham & Malmesbury	North Wiltshire DAB
Coleraine	NIDAB Limited
Cookstown & Dungannon	NIDAB Limited
Leamington Spa & Stratford-upon-Avon	Maxxwave Ltd
Newbury	Kennet DAB Ltd
Skye & Lochalsh	Craoladh Digiteach lonadail Ltd
Telford & Shrewsbury	Maxxwave Ltd
Ullapool	Craoladh Digiteach lonadail Ltd

 

 

SSDAB Round 8 Readvertised Areas - Applications Received: 

Area	Applicant
Chester	Niocast Digital Ltd
Derby	Derby DAB Ltd
	Maxxwave Ltd
Guildford & Woking	Woking, Aldershot and Guildford SSDAB Ltd
Lincoln	Maxxwave Ltd
South West Fife	C.I Broadcasting Ltd
South West Sussex	West Sussex Digital Radio Ltd
Weymouth & Dorchester	Wide Digital Ltd

 

 

SSDAB Round 8 Areas - No Applications Received: 

 

Area

Aberystwyth

Andover

Barnstaple & Bideford

Brecon

Bury St Edmunds, Thetford & Mildenhall

Chesterfield

Cookstown & Dungannon

East Cornwall

East Edinburgh & South Forth coast

Falmouth, Penzance & Redruth

Gairloch

Girvan & Cumnock

Grantham & Sleaford

Grimsby

Kilmarnock

Mansfield & Worksop

Monmouth

Newquay, St Austell & Truro

North Powys

Omagh

Perth

Peterlee

Pitlochry & Aberfeldy

Scunthorpe

South Hams

South Powys

Stroud

Tiverton

 

 

SSDAB Round 8 Readvertised Areas - No Applications Received:  

Area

Berwickshire & Roxburgh

Dundee & North East Fife

Kintyre, Islay & Jura

 

Ofcom has today published a full list of applicants for the eighth round of small-scale DAB radio licences.

Inverclyde Coast SSDAB ensemble:  

Lomond Country has been added, using DAB+ at 48 kbit/s.

 

Source: Wohnort 

North West Wales Local DAB ensemble: 
Since the previous observation, Nation 70s has been added, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s.

 

North Birmingham SSDAB ensemble:  

Christmas Radio has been added, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s. 

 

South Birmingham SSDAB ensemble:  

Christmas has been added, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s. 

 

Despite the different service names, this is the same "Christmas Radio" service on both ensembles.

 

Source: Wohnort 

Ofcom has awarded 5 new SSDAB licences: 

Following a competitive process, where each applicant was judged against specific criteria, multiplex licences have been awarded for the following areas:

    Lancaster: licence awarded to North Lancashire DAB Limited
    North Somerset: licence awarded to Bath Digital Radio
    Oban: licence awarded to: Caledonia TX Limited
    Taunton: licence awarded to Taunton DAB Limited
    West Oxfordshire: licence awarded to WOXDAB  

 

Each area has been awarded to the sole applicant. 

 

Source: Ofcom

 

 

Bath & NESomerst SSDAB ensemble:  

Since the previous observation, Gorgeous Radio has been added, using DAB+ at 48 kbit/s

 

Source: Wohnort 

Nottingham SSDAB ensemble:  
Since the previous observation, Athavan Radio has been added, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s. 

Shefcast Digital SSDAB ensemble (Sheffield and Rotherham): 

GlitterBeam was observed using Mono DAB+ at 24 kbit/s.

 

York SSDAB ensemble:  

GlitterBeam was observed using Stereo DAB+ at 24 kbit/s.

 

Source: Wohnort 

 

Wohnort also reported changes to the Doncaster and the York SSDAB ensembles, which had already been reported on November 7th. 

East Manchester SSDAB ensemble:  
Since the previous observation:

Radio O has been added, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s. 
 

Source: Wohnort 

SDL National DAB ensemble: 

Since the previous observation:

Sunrise Radio UK has switched to using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s.

Sunrise Hits UK has been added, using DAB+ at 24 kbit/s. 
 

London 2 Local DAB ensemble:  

Since the previous observation:

Virgin Xmas has been added, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s.
Virgin 80s has dropped from 48 to 32 kbit/s.
Sunrise Smooth has been relabelled Sunrise Retro. 

 
Surrey-NSussex Local DAB ensemble: 
Since the previous observation, Fun Kids Xmas has been added, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s.

 

Cheshire Mid SSDAB ensemble:  

Since the previous observation, Radio Maria has been relabelled Radio Maria. (full stop added).

 

Doncaster SSDAB ensemble:  

YO1 Radio has been added, using DAB+ at 48 kbit/s.

 

High Peak SSDAB ensemble:  

Since the previous observation:

Like COUNTRY, Like ONE, Like POP and Like RETRO have ceased.

NTH DERBYSHIRE has been relabelled North Derbyshire.

 

Northampton, NNDAB SSDAB ensemble:  

Since the previous observation:

HORIZON has been relabelled Horizon Radio.
revolution has been relabelled Revolution Radio.
All services are now running at EEP 3-A.

 

Plymouth SSDAB ensemble:  

Since the previous observation:

The Witch has been added, using DAB+ at 48 kbit/s.
Diamond Groove has ceased.. 

 

Wolverhampton SSDAB ensemble:  

Radio Maria has been added, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s. 

 

York SSDAB ensemble:  

Sine FM has been added, using DAB+ at 48 kbit/s.

 

Source: Wohnort 

Cambridge 2 SSDAB ensemble:  
Since the previous observation:
HCR104fm has ceased.
News Radio UK has been added.
 
London S SSDAB ensemble:  
Wohnort's latest update indicates that this ensemble is currently carrying six services.
Wohnort's latest snapshot can be found here. 
  
London W SSDAB ensemble:  
Wohnort's latest update indicates that this ensemble is currently carrying four services.
Wohnort's latest snapshot can be found here. 
 
Walsall SSDAB ensemble:  
Wohnort's latest update indicates that this ensemble is currently carrying six services, one apparently without an audio stream at the time of the observation.
Wohnort's latest snapshot can be found here. 
 

Source: Wohnort 

Basingstoke SSDAB ensemble:  

Multiple changes noted since the previous observation.

 

Six audio services are currently being broadcast.
Full listings are beyond the scope of this blog but the current snapshot can be found here.

 

Source: Wohnort 

South East Wales Local DAB ensemble: 
Since the previous observation, new services have been added, using DAB+, and some of the existing services have switched to DAB+.

 

Sixteen audio services are currently being broadcast.
A full listing is beyond the scope of this blog but the current snapshot can be found here.

 

Source: Wohnort 

Channel Islands Local DAB ensemble: 
Since the previous observation:

Angel Vintage has been added, using DAB+ at 24 kbit/s.

Bailiwick Radio has been added, using DAB+ at 48 kbit/s.

ChannelChristmas has been added, using DAB+ at 48 kbit/s. 

BailiwickClassics and Bailiwick Hits have ceased.

 

Peterborough Local DAB ensemble:  

HITS RADIO UK has been relabelled Hits Radio Pboro since the previous observation. 

 

Doncaster DAB SSDAB ensemble:  

Sheffield Live! has been added since the previous observation, using DAB+ at 48 kbit/s.

 

Shefcast Digital SSDAB ensemble:  

Sine FM has been added since the previous observation, using DAB+ at 48 kbit/s.

Radio Sangam has ceased. 

The SID of Top Rizz Radio is reported to have changed temporarily before reverting to normal. 

 

Source: Wohnort 

London 2 Local DAB ensemble: 
Virgin Xmas  has been added, using  DAB+ at 32 kbit/s.

The bitrate of Virgin 80s has dropped from 48 to 32 kbit/s.  
 

North Yorkshire Local DAB ensemble: 
Your Christmas  has been added, using  DAB+ at 32 kbit/s. 

 
Colchester SSDAB ensemble: 
Angel Vintage has been added, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s.

 

South Birmingham SSDAB ensemble: 
Athavan Radio has been added, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s.

 

Southend, CityDAB SSDAB ensemble: 
Multiple changes since the initial observation. Nine audio services are currently being broadcast.
A full listing is beyond the scope of this blog but the current snapshot can be found here.

 

Source: Wohnort 

Ofcom has published a summary of licence updates and changes for October 2025.
Ofcom October Updates
  

Norfolk Local DAB ensemble: 

HITS RADIO NFLK has been relabelled Hits Radio Nflk - already updated from DigitalBitrate.com (September 13th).

 

Bristol West SSDAB ensemble: 

Select Radio has been relabelled Select. 

 

Cardiff SSDAB ensemble: 

Athavan Radio has been added since the previous observation, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s.

 

North Birmingham SSDAB ensemble: 

Athavan Radio has been added since the previous observation, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s.

The packet data service EPG and Logos has ceased.
The bitrate of Black Country has dropped from 48 to 32 kbit/s. 

 

Nottingham SSDAB ensemble: 

Athavan Radio is reported to have been added.

 

Portsmouth SSDAB ensemble:  

ChannelChristmas has been added since the previous observation, using DAB+ at 24 kbit/s.
The existing services 60s and Angel Gold have dropped from 32 and 40 kbit/s respectively to 24 kbit/s each. 

 

South Birmingham SSDAB ensemble: 

Athavan Radio has been added since the previous observation, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s.

 

Source: Wohnort

Winchester SSDAB ensemble: 

OUTREACH RADIO, OUTREACH DANCE and OUTREACH CLASSIC have switched to 40, 40 and 80 kbit/s respectively since the previous observation.

 

Source: Wohnort

Colchester SSDAB ensemble: 

Two additional services, BFBS Colchester and BFBS Gurkha, are reported to have been added.

 

Coventry SSDAB ensemble: 

Athavan Radio has been added since the previous observation.

Panab Radio has ceased. 

 

TynemthSShields SSDAB ensemble: 

1047 SUBJAM has been added since the previous observation. 

 

Source: Wohnort

Colchest NE Essx SSDAB ensemble: 

This ensemble is reported to have been relabelled Colchester in Wohnort's latest update.

 

Leicester SSDAB ensemble: 

Athavan Radio is reported to be broadcasting in DAB+ at 32 kbit/s. 

 

Loughborough DAB SSDAB ensemble: 

88.3 CENTREFORCE, Congregation22 and Radio Africana are reported to have ceased. 

Athavan Radio is reported to have been added. 

 

Source: Wohnort

Belfast SSDAB ensemble: 

Coast FM NI and Cosoro Radio are reported to have ceased. 

 

Cheshire East SSDAB ensemble:

Radio Maria has been added since the previous observation, using DAB+ at 24 kbit/s.

 

Dudley-Sbridge SSDAB ensemble:

Radio Maria has been added since the previous observation, using DAB+ at 48 kbit/s.

 

Source: Wohnort 

Cheshire Mid SSDAB ensemble: 

Both services,  CheshireONE and Radio Maria, had audio streams at the time of the latest observation. 

Previous observations had noted the services were running without audio streams. 

 

London South SSDAB ensemble:

This ensemble has now been relabelled London S. 

 

London West SSDAB ensemble:

This ensemble has now been relabelled London W. 

 

Northumberland SSDAB ensemble: 

Lionheart Radio has been added since the previous observation, using DAB+ at 48 kbit/s.

 

South Durham SSDAB ensemble: 

Nation Radio has been relabelled Nation NorthEast since the previous observation and has dropped from 49 to 32 kbit/s.

Nation 80s and Nation 90s have been added since the previous observation, both using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s. 

 

Walsall SSDAB ensemble: 

A new UK ensemble on Block 9B with four services at launch.

Ambur Radio, BritAsia Radio & DarbarSahibRadio, all at 48 kbit/s.

Radio Maria at 24 kbit/s. 

 

Source: Wohnort 

South Glos SSDAB ensemble: 

Windrush Radio has been added since the previous observation, using DAB+ at 32 kbit/s.

Diamond Groove has ceased since the previous observation - already reported October 14th.

 

Source: Wohnort  

Hits Radio Rebrands (Update):

 

Clearly, tracking updates such as these is not a simple task as third party websites such as Wohnort, which we rely on for updates, can take quite a while to update their snapshot data for local DAB ensembles. Updating the situation from September 13th and subsequent posts. At this point, we still don't have current snapshots for Plymouth or for Swindon, marked in red below, so cannot confirm the updated names for those ensembles. As both are changing from HITS RADIO UK to more local names, it's not really appropriate to guess what the new names are. We did get an update for Peterborough by word of mouth but, unfortunately, without snapshot data.

 

We may change the way we report these types of change going forward but, for now, will continue with this method. 

 

Peterborough (Confirmed by Wohnort - 2nd November 2025).

Plymouth

Swindon

 

Peterborough

HITS RADIO UK has been relabelled Hits Radio Pboro.  

 

Plymouth

HITS RADIO UK has been relabelled Hits Radio xxxx.    

 

Swindon 

HITS RADIO UK has been relabelled Hits Radio xxxx