What is DAB Digital Radio?

It's a better way of listening to radio - bringing you a whole new world of benefits.

An explosion in listening choice

On DAB digital radio you can listen to national commercial stations, BBC national stations and a whole raft of local stations. Some of them are analogue favourites, others are new to your radio. Either way, you'll enjoy a diverse mixture of listening, including stations dedicated to classic rock, spoken word entertainment, latest chart hits, and a range of other stations to suit your mood.

Clearly digital sound quality

Say goodbye to analogue hiss and crackle, DAB digital radio brings you much less interference and a massive sound quality upgrade for AM stations.

The end of confusing frequencies

Forget about remembering frequency numbers, a DAB digital radio displays the stations by name. That gives you the confidence to explore the airwaves and change stations at the touch of a button.

Brand new features

Digital radios have screens showing you more information about what you're listening to. Whether you're looking for the title and artist of the song, the news headlines, or the latest sports results, check the screen to see if it's there.

Control of your listening

Certain digital radios now include the ability for you to pause and rewind live radio - so you can answer the phone, then listen to the end of that feature. Others let you set a timer to record a specific programme at a specific time. Both options give you flexibility and put you in control of your listening. For more details see our product section.

What is DAB Digital Radio?

National DAB digital radio networks already cover most major towns and hundreds of miles of motorways and major roads.

Digital One's national network of transmitters already covers more than 90% of the population - and as more transmitters go live, that number will grow over the next few years.

A variety of local digital radio networks are also on air, meaning you can usually listen to your favourite local stations on DAB digital radio as well.

To find out which stations you can receive, simply use our postcode checker.

How can I listen?

In the same way digital TV requires upgrading via a set-top box, digital radio programmes are only available with the right equipment. That means you will need to buy a radio that's able to decode digital radio signals.

That's where the comparison with digital TV ends. A digital radio is a one-off cost. There are no subscriptions, no rental fees, and no on-line charges as with a PC. It's all absolutely free.

Only receivers that carry one of these logos are smart enough to decode digital radio signals.

For more details on the wide range of products available, have a look in our products section.

Where can I buy?

As the range of DAB digital radios has grown to include battery and mains portables, handheld units, boomboxes, hi-fis and even products with rewind and record features, more and more retailers are stocking and selling them.

You can now buy DAB digital radios at independent hi-fi shops, most major electrical retailers, department stores, catalogue chains and even some supermarkets!

Independents tend to have a good knowledge of the products they sell and we've put together a list of stores where the staff are particularly up to speed on DAB digital radio. We call these our "5 Star Retailers" and you can be assured of clear and accurate information on coverage, stations, aerials, etc when you visit one. When you're shopping for a digital radio, look out for this sticker for the best advice on DAB digital radio.

You can also buy a DAB digital radio from many on-line retailers, but because you can't examine the product so closely on-line, it's a good idea to check carefully that the product you're buying really is a DAB digital radio.

To find out where to start looking, check out our retailer section.