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The Digital Radio Working Group stopped short of calling for an analogue switch-off programme but said companies could not afford to broadcast services on various platforms.
Once DAB radio ownership and listening reaches a certain level the government should begin the migration, said the group's interim report. It recommends that broadcasters drive uptake by adopting a unified promotion strategy in coming months and estimates the migration could start between 2012 and 2015.
The DRWG acknowledged that one of the barriers to development was the variety of digital radio technologies employed internationally. France is in the process of developing a DMB-A platform while Germany is considering re-launching with DAB+ or DMB-A, which are both, like DAB, developments of the Eureka 147 standard.
"The DRWG believes that the UK must work to encourage the production of a harmonised digital radio profile," said the report. "This profile should have several layers, with a basic level receiver as a minimum allowing automatic shifting between analogue and digital services and be capable of receiving all of the main Eureka 147 variants. We recommend that the industry, manufacturers, government and regulators should continue the dialogue which they have already started with other European states to agree the profile for a harmonised receiver."
However, the group said DAB should remain the primary technology in the UK: "We believe that, at least for the foreseeable future, the UK market must adopt DAB as the main digital radio broadcast platform. The UK DAB market is well developed and we believe it is not sensible, at this stage, to switch to technologies which are not compatible with the more than 7m DAB sets already sold."
DRWG chairman Barry Cox said: "We believe radio must have a digital future and that this will benefit both listeners and industry.
"If these benefits are to be achieved, then action must be taken to address the significant challenges which threaten the future growth of the market. There is a great deal to be done to address these issues, and I hope that this interim report will stimulate debate on how to achieve a digital future."
