[Cookie Jar]

Does anyone know if their are plans for Satellite Radio in the UK? Like Sirius and XM in america, are their any plans for it here or Europe??

[Juan Carlos Ara]

WorldSpace Europe and Ondas Media.

WorldSpace Europe is going to start soon in Italy and its looking for opening new markets in other european countries. The system has already a satellite above and has another satellite to be launched .

Ondas Media has its projects of launching its own satellites and it has to wait after 2011 because it was not allowed to have the opportunity of choosing frequencies last year when all the countries have a reunion in Geneva ( those reunions or international meetings are every 4 years and next one is in 2011).

Both systems are more or less the same of XM Satellite and Sirius Satellite Radio in the USA. The same combination of satellite and terrestrial relays and they are going to be, also, paid radio services, with commercial free radio stations.

You can get more info here :

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...atellite+radio

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...atellite+radio

[JamesWhaleGuy]

Thanks for the info.

[Cookie Jar]

Nice one, cheers

[Pemblechook]

I had a Worldspace set a few years ago. It went faulty.

It would work outide or by a south facing window. I gather Britain is not really in the beam of the sat.

These things need more more transmit power or use a lower frequency which will suffer less attenuation through walls.

[PeterB]

There are many radio stations on Astra including the BBC ones.

[Juan Carlos Ara]

Originally Posted by Pemblechook

It would work outide or by a south facing window. I gather Britain is not really in the beam of the sat.

Yes, it is.



http://www.metcan.info/coveragemaps_afristar.jpg

There are 3 beams of AfriStar and the West One covers almost all Europe.

[hanssolo]

Originally Posted by Juan Carlos Ara

WorldSpace Europe and Ondas Media.

WorldSpace Europe is going to start soon in Italy and its looking for opening new markets in other european countries. The system has already a satellite above and has another satellite to be launched .

The new WorldSpace Europe in Italy will be to the new S-DAB AAC+ standard which Ondas will also use. It will also be a hybrid system using L band terrestrial repeaters in cities to improve car reception.
The big advantage subscription S-DAB will have over current FTA T-DAB will be that subscriptions will make the car set cost lower than current FTA T-DAB sets and Fiat are taking part in selling the new WorldSpace car sets.

The S-DAB L band terrestrial frequencies will be auctioned soon in UK and will be interesting to see if WorldSpace Europe or Ondas bid for them.

[CRTHD]

Originally Posted by PeterB

There are many radio stations on Astra including the BBC ones.

I don't think we're talking about the one's you receive via a dish.

[MikeBr]

Originally Posted by hanssolo

The S-DAB L band terrestrial frequencies will be auctioned soon in UK and will be interesting to see if WorldSpace Europe or Ondas bid for them.

Details of auction now published:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2008/03/nr_20080313

[hanssolo]

Originally Posted by MikeBr

Details of auction now published:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2008/03/nr_20080313

From the info looks like Ofcom are also asking for bids using the same spectrum for mobile TV (like T-DMB or S-DMB as in Korea!) or high-speed internet as well as satellite radio operators.

[Juan Carlos Ara]

Taken from :

http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/wor...in-switzerland

SWITZERLAND :

WorldSpace™ Satellite Radio has received approval from Switzerland’s Office Federal de la Communication (OFCOM) to operate terrestrial repeaters that will work in conjunction with its existing satellite network to provide Swiss consumers with a subscription-based satellite radio service.

WorldSpace Satellite Radio will use the 12.5 MHz of L-band frequency (1479.5 to 1492 MHz) harmonized for satellite radio in Europe and for which WorldSpace has priority rights throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The Company plans to offer a mobile service as early as 2009 on the continent, beginning with Italy; and in Bahrain and United Arab Emirates (UAE) - places where WorldSpace has already received authorization to launch its satellite/terrestrial hybrid radio service.

The Company s European strategy is to roll out its service on a sequential country-by-country basis, beginning with Italy, where aftermarket radios are expected to be available to consumers in early 2009 and OEM (factory installed) radios in several Fiat models by late 2009. In addition to Italy and now Switzerland, the Company expects to secure four more licenses in 2008, from the other major European markets.

“We are very pleased at the efficiency with which the OFCOM has granted us this approval,” said Noah A. Samara, Chairman and CEO of WorldSpace Satellite Radio. “As we begin planning the content line-up for our Italian launch and subsequent European markets we hope to secure shortly, including the UK, Germany, Spain and France, we hope to be able to parlay our unique variety of news, sports, music and entertainment programming into a line-up that is equally attractive to Switzerland s diverse cultures.”

Although not large, the Swiss market is attractive for satellite radio, given the demographics that fit its early adopter profile. For example, it has a population that exceeds 7.5 million, with a per capita GDP of approximately US$39,800 - a figure that is larger than that of each of the big five European countries targeted for service by WorldSpace. There are approximately four million automobiles in the country with new car sales expected to rise to about 320,000 in 2010.

(Source: WorldSpace)

[MikeBr]

Lots of financial problems at Worldspace following publication of its latest results, effectively it seems to be out of cash:

http://rapidtvnews.com/index.php/wor...leaseback.html

[Juan Carlos Ara]

Taken from :

http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/wor...peater-network

WorldSpace receives approval for German terrestrial repeater network

WorldSpace Europe has received approval from Germany’s Federal Network Agency, the Bundesnetzagentur, to use 12.5 MHz of spectrum in the L-band (1479.5 - 1492 MHz) on a nationwide basis for the operation of a terrestrial repeater network in Germany.

The repeaters will work in conjunction with WorldSpace’s existing satellite network to provide German consumers with a subscription-based satellite radio service in automobiles.

This authorization from the Bundesnetzagentur makes Germany the third European nation to enable satellite radio in automobiles. WorldSpace says it expects to secure licences in additional countries before the end of the year. ( Note : The UK, Spain and France , in that order).

[magikmax]

Personally, I'd love to see a subscription radio service, providing the setup costs & on-going monthly costs were reasonable.

Trouble is, with a nation reluctant to even take up DAB in satisfactory numbers, do you think that there would be enough of a market in Britain for someone to launch here?

[Juan Carlos Ara]

Originally Posted by magikmax

Trouble is, with a nation reluctant to even take up DAB in satisfactory numbers, do you think that there would be enough of a market in Britain for someone to launch here?

Taken from : KimAndrewElliott.com

WorldSpace conference call -- and all the questions come from Bear Stearns. "In our estimates, just the big five markets namely, Italy, Germany, UK, Spain and France, offer a market opportunity for WorldSpace in the medium term of almost nine million subscribers and a long term estimate of approximately 31 million subscribers."

Note : The event was on 20 March, 2008.

[hanssolo]

The L-band spectrum on a nationwide basis for the operation of a terrestrial repeater network in the UK will soon be up for sale in the UK. So Worldspace will bid.
If they get the licence the terrestrial repeaters will only be in parts of citys where the relaunched sat service might be hard to pickup..
Real radio has struggled to get subscribers for their internet service so unless the new Worldspace has something special they might struggle to get UK subscribers.

[MikeBr]

Originally Posted by Juan Carlos Ara

. WorldSpace says it expects to secure licences in additional countries before the end of the year. ( Note : The UK, Spain and France , in that order).

Where's the information about the UK come from, it's not on Media Network nor on their press release which doesn't mention the countries:
http://investor.worldspace.com/phoen...820&highlight=

They have also confirmed the press story about their finances last week:

"WORLDSPACE today announced that its independent registered public accounting firm, Grant Thornton LLP, has included an explanatory paragraph in their audit opinion for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, and included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 31, 2008, that expresses doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern based on its current financial resources. The Company acknowledges it needs to raise additional capital this year.

As of December 31, 2007, the Company had cash and cash equivalents and short term investments of approximately $3.6 million. The going concern qualification is based upon the Company's current financial resources. The Company confirms its need to secure additional capital to fund operations before the end of the second quarter of 2008."

Funding needed for terrestrial repeater roll outs was being estimated at $100 million to $200 million for each market.

[MikeBr]

Originally Posted by hanssolo

The L-band spectrum on a nationwide basis for the operation of a terrestrial repeater network in the UK will soon be up for sale in the UK. So Worldspace will bid .

With what, they need to have finance from someone else.

[hanssolo]

http://www.worldspace-europe.eu/en/overview.php

WorldSpace Europe owns major assets to phase in a rapid introduction of satellite digital radio services in Europe: a first geostationary satellite already in orbit, a second one available from storage, and a technology fully compliant with ETSI's SDR standard.
Its subsidiary, WorldSpace Italia, in partnership with Class Editori, has received approval from the Italian authorities to launch a subscription satellite radio service in Italy, which will start early 2009.

Seems Worldspace are ptting their satellites as assetts and have persuaded Class Editori (an Italian publishing house) to invest in the new system. Looks like they will be after simular partners in other countries.

[Juan Carlos Ara]

Concerning to Spain, last March 31st 2008, there was a digital radio event in Madrid, Spain, where WorldSpace did not take part.

In fact, the satellite radio thing was represented by Eugenio Fontán of Ondas Media.

Las Vías para la Digitalización de la Radio en España

Madrid, Lunes 31 de Marzo 2008



Secretaría de Estado de Telecomunicaciones y Para la Sociedad de la Información

C/ Capitán Haya nº 41 de Madrid. Salón de Actos

9.30 horas. Palabras de Apertura.

Francisco Ros Perán. Secretario de Estado de Telecomunicaciones y Para la Sociedad de la Información y

Santiago González. Director de Radio Nacional de España y Presidente del Foro de la Radio Digital



9.45 horas. Presentación Tecnológica General:

Josep Ventosa. Director de Negocio Abertis/Telecom y

Vicepresidente del Foro de la Radio Digital.

Para consultar la presentación, pinche aquí



10.00 horas. Presentación sobre DAB-DAB + - DMB

Quentin Howard. World DMB Forum, Presidente.

Para consultar la presentación, pinche aquí




12.00 horas. Presentación sobre DRM.

Jacques Donat-Bouillud. TDF, Director Comercial de Radio.

Para consultar la presentación, pinche aquí



12.45 horas. Presentación sobre DVB - H, Aplicaciones a la Radio.

Ari Ikone. Nokia.

Para consultar la presentación, pinche aquí



13.15 horas. Presentación de Radio por Satélite.

Eugenio Fontán. Ondas Media.

Para consultar la presentación, pinche aquí


13.30 horas. La Situación de la Digitalización en Europa

Matías Coinchón. UER

Para consultar la presentación, pinche aquí



15.00 horas. CLAUSURA DE LA REUNION

Bernardo Lorenzo. Director General de Telecomunicaciones y Tecnologías de la Información.

http://www.radiodigitaldab.com/index.htm

This pdf about Ondas Media is very interesting.

http://www.radiodigitaldab.com/desca...DIODIGITAL.pdf

Ondas Media in Spain is not known, so WorldSpace is even less.

[MikeBr]

Originally Posted by hanssolo

http://www.worldspace-europe.eu/en/overview.php

Seems Worldspace are ptting their satellites as assetts and have persuaded Class Editori (an Italian publishing house) to invest in the new system. Looks like they will be after simular partners in other countries.

Problem there is that they need finance urgently for their current operations, they have a subscriber base for each satellite. They're effectively running out of cash.

[hanssolo]

Worldspace have been confirmed as a bidder for the UK L band along with 8 others.

1 Adolphus Limited ?
2 Arqiva Limited, already runs a test L band DAB/DMB mux for broadcasters in London and maybe might be intending to offer a full service?
3 ePortal Holding K.S.C.?
4 MLL Telecom Ltd, enterprise networks?
5 O2 (UK) Limited, DVB-H mobile TV?
6 Qualcomm UK Spectrum Ltd. MediaFLO mobile TV?
7 The Joint Radio Company Limited, UK energy industry fixed links?
8 Vectone Network Limited, ?
9 WorldSpace UK Limited, subscription radio
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/18/l_band_bidders/

One bidder struggling to conceal its intentions is WorldSpace. It operates a couple of satellites broadcasting radio around the world in the L-Band spectrum, and with a footprint that covers the UK. It's already bought the rights to the upper (12.5MHz wide) block in Switzerland, Germany ,and Italy, and is confident it'll grab it in the UK too.

Part of WorldSpace's confidence is based on the Maastricht 2002 Plan, which allocates that top block to satellite radio across Europe. Unfortunately for WorldSpace, the UK is not a signatory to that agreement, so not bound by it, though anyone operating in the top block will not be protected (legally) from interference coming from WorldSpace's broadcasts which cover most of the continent.

Whether the UK is ready to pay for satellite radio is also open to question. WorldSpace makes much of its lack of on-air advertising and the range of stations it offers, but with DAB already offering a range of BBC content (thus with no advertising) and failing so badly, it's hard to imagine users flocking to a system that requires line-of-sight to the sky, and a subscription to receive stations.

[Toxteth O'Grady]

Originally Posted by magikmax

Personally, I'd love to see a subscription radio service, providing the setup costs & on-going monthly costs were reasonable.

Trouble is, with a nation reluctant to even take up DAB in satisfactory numbers, do you think that there would be enough of a market in Britain for someone to launch here?

The market and demand for such service a in North America is very diffrent to what it is in the UK, or Europe.

One of the main draws in the US is having national radio, but most of Europe has that already. Ad-free is another draw, but again there are many broadcasters in Europe doing that already. Then there's the culture/language problem - XM/Sirius fill their service with English language channels and a handful of Spanish. A similar service here would need to divide them between spanish, French, English, German etc.

[griffin_uk]

The other big difference between the US market and Europe, is that the US is incredibally vast in comparison, with many isolated areas which don't have local repeaters for radio, or radio reception at all.

With XM/Sirius, even these most remote areas can now enjoy a full radio service, thus providing a great help to the bottom line and viability of the platforms.