Why support the digitisation of terrestrial radio, what are the problems and how to break the barriers?

Due to analogue FM radio switch-off (ARSO, AFMRSO, AFMSO, or simply ASO) in Norway this year, after 13 December 2017 many local or community radio stations will continue broadcasting on FM for 5 years or until 31 December 2021. The next countries after Norway in queue are Denmark, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. In case of Denmark, ARSO will be occured within 2 years after 50% of digital radio listenership (currently 33% in 1st half of 2017) will be reached. In case of Switzerland, ARSO will be held between 2020-2024. In case of the United Kingdom, ARSO may be decided after all criteria will be met such as 50% of digital radio listenership will be reached according to RAJAR and national DAB coverage must be comparable to FM radio, and local DAB coverage reaches of 90% for both households and all major roads. What how are reasons?

Why support the digitisation of terrestrial radio?

1. Band II for FM broadcasting is overflowing.
2. Interferences of analogue FM broadcasting.
3. Digital radio such as DAB+, DRM(+) and hybrid radio such as RadioDNS are future-proof.
4. Internet radio (mainly for mobile devices) is not free-to-air, it's pay and more expensive.
5. After ARSO - cost savings.
6. Digital radio market is increasing while analogue radio market is possible decreasing or remain stable.
7. Price on digital radio receivers is decreasing.
8. Wider multimedia such as EWF/EWS (Emergency Warning Function/System), personality of radio stations, interactivity, SLS (Slideshows) etc.
9. For drivers - where to refuel cheaply, easily bypass traffic jams or collisions. All thanks to TPEG technology.
10. Better & pure sound quality.
11. More radio stations.

What are the problems with the digitisation of terrestrial radio?

1. Strong opposition from radio broadcasters. (examples: Austria - public broadcaster ORF [due to hypocritical, manipulated and false statements by Monika Eigenspreger {for Horizont Austria} and her superior Alexander Wrabetz {inc. for Sat Kurier from Poland} which led to strong responses mainly from the United Kingdom and Wohnort] and commercial radio Kronehit; Croatia - public broadcaster HRT; France - main commercial radio broadcasters such as RTL, Europe 1 etc., Poland - main commercial radio broadcasters - RMF Group [Bauer Media Poland], Eurozet [Lagardere], Agora [owner of pro-liberal Gazeta Wyborcza] & Grupa Radiowa Time [ZPR Media])
2. No strategies on terrestrial radio digitisation in the European Union and in many countries. (example: Poland - at national level)
3. No commitment from the government. (examples: Hungary, Poland)
4. Analogue-only radio receivers are still in the markets. (examples: France will ban analogue-only radio receivers when 20% of French population will be reached)
5. Band III reservation in EU. [Note: United Kingdom and Gibraltar are not counted due to Brexit] (only Finland uses Band III only for digital terrestrial television [DTT] but will be also possible to use this band for digital terrestrial radio [DTR] in the near future; many countries share for both DTR and DTT {DVB-T(2)}; Cyprus, Luxembourg and Portugal without any position about Band III for digital radio?)

How to break the barriers?

1. Collaboration between public & commercial radio broadcasters (including independent radio stations) without any resistance.
2. Motivation of radio broadcasters (both public, commercial and independent) to support digitalisation of radio.
3. Development of National Strategies on Digitisation of the Terrestrial Radio by regulators, broadcasters & government.
4. Reservation Band III for digital terrestrial radio in all EU countries with subject for DTT in many countries.
5. The worst case for the (radical) opponents [mainly from radio broadcasters] of DTR: very high taxes or very high (even millions) fines even after announcing the EU decision about DTR or adopting European Electronic Communications Code by the European Parliament.