Listeners told to re-tune digital radios

Some Digital Radio listeners will need to re-tune their devices to continue receiving Capital, Heart, Choice, XFM, LBC and Kiss today.

Changes are being made to “Improve the efficiency of the network” and stations are advising listeners to re-tune.

“Although this only affects a small number of digital radio stations it is advised that digital radio listeners re-tune. Some listeners may also need to reset their presets,” the organisation stated.

Digital Radio UK also says that digital radio listeners should get into the habit of re-tuning their digital radios from time to time, to make sure that they can get all the latest stations available in their area.

Martyn Humphreys, Head of Broadcast Systems at Bauer Radio posted on Digital Spy explaining the changes: “This is a major reorganisation of DAB SID codes, primarily being driven by Global to tie-in with the FM PI code reorganisations being discussed in other threads.

It will also rationalise DAB Service ID code allocations nationwide so that we can implement service-following for in-car radios – that is, the radio automatically retuning to, for example, Kiss on the next multiplex as you drive out of the area of one and into the area of another.

Specifically for Kiss, we are only making minor changes to Kiss 105-108 DAB in Norwich, Peterborough and Cambridge, and Kiss National DAB in Sussex, Kent, and Berkshire and North Hampshire.

In the first phase happening today the stations will get new SIDs, but the old ones will stay active for a period. In a few weeks listeners who have not retuned will be served an audio announcement asking them to retune, and finally in a month or so the old SIDs will be deactivated – listeners who have not retuned by this time may well lose services, so please do!”

A website has been set up to provide help at getdigitalradio.com/retune.