CRA is preparing to launch a regional DAB network for commercial radio
CRA will start broadcasting a regional Digital Radio Terrestrial Broadcast (DAB) network on the frequencies they won in the auction organised by the Czech Telecommunications Office (ČTÚ). The regional broadcast network R15 will be the first to be launched from the Prague Žižkov transmitter.
Due to the expiration of the current frequency licence, CRA will switch off the existing pilot DAB broadcast from the Prague Žižkov transmitter on frequency 7A on Friday, 31 May at 23:59. CRA will start broadcasting on the new frequency 6B, which they acquired in an auction, with a validity period until 2040. The transmitter will be included in the regional broadcasting network R15.
DAB broadcasting on the final frequency will be started by 14 June at the latest. All commercial stations currently broadcasting on the pilot network will transfer to the new R15 regional network. The signal of this network, broadcasting from 14 radio stations, will cover more than 1.5 million inhabitants of Prague and Central Bohemia.
CRA is thereby launching the first of the DAB networks built based on the frequency allocation from the ČTÚ, obtained in an electronic auction. The start of broadcasting in other DAB networks is expected in the second half of this year.