In December, the Digital Radio Working Group, a government-convened body that examined the medium's future, concluded that the UK could switch from analogue to digital radio as early as 2017.
However, Carter has opted not to set out a switchover date and has, instead, laid out a range of plans to support DAB digital radio's growth, insisting that the Government wants DAB to be "a primary distribution network for radio".
The Digital Britain report said the Government will create a plan for digital migration of radio, which the Government intends to put in place once the following criteria have been met: when 50% of radio listening is digital; when national DAB coverage is comparable to FM coverage, and when local DAB reaches 90% of the UK population and all major roads.
The government plans to create a Digital Radio Delivery Group to include retailers, transmission networks, the BBC, commercial radio, car manufacturers, consumer representatives and the device manufacturers, whose role would be to increase the attractiveness, availability and affordability of DAB and to advise on a digital switchover plan.
. Specifically, the Government has said it will work with the BBC to explore how to extend its digital radio coverage to replicate at least its current FM analogue coverage.
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