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The Radio Authority awarded the one and only national multiplex licence to Digital One in October 1998, and broadcasting kicked off on November 15 1999.

The first local digital multiplex was awarded in the Birmingham area to CE Digital in May 1999, which began broadcasting in May 2000.

Over the next few years, a total of 37 local and regional digital licences will be awarded by the Radio Authority. Each of these licences will cover a different area of the UK, and each will bring an average of six digital stations to listeners within the transmission region.

Some of these stations will be existing local analogue stations simulcast digitally; others will be brand new digital-only channels with a wide variety of content and local relevance.

Digital radio licences already awarded, and including BBC stations, represent some 168 digital radio programme services, of which more than half are new services.

Local digital radio stations are already on-air in Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff & Newport, and Glasgow, while Londoners can currently enjoy 36 stations with more to come.

Three multiplexes are currently available in London. CE Digital, Switch Digital, and Digital One (the national multiplex). These provide 28 programme services.

An additional Greater London multiplex licence is currently being advertised. This will bring another eight or nine digital services to London.

Reaching around 60% of the UK population, the BBC is broadcasting its existing national analogue stations on digital radio. It is also temporarily broadcasting BBC 5 Live Sports Plus, World Service and Radio 4 longwave on digital, although some are only on a part time basis. And the corporation has announced plans to develop five new digital-only services including archive music, plays, storytelling and comedy as well as Asian and black music stations.

Digital One is backed by GWR and cable company NTL, and its network contains existing brands like Virgin, talkSport and Classic FM, alongside seven new stations including Life and Prime Time.

It is looking to develop text, multimedia and interactive services through digital radio – and to work with other players in partner marketing initiatives to promote the medium and the development of affordable technology.

“Our Partner Marketing team is building practical and profitable relationships with many of the companies involved in the development of digital radio around the world,” says a spokesman for the company.

The Radio Authority is advertising one digital multiplex licence a month. A spokeswoman for the Radio Authority says it will continue to concentrate on advertising digital radio multiplexes in the main population centres within the UK.

The Authority is aiming to introduce up to two local/regional multiplexes (in addition to the commercial national multiplex) in each of these main conurbations.

So 50% of the population will eventually be able to tune into around 16 local/regional digital radio services in addition to the 10 provided on the national multiplex. The only exception to this rule is Greater London where a third local multiplex will be available next year.