A new safety alert system based on DAB+ technology was in the spotlight during a conference at the IBC Show.
WorldDAB President Jacqueline Bierhorst said deployment of Automatic Safety Alerts means “lives will be saved as a result.”
The initiative is intended to protect the public during emergencies by delivering reliable alerts without requiring an internet connection. The first rollout is happening in Germany, where she said a test of ASA this month was successful. Partners including broadcasters such as ARD and Deutschlandradio, network providers, safety authorities and Fraunhofer IIS are working together on the initiative, according to WorldDAB.
Also during the conference, Lindsay Cornell, chair of WorldDAB’s Technical Committee, announced that international ETSI specifications underpinning the ASA system have been approved and published.
“Cornell emphasized that ASA gives broadcasters editorial control over the area in which receivers will respond to alerts, a key differentiator from existing emergency warning provisions,” according to a summary from WorldDAB. He also showed a development receiver from Frontier Smart Technologies that was used in the Germany tests.
Also during the conference, Matthieu Rawolle from the European Broadcasting Union summarized EBU’s report “Radio in Times of Crisis” and highlighted the role of terrestrial distribution of radio to help cope with the impact of natural disasters in Europe.
Xavi Redon Hernandez of network provider Cellnex Telecom detailed the rollout of DAB+ in Spain in partnership with public broadcaster RTVE; 12 sites are broadcasting and more are planned.
And Denis Nikola Kulišić from Croatia’s OIV described its network of 27 locations and said the organization plans expansion. “We have started a new extension, with an additional nine new transmitting locations, with better coverage of highways and state roads as a main target,” he said, with a marketing and awareness campaign planned this year.
