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Ofcom has received two applications for the Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) national radio multiplex licence.

The licence is designed to cover the whole of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, subject to constraints on international frequencies and the location of transmitter sites.

The applicants are:

4 Digital Group Limited
124 Horseferry Road , London SW1P 2TX
Contact: Nathalie Schwarz, Tel: 020 7396 4444, Email: nschwarz@4digitalgroup.com

The shareholders of 4 Digital Group Limited are as follows:

Channel 4 Radio Limited 55%
Sky News Radio Limited 10%
Emap Digital Radio Limited 10%
UTV Radio (GB) Limited 10%
The Carphone Warehouse Group plc 10%
UBC Media Group plc 5%

4 Digital Group Limited is proposing to provide ten national digital sound programme services, as follows:

Service	Provider
Youthful interactive entertainment (E4 Radio)	Channel 4 Radio Limited
Contemporary public service speech (Channel 4 Radio)	Channel 4 Radio Limited
Intelligent contemporary adult (Pure4)	Channel 4 Radio Limited
News, views and entertainment (Talk Radio)	UTV Radio (GB) Limited
Female AC, celebrity and lifestyle (Closer)	Emap Digital Radio Limited
Rolling news (Sky News Radio)	Sky News Radio Limited
Asian ( Sunrise Radio UK)	Sunrise Radio Group
Female-friendly pop with attitude (Virgin Radio Viva)	SMG plc
Adult album alternative (Original)	CanWest MediaWorks UK Limited
Children's service (Radio Disney)	Walt Disney Company International

The applicant also proposes to provide a "wide selection of podcasts provided by a range of diverse companies".

4 Digital Group Limited proposes to commence its service with eight national digital sound programme services and at least nine podcast providers within 12 months of the licence being awarded, using a network of 174 transmitters which it estimates will provide 'outdoor' coverage of 86.6% of the adult (aged 15+) population of the UK. Two further national digital sound programme services will launch "at the earliest opportunity thereafter, and in any event within the following 11 months".

National Grid Wireless Limited
Wireless House, Warwick Technology Park, Heathcote Lane, Warwick CV34 6DD
Contact: Stephen Arnold, Tel: 01926 416870, Email: stephen.arnold@ngridwireless.com

National Grid Wireless is a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Grid.

National Grid Wireless Limited is proposing to provide twelve national digital sound programme services and a BBC service, as follows:

Service	Provider
Adult/Album	Confidential
4 Radio 1	Channel 4 Radio Limited
4 Radio 2	Channel 4 Radio Limited
50+	Confidential
Radio Luxembourg	CLT /UFA
Premier Christian Radio	London Christian Radio Limited
Rolling news	Confidential
Radio Play (6 hours per day)	Somethin' Else Sound Directions Limited
Asian	Confidential
FUN Radio (13 hours per day)	Children's Radio UK Limited
Love songs	Confidential
Colourful	Colourful Media Limited
BBC Asian Network	BBC

National Grid Wireless Limited proposes to commence its service with twelve national digital sound programme services and a BBC service on 29 February 2008, using a network of 40 transmitters which it estimates will provide 'outdoor' coverage of 71% of the adult (aged 15+) population of the UK. This will increase by the second quarter of 2009 to 116 transmitters, providing 'outdoor' coverage of 87% of the adult population of the UK.

Ofcom intends to make an award decision within four months. The service will be able to launch any time from the beginning of 2008, once the spectrum for this licence becomes available.

The applications for this licence will be published in full on the Ofcom website by 5 April 2007. Ofcom will be seeking views on these applications by 15 June 2007. Any written representations on the applications can either be emailed to commercialradio@ofcom.org.uk or posted to Neil Stock, Head of Radio, Ofcom, Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA.

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