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David, surely we already have 'local DAB' - there are local DAB multiplexes all over the country (though none within 50 miles of me!). Isn't the new DAB pilot supposed to be all about "low cost DAB" - ie in the reach of micro commercial and community stations? The localness is incidental, except that only local stations are likely to be especially interested in low power sytems.
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If Ofcom is serious that there is no guarantee of the DAB service continuing after 9 months, then the spectre of luring listeners onto DAB during the trial and then having them decide 'not to bother' to revert to FM when the trial ends is a serious one. A small station could spend a lot of time and effort on an experiement whose upshot is to transfer a chunk of its audience to competitiors on DAB.
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For the DAB platform to become affordable to low-budget stations, and to remain affordable, the multiplex is likely to have to be under the control of such a station, or a third-party constituted with similar aims. Otherwise what will differentiate it from the existing local DAB multiplexes?*
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If the multiplex is not in social/public ownership Ofcom would have to control commercial aspects of the market  in ways it has always seemed reluctant to do. Otherwise there would be nothing to stop access and carriage charges becoming unaffordable to small players as they have been until now. The current multiplex fees are not closely related to the cost of the systems, they are charging 'what the market will swallow'. It's not hard to imagine RadioCentre's likely reaction if Ofcom were to invite applications for multiplex operator licences open only to not-for-profit/community-owned applicants, or allowing them low-cost access while denying it to 'big' stations.
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I guess one feasible approach would be to open up licensing of a new tier of multiplexes that have a strict low power limit, to make them less attractive to big commercial stations. But that would just generate and propagate more of all the angst and inconsistencies that have been generated by the present 25W guideline limit for community radio.
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Again, none of these crucial issues is addressed nor affected by the trial. They should be under public discussion and consultation now, not waiting until after the trial - we all know that the systems being trialled will work technically - the trial will only provide information around the edges as to how well they work and a little more information as to their limitations.
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Alex
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*Of course, unlike Band II FM, there also huge swathes of the UK where there is no shortage of Band III frequencies for  DAB, and not likely to be any shortage for decades. There is no reason why multiplexes as such should be mandated in these areas anyway - the one station, one transmitter FM model would work perfectly well in all the less densely populated parts of the UK, such as my own in the Highlands. Indeed that was how the first licensed trial in Brighton operated. Ofcom could have started legal and regulatory moves to licence these areas with simple one station simulcasts already if it had a mind to do so, but decided it would not consider licensing low-cost SDR-based DAB until it had also extended and proved its ability to support single-frequency multiplex networks.
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<br />> On 07 March 2015 at 15:41 David Duffy <david@theradiopeople.co.uk> wrote:
<br />>
<br />>
<br />> Hi Phil
<br />>
<br />> I hear what you say. Towards the end you wrote 'as we invite other (competing) stations to come on our 'transmitter''. I believe what we need to be mindful of is that in a future that is 'localDAB' you may not own the multiplex. That's fine if you don't want to be on DAB or don't mind paying to be on someone else's mux. Without wishing to misattribute, I believe it was William Rogers of UKRD who first to signalled his concern that, with digital switchover, FM could become a neglected backwater for radio stations. He was highlighting the need for a digital future which embraces all broadcasters. And that should not be forgotten even though the vast majority of stations will not be participating in this trial.
<br />>
<br />> It will be interesting to see the proportion of community to commercial broadcasters in the trial.
<br />>
<br />> David
<br />> www.localDAB.co.uk
<br />>
<br />>
<br />>
<br />> On 7 Mar 2015, at 14:47, Fantasy Radio Office <office@fantasyradio.co.uk> wrote:
<br />>
<br />> I agree with Alex and Andy.
<br />>
<br />> I've tried - believe me I've tried, to understand the sense in this 37 page document - plus application forms.
<br />> We - and others, carrying out these technical tests on behalf of Ofcom, with no guarantee of acquiring full time DAB status?
<br />> It will cost us money and valuable time, gain no significant increase in listenership (nor income) as we invite other (competing) stations to come on our 'transmitter'
<br />>
<br />> DAB is a poor alternative to our FM and online broadcasts. As they say on Dragon's Den, I think ... I'm out.
<br />>
<br />> Phil Dawson
<br />> FANTASY RADIO 97FM
<br />>
<br />> Devizes and Mid Wiltshire
<br />>
<br />>
<br />>
<br />> > On 07/03/2015 14:32, cma-l-request@mailman.commedia.org.uk wrote:
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<br />> > Today's Topics:
<br />> >
<br />> > 1. Re: Small Scale DAB (Tony Bailey)
<br />> > 2. Re: Small Scale DAB (David Duffy)
<br />> > 3. Re: Small Scale DAB (Two Lochs Radio)
<br />> >
<br />> >
<br />> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
<br />> >
<br />> > Message: 1
<br />> > Date: Sat, 07 Mar 2015 10:25:45 +0000
<br />> > From: Tony Bailey <ravensound@pilgrimsound.co.uk>
<br />> > To: cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk
<br />> > Subject: Re: [cma-l] Small Scale DAB
<br />> > Message-ID: <54FAD229.9080709@pilgrimsound.co.uk>
<br />> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; Format="flowed"
<br />> >
<br />> > Actually, it can be turned off at any time if technical issues arise -
<br />> > having said that, we were in Sheffield when similar statements were made
<br />> > about Access Radio...
<br />> >
<br />> > Tony Bailey
<br />> >
<br />> >
<br />> >> On 07/03/15 09:25, Andy -Bay FM Radio wrote:
<br />> >> I agree with Alex.
<br />> >>
<br />> >> All this expense to drive your listeners to DAB for 9/12 months with
<br />> >> no future guarantees and then have it turned off ?
<br />> >> Sorry but, i don't think it's a good business plan.
<br />> >>
<br />> >> Andy.
<br />> >>
<br />> >>
<br />> >> Sent from Samsung Mobile
<br />> >>
<br />> >>
<br />> >> -------- Original message --------
<br />> >> From: tlr@gairloch.co.uk
<br />> >> Date:06/03/2015 2:28 PM (GMT+00:00)
<br />> >> To: David Duffy ,Alan Coote
<br />> >> Cc: CMA-L
<br />> >> Subject: Re: [cma-l] Small Scale DAB
<br />> >>
<br />> >> Also bear in mind the fact that these are time limited trials with a
<br />> >> 9-month *maximum* and explicitly no guarantee of continuation or
<br />> >> future relicensing. Isn't that the biggest business risk to any long
<br />> >> term agreements?
<br />> >> Alex
<br />> >>> On 06 March 2015 at 14:03 David Duffy <david@theradiopeople.co.uk>
<br />> >>> wrote:
<br />> >>>
<br />> >>> Great advice. I would further recommend that as a multiplex operator
<br />> >>> you should build your business plan on the assumption that any other
<br />> >>> services you carry may go bust and, if you are charging them for
<br />> >>> carriage, take payment monthly in advance. That's why we're creating
<br />> >>> a list of content providers/service www.localDAB.co.uk/brokering
<br />> >>> <http://www.localDAB.co.uk/brokering> that are DSPS-approved and
<br />> >>> ready, at a moment's notice, to replace any services that fail.
<br />> >>> Regards
<br />> >>> David
<br />> >>>
<br />> >>>> On 6 Mar 2015, at 12:04, Alan Coote < alan.coote@5digital.co.uk
<br />> >>>> <mailto:alan.coote@5digital.co.uk>> wrote:
<br />> >>>>
<br />> >>>> We were approached a while ago by 2 content producers about teaming
<br />> >>>> up and sharing airtime on a multiplex.
<br />> >>>> After a lot of phone calls, Ofcom confirmed that DSPS licenses are
<br />> >>>> required by each service provider, even if they are sharing air time.
<br />> >>>> However, in our case the multiplex owner wanted a single contract
<br />> >>>> with a holding company rather than deal with individual DSPS
<br />> >>>> holders. They felt it gave them better security.
<br />> >>>> This highlighted several issues of working with other companies on a
<br />> >>>> DAB multiplex whose financial stability we had to rely on.
<br />> >>>> I'd suggest that stations should carefully consider what happens if
<br />> >>>> the partner companies don't pay their way or go out of business.
<br />> >>>> And, it may be worth getting professional advise about setting up a
<br />> >>>> limited liability broadcast company to protect the underlying
<br />> >>>> community station.
<br />> >>>> Kind Regards
<br />> >>>> Alan
<br />> >>
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