Digital Audio Broadcasting in federal highway tunnels

The analogue terrestrial radio broadcasting service known as  FM radio is scheduled to be phased out in Switzerland between 2020 and 2025. The successor standard, known as digital audio broadcasting DAB+ has achieved full coverage throughout the country for several years now. As stipulated by the Swiss Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), all relevant tunnels in the Swiss federal motorway network are therefore to be equipped with DAB+ by the end of 2018. The ability to broadcast radio programs in tunnels is an important safety factor because it allows authorities to communicate with drivers via car radio in the case of an emergency, in order to issue appropriate safety instructions.

EBP was commissioned to guide the extension of the existing tunnel radio systems with DAB+ for FEDRO’s Winterthur subsidiary, serving the cantons of ZH, SH, TG, SG, SZ and GL. To do this, we worked out the technical concept and tender documents, organized the call for tender and supervised the installation in 27 federal motorway tunnels.