Norway to switch off FM radio this month

Some say the move comes too early and people who do not have Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) receivers may miss important warnings on emergencies that used to be broadcasted via FM.

Authorities decided to go ahead with the switch, even though according to the recent survey conducted by Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet, the majority of the country's population is against it and only 17 per cent are in favor. The "shutdown" will begin in the city of Bodo on 11 January. And by the end of 2017, all national FM stations will be closed in favor of DAB.

Digital radio allows eight times more radio stations than Frequency Modulation for the same cost. Currently the two systems run parallel and each costs $29.4 million a year.

According to head of Digital Radio Norway Ole Joergen Torvmark, the "biggest challenge" is cars as there are 2 million cars in the country that are not equipped with DAB. Users would have to buy DABs themselves which cost 1,500 Norwegian kroner. So there is a safety concern.

Other counties will closely watch the move. And in case it goes smooth in Norway, Switzerland, Britain and Denmark plan to do the same starting 2020.