African countries are implementing various projects to keep pace with the continent's accelerating digital transformation. Senegal, for instance, is becoming the first Francophone country in Africa to explore digital terrestrial radio.

Senegal's telecoms regulator, the Telecommunications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARTP), launched a pilot project for digital terrestrial radio on Wednesday, May 8th.

The initiative seeks an alternative to traditional analog FM broadcasting, which suffers from frequency saturation, particularly in some Senegalese regions.

"The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) set the standard for digital terrestrial radio in the VHF band (174-220 MHz) in 2006," said Abdou Karim Sall, ARTP director. "Stakeholders later explored solutions for FM frequency shortages in Africa, but studies proved inconclusive. Faced with this shortage, ARTP felt it was time to launch this project."

The switch to digital radio aligns with the ITU's goal of transitioning all television and radio signals to digital. The transition to digital television is underway in several African countries, though facing delays. Digital radio has had limited uptake on the continent, making Senegal the first Francophone country to explore digital frequencies.

The new technology offers several benefits, including improved sound quality (often impacted by distance, interference, and weather), access to more radio stations, and the ability to pause and record live broadcasts.

Adoni Conrad Quenum