NOW Exeter and Torbay

Now Digital (Exeter & Torbay)

Frequency	DAB: 11C (220.352 MHz)
First air date	October 31st 2002
Format	Various - Digital website = www.now-digital.com
Owner	Arqiva

Now Digital (Exeter & Torbay), as the name suggests is the name of the DAB multiplex operator for the Exeter & Torbay areas of Devon. It serves an area similar to that of the ILR service Heart Exeter & Torbay serves. It can be heard as far north as Tiverton & Wellington, as far south as the South Hams peninsular, as far west as Okehampton & Ivybridge and as far east as the Dorset county boundary.

The platform has always been known as Now Digital which was a wholly owned subsidiary of GWR Group PLC. GWR would merge with Capital Radio PLC to form GCap Meida PLC although the platform name remained. Global Radio bought GCAP Media PLC in 2008 and subsequently sold the DAB businesses to transmitter company Arqiva the current owner.

When the platform launched, it was originally only on three transmitters. Two further transmitters have since been added at Sidmouth and Tiverton.

The service is currently carried on five transmitters and as required, has to carry the local BBC service BBC Devon.

Current Line-up of Services

The stations currently carried on the platform are:^[1]

Service	Service Type	Signal	Compression	NOTES
BBC Devon	BBC Local service	Joint Stereo	128 kps	Also on FM - 103.4 (Main), 95.8 (Exeter) & 104.3 (Torbay) & on AM - 990 (Exeter) & 1458 (Torbay).
Gold	Golden Oldies	Joint Stereo	128 kps	Networked from London.
103.2 Capital FM South Coast	Dance Music	Joint Stereo	128 kps	Networked from Hampshire.
Heart Devon	Chart Music	Joint Stereo	128 kps	Local FM opt-out service on 96.4 (Torbay), 97.0 (Exeter) & 103.0 (Honiton).
Kiss Radio	Dance Music	Joint Stereo	128 kps	Networked from London.
Passion For The Planet Radio	Adult Contemporary & Envirnomental Issues	mono	96 kps	Networked from London.
Traffic Radio	Travel news Service	mono	48 kps	Traffic Reports.
XFM London	Modern Rock	Joint Stereo	128 kps	Networked from London.

Transmitter Sites

Now Exeter & Torbay currently broadcasts on the following sites:^[2]

Transmitter	KW	AREA
Beacon Hill	2.00	Torquay, Newton Abbot, Paignton, Totnes, Brixham & Dartmouth
St. Thomas (Exeter)	0.50	Exeter & Exmouth
Stockland Hill	0.50	Honiton
Sidmouth	?	Sidmouth & Ottery St. Mary
Tiverton	?	Tiverton

Former Services

^[3][4] The following is a list of services which used to be carried on the multiplex.

Service	What happened?
Chill	Withdrawn in 2009.
Fun Radio	Withdrawn in 2009
SBN	Service went bankrupt. Replaced by Chill.
The Storm	Replaced by XFM London after GWR merger with Capital in late 2005.

References

1. ^ DAB in the UK
2. ^ Radio Listenenrs Guide 2010
3. ^ Radio Authority Pocket Guides 2000 - 2004
4. ^ CRCA Pocket Book 2006 - 2007