Hi-Tech Partnership Brings Digital Radio to Cork

Ireland’s most connected building outside of Dublin is set to become the host for a new digital radio venture bringing a range of interesting and exciting new radio services to Cork.

Cork Internet Exchange (CIX) delivers Internet connectivity to more than 100 companies from its data centre at the city’s Hollyhill Industrial Estate. Now it has been selected by digital radio specialist, Viamux, as the operations centre for a DAB ‘multiplex’ (digital radio transmitter) operating under a test and trial licence issued by ComReg.

Viamux Managing Director, David Duffy says CIX was the obvious choice for the operation: “We’ll be bringing radio services into Cork from around the country over the Internet so a high level of resilience was essential. No one comes close to CIX thanks to a mesh of different providers which ensures a safe, secure and uninterrupted service allowing us the flexibility to scale our needs”.

The DAB antenna is located on the CIX tower which offers coverage across the entire city and surrounding countryside.

CIX Managing Director, Jerry Sweeney, is delighted to welcome Viamux to the data centre: “Cork Internet Exchange is committed to being Cork’s ‘Edge’ data centre. We see DAB as a logical extension of that mission. We want to make sure that Cork leads in all areas of communications. We are delighted to be able to offer Viamux, the infrastructure they needed to bring DAB to Cork.”

DAB extends listener choice and provides existing analogue and new digital stations with the opportunity to increase audience reach. Viamux aims to bring together partners from local commercial, community, institutional and online radio with their wide range of formats that cater for ethnic, lifestyle, specialist as well as general audiences.

Listeners in Cork can receive the new services by simply running an ‘autoscan’ on their DAB set which will detect the new multiplex which is labelled ‘eirdab’. Currently UCB (United Christian Broadcasters) Ireland and Radio Maria are available with more services joining in the coming months.