Boston marathon: radio's future isn't just smartphone-shaped

BBC News reported that the cell network was shut down as a precaution to prevent more bombs be detonated. Sometimes even those wearing a vest have last minute doubts as to pull the trigger so the bomb maker does it for them.

There is a clue in the word “broadcast”. Although we seem to rely on smartphones and tablets if the data network is off – we are alone. Unless like me, you have an old style mobile with FM radio.
I just hope that in times of crisis any notion to move all radio broadcasts to DAB would be viewed as putting all “eggs in the same basket”. Pretty bloody useless in times of crisis when information (both public service information and intelligence gathering), is desperately sought.

Incidentally, this radio forum claims that cellphone networks weren’t switched off – just very congested. Not sure how they know.

When/if the mobile internet is ubiquitous and scaleable with broadcast-like technologies (ie MBMS), then you must admit the “emergency service” aspect that FM radio would still offer seems a bit niche…

As James said, most likely shape of future of services is multi-platform (heterogeneous networks is the current buzzword). It’s still a way off, but when majority of content is consumed via IP networks, I do wonder who will subsidise/fund the dedicated broadcast network part of the delivery jigsaw. If its only advantage is emergency, then it tends to suggest cost of dedicated broadcast networks will become a taxpayer burden.

You can use DAB, DMB, DRM and HD-radio as a one way data transmission service in theory. It’s just nobody has developed anything to do it yet (to my knowledge). It could be use to get any sort of data to my smart for instance in times of emergency if it had a DAB receiver for instance.

DAB/DMB (it’s the same thing) is a one-way data transmission service. That’s how it works.

Examples of how it delivers data – apart from, you know, live television and radio – includes travel data, electronic programme guides, and, right at the beginning of digital radio, something called the Digizone: a DAB-delivered online web service which included games and news information. You’ll also find slideshow being broadcast for some stations, including BBC and commercial. It’s also delivered advertising into taxi cabs in London; and in some parts of the world it also delivers advertisements to electronic billboards.

This is a problem not only for radio but the entire media including television. If we can make more mobile phones pick up a “one-way” IP type service using DVB, DAB, DMB...... then we wouldn’t have this problem of a blackout in information in critical times. The internet as we know it isn’t always that useful in times of need as we know it. Servers can get overloaded with requests or mobile phone coverage can get dropped due to security issues. Hence we need some sort of system in place.

Maggies funeral, a comparitively small, unimportant and minor event (though £10 MILLION to push a coffin around is obscene) compared to the real news stuff from Boston, certainly proved how vulnerable the internet is to traffic congestion, when even PC’s that were hard-wired to the internet struggled to get access during those hours.

After the past week in news, I’ve almost forgotten what this article was about. “News & Information” and “getting it out to the masses”.
It is true to say that our digital services could use data stream in the same way of a Traffic flag to update information (DAB and online stream) albeit one way. In terms of a natural disaster, ordinary battery operated radio may be the only way to get information out to the survivors. Digital services could prove to be useless. (all hail ye olde AM/FM radio).

BUT my main concern about digital services is network congestion. How many bits of data can we squeeze through this “super highway” in the UK? Many broadcasters are hoping we move towards smart TV’s that stream programmes through broadband – not satellite. There are already a number of Freeview DigitalTV services that are available “through an internet connection” only. When the new BT Sport arrives, will that add demand for data transfer in the same way that “SKY TV on your mobile has done”?

During the recent Boston manhunt, over 90,000 people tuned into police radio scanner streams. Both Radio Reference and Broadcastify.com servers became swamped and many people couldn’t get as far as the front page as the servers failed. This showed the demand for the latest news whether it be via a police scanner or the local Boston radio stations that saw an increase in listeners online. Twitter saw a huge increase and demand on their servers during this manhunt. CNN/NBC/MSNBC had great difficulty talking to witnesses on cell phones (data congestion again?)
We seem to rely so much on the data network but if this failed completely, where would this leave use? Would this affect mobile phones services, DAB radio, radio STL links, Police and other emergency services (TETRA), etc.?

I’m sure BT, Virgin, Kingston Comms and other cable/fibre network owners would assure us that their networks are secure but quite recently BT had major network problems that effected the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland – That’s half the UK. Nowt to worry about then? I’ll stick to analogue radio thanks.

WBZ’s streams also went down on Friday evening as the second suspect was being hunted and arrested in Watertown.

Other stations, such as WRKO and WEEI were still online during the breaking news, but it’s clear where listeners went for the breaking news (bar the Boston scanner) outside the TSA.