SSDAB Round 8 – The Final 40 Areas

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APPLICATION DEADLINE: 10 DECEMBER 2025 – 5PM

Ofcom has officially confirmed – this is the FINAL ROUND EVER for new small-scale DAB multiplex areas in the UK. After this, no more new SSDAB licences will be advertised.

40 areas remain (30 new + 10 re-advertised from previous rounds). As of November 28, 2025, 28 have ZERO applicants.
This is your last chance to own a 12-year DAB multiplex licence for just £500. Ofcom's programme has already launched 75 multiplexes covering 30% of the UK – don't miss out.

Full List of SSDAB Round 8 Areas

Below is the complete list of 40 areas advertised in Round 8, with approximate adult population (aged 15+), current applicants (as of 28 Nov 2025), and status. Data from Ofcom's official advertisement and RadioToday updates. Many are wide open – low or zero competition means high chance of winning.

Area Approx. Adult Population Current Applicants (28 Nov 2025) Status
North Yorkshire Coast & Ryedale180,0000WIDE OPEN
South Cumbria140,0000WIDE OPEN
East Cornwall & Isles of Scilly220,0000WIDE OPEN
West Wiltshire & NE Somerset280,0000PRIME – NO COMPETITION
North East Wales & West Cheshire300,0001Very low competition
Scottish Borders & NE Northumberland115,0000WIDE OPEN
Isle of Wight141,0000WIDE OPEN
Mid & West Wales250,0000WIDE OPEN
South East Staffordshire190,0000WIDE OPEN
North Nottinghamshire210,0000WIDE OPEN
East Antrim & Ards Peninsula160,0001Very low competition
Banbury & Bicester170,0000WIDE OPEN
Bath & Midsomer Norton200,0000WIDE OPEN
Basingstoke180,0001Very low competition
Bedford190,0000WIDE OPEN
Belfast & Lisburn500,0002Low competition
Congleton & Leek150,0000WIDE OPEN
Cheshire Mid220,0000WIDE OPEN
Cheshire East & Buxton & Glossop260,0000WIDE OPEN
Ludlow, Cleobury Mortimer & Tenbury Wells80,0000WIDE OPEN
South West Sussex210,0001Very low competition
Stockport240,0001Very low competition
Warrington210,0000WIDE OPEN
Wrexham140,0000WIDE OPEN
Aberdeen230,0001Very low competition
Argyll & Bute80,0000WIDE OPEN
Ayrshire360,0000WIDE OPEN
Dumfries & Galloway130,0000WIDE OPEN
Dundee & Angus280,0000WIDE OPEN
Fife360,0000WIDE OPEN
Inverness & Moray Firth250,0000WIDE OPEN
Orkney Islands22,0000WIDE OPEN
Perth & Kinross140,0000WIDE OPEN
Shetland Islands23,0000WIDE OPEN
South Lanarkshire310,0000WIDE OPEN
Stirling & Trossachs90,0000WIDE OPEN
West Highlands & Islands90,0000WIDE OPEN

How to Apply for SSDAB Round 8

Step-by-Step Guide (Deadline 10 Dec 2025)

  1. Form Your Entity: Register a UK company or CIC (£50–£200 via Companies House).
  2. Draw Coverage Polygon: Use Google Earth Pro (free) to create .kml file for your area (stay inside Ofcom's boundaries).
  3. Prepare Application: Business plan, financial projections (3-year P&L), technical annex (Annex 4), letters of intent from 3+ stations.
  4. Submit to Ofcom: Email [email protected] with £500 fee. Public consultation follows (anyone can comment).
  5. Await Award: Ofcom scores on coverage (40%), diversity (30%), viability (30%). Winners announced mid-2026 – launch within 18 months.

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