BBC Radio Abroad

[15isto2]

BBC sounds app/website will be geolocked to UK only from Spring this year.

"As part of this launch, the BBC will also be making BBC Sounds available exclusively to UK audiences and ending access to the service for international users beginning Spring 2025. UK users who go on holiday (outside the UK) for a short period of time will still be able to use the BBC Sounds app abroad."

BBC Studios to make podcasts available to international audiences via BBC.com and the BBC App

Newly launched audio section will make the BBC’s vast portfolio of current and archived podcasts easier to find

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[David and Sally]

I use BBC Sounds on my iPad linked to my UK phones sim.

Presumably the BBC will think I am in the UK?

 

[15isto2]

I use BBC Sounds on my iPad linked to my UK phones sim.

Presumably the BBC will think I am in the UK?

I am not sure. I know when I have been abroad using my iphone even with a VPN set to the UK (that worked for Iplayer) that sounds app knew I was not in the UK

 

[Jewellbags]

Switch your location services off ?

 

[The Old Man]

All this modern access and options however back in time I was fortunate to work overseas often in strange places with no such thing as a mobile phone or Internet and when a phone call home needed to be booked days in advance.

My lifeline was a small;

And to hear those few words, "This Is London;"

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[15isto2]

All this modern access and options however back in time I was fortunate to work overseas often in strange places with no such thing as a mobile phone or Internet and when a phone call home needed to be booked days in advance.

My lifeline was a small;

And to hear those few words, "This Is London;"

I do always have the urge to play Lilliburlero whenever I cross a border

 

[Peavy]

All this modern access and options however back in time I was fortunate to work overseas often in strange places with no such thing as a mobile phone or Internet and when a phone call home needed to be booked days in advance.

My lifeline was a small;

And to hear those few words, "This Is London;"

Good old AM When I was a kid I searched for international AM radio in my old Radiola cassette player.

 

[Mike800966]

I do just wonder how many people have radios, portable or otherwise, which receive BBC R4 on long wave (198metres).
I think it still emanates from Droitwich. I understand the transmitter valves are irreplaceable and towards end of life. However it is still used for Economy 7 electricity meters?? So until they all move over and become Smart it has a time extension.
The ground wave seemed to cover France but I well remember listening to R4 PM at 1700 in Portugal until about 1745 then the skywave would fade so you always lost the Six o'clock News.
Happy days!
Mike

 

[billym]

They've just been on about this on radio 4.
An awful lot of people will not be happy if their VPN doesn't work. Me included.

They say it will start early spring this year but have not issued the date.

 

[15isto2]

I do just wonder how many people have radios, portable or otherwise, which receive BBC R4 on long wave (198metres).
I think it still emanates from Droitwich. I understand the transmitter valves are irreplaceable and towards end of life. However it is still used for Economy 7 electricity meters?? So until they all move over and become Smart it has a time extension.
The ground wave seemed to cover France but I well remember listening to R4 PM at 1700 in Portugal until about 1745 then the skywave would fade so you always lost the Six o'clock News.
Happy days!
Mike

Odd coincidence is I have seen a news article saying the old "radio controled" ecomomy 7 meters are being turned off on 30th June!

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[kev54]

I do just wonder how many people have radios, portable or otherwise, which receive BBC R4 on long wave (198metres).
I think it still emanates from Droitwich. I understand the transmitter valves are irreplaceable and towards end of life. However it is still used for Economy 7 electricity meters?? So until they all move over and become Smart it has a time extension.
The ground wave seemed to cover France but I well remember listening to R4 PM at 1700 in Portugal until about 1745 then the skywave would fade so you always lost the Six o'clock News.
Happy days!
Mike

Still going, but the ‘end of the teleswitch’ is supposed to be coming ‘very soon’ in 2025.
This info from wikipedia - Radio Teleswitch Service [which shifts the old electric meters to and from Economy 7] is broadcast alongside the longwave output of BBC Radio 4from the Droitwich Transmitting Station.

In October 2011, the BBC stated that the Droitwich transmitter, including Radio 4's longwave service and Radio Teleswitch, will cease to operate when one of the last two valves breaks, and no effort would be made to manufacture more nor to install a replacement longwave transmitter.

The BBC stated that their plan is simply to cease broadcasting on longwave forever once the Droitwich transmitter fails.

 

[kev54]

BBC sounds app/website will be geolocked to UK only from Spring this year.

"As part of this launch, the BBC will also be making BBC Sounds available exclusively to UK audiences and ending access to the service for international users beginning Spring 2025. UK users who go on holiday (outside the UK) for a short period of time will still be able to use the BBC Sounds app abroad."

BBC Studios to make podcasts available to international audiences via BBC.com and the BBC App

Newly launched audio section will make the BBC’s vast portfolio of current and archived podcasts easier to find

www.bbc.co.uk

How short is a ‘short period of time’ ? How will we cope without Petroc Trelawny in the morning and Sarah Mohr-Pietsch at night? No, I’m serious! I do hope my VPN will fix it

 

[billym]

The change is imminent but there is a way round it if VPN doesn't work.

Use an app such as TuneIn Radio and you have access to BBC live radio, including local radio etc.

Also smart speakers such as Alexa will/should work.

(Courtesy of Tony Livesey on BBC Radio 5 live last night)

 

[David and Sally]

I do just wonder how many people have radios, portable or otherwise, which receive BBC R4 on long wave (198metres).
I think it still emanates from Droitwich. I understand the transmitter valves are irreplaceable and towards end of life. However it is still used for Economy 7 electricity meters?? So until they all move over and become Smart it has a time extension.
The ground wave seemed to cover France but I well remember listening to R4 PM at 1700 in Portugal until about 1745 then the skywave would fade so you always lost the Six o'clock News.
Happy days!
Mike

There is a valve in the Information Centre in Droitwich. It is enormous!

 

[swemmy666]

Still going, but the ‘end of the teleswitch’ is supposed to be coming ‘very soon’ in 2025.
This info from wikipedia - Radio Teleswitch Service [which shifts the old electric meters to and from Economy 7] is broadcast alongside the longwave output of BBC Radio 4from the Droitwich Transmitting Station.

In October 2011, the BBC stated that the Droitwich transmitter, including Radio 4's longwave service and Radio Teleswitch, will cease to operate when one of the last two valves breaks, and no effort would be made to manufacture more nor to install a replacement longwave transmitter.

The BBC stated that their plan is simply to cease broadcasting on longwave forever once the Droitwich transmitter fails.

Someone needs to tell the BBC about something call EBAY

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[Wh05apk]

The change is imminent but there is a way round it if VPN doesn't work.

Use an app such as TuneIn Radio and you have access to BBC live radio, including local radio etc.

Also smart speakers such as Alexa will/should work.

(Courtesy of Tony Livesey on BBC Radio 5 live last night)

Tunein won't play BBC outside of the UK though?

 

[kev54]

The change is imminent but there is a way round it if VPN doesn't work.

Use an app such as TuneIn Radio and you have access to BBC live radio, including local radio etc.

Also smart speakers such as Alexa will/should work.

(Courtesy of Tony Livesey on BBC Radio 5 live last night)

I like rad.io - need to check if it will deliver BBC radio from EU after the ‘update’. Also be careful of Alexa listening and recording

 

[kev54]

Someone needs to tell the BBC about something call EBAY

Haha! I don’t think even the Chinese are able to replace that enormous long-wave valve

 

[billym]

Tunein won't play BBC outside of the UK though?

It's working fine in Morocco with no VPN.
I don't know about live sports commentary yet

 

[Brains]

All this modern access and options however back in time I was fortunate to work overseas often in strange places with no such thing as a mobile phone or Internet and when a phone call home needed to be booked days in advance.

My lifeline was a small;

And to hear those few words, "This Is London;"

Me too.
I often spent more time out of the UK than in it.

My lifeline was the Sony Shortwave ICF SW100 worldband radio.
I comes with a 10m 'washing line' ariel on a micro reel

It still lives in the motorhome, perfect working order, in the padded box I bought in Ecuador about 25 years ago.

It cost about £120 new (mid 1990's) and today you can get a second hand one for the same price on EBay!

It was wonderful to be in some strange land, and be able to tune into the World Service.
I was also a regular listener to an Irish guy on Radio Tehran, who gave a very 'alternative' slant on the news of the day, and what the 'Great Satan' was up to at the time.

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[meanders]

When I was an apprentice at EMI a year or two back there was an old ex-Marconi engineer there that was part of the team that installed and maintained the original three transmitters at Droitwich. He regaled us with the story that someone he worked with was making there way to the transmitter block late on a Sunday in a damp and humid day. All of a sudden there was a flash a loud bang and the words 'Prepare to meet thy god' bellowed out. The station was broadcasting the Sunday service when it arced over from the antenna to ground and rectified the signal. He was adamant it actually happened.

As you say the output stage valves are huge especially those for long wave service. (Droitwich also broadcasts services on Medium Wave and VHF as well as a local DAB signal.)

 

[15isto2]

Update:
Its turning off on 21st July 2025 but will still work "on holiday" from the UK for 4 weeks

 

[PlacidoD]

I often listen to Radio 4 both when driving and on sites. My holidays in the EU are less than 4 weeks but I am hot-spotting via my phone on EE. I am not sure how the BBC if at all can switch me off assuming I was staying more than 4 weeks?!! How will they know I am abroad?

 

[Barti Ddu]

If you are using a UK SIM then I presume you can continue to listen abroad without issue, just like using iPlayer with a UK SIM.

 

[kev54]

I often listen to Radio 4 both when driving and on sites. My holidays in the EU are less than 4 weeks but I am hot-spotting via my phone on EE. I am not sure how the BBC if at all can switch me off assuming I was staying more than 4 weeks?!! How will they know I am abroad?

Let us know if they do

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[Pausim]

BBC Radio 4 and the World Service will still be available abroad.

Changes for listening to BBC audio outside the UK | BBC Sounds

Earlier this year, BBC Studios launched a new audio service outside the UK on BBC.com and the BBC app. This includes BBC Radio 4, BBC World Service English and access to thousands of hours of podcasts. As part of the announcement, we said we planned to close BBC Sounds to audiences living...

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[meanders]

My grandad had one and all I can tell you was that it had a 'Harding(?) or similar word transfer on the frame and had a Villiers engine in it that was a %%%%%% to start.

 

[15isto2]

BBC Radio 4 and the World Service will still be available abroad.

Changes for listening to BBC audio outside the UK | BBC Sounds

Earlier this year, BBC Studios launched a new audio service outside the UK on BBC.com and the BBC app. This includes BBC Radio 4, BBC World Service English and access to thousands of hours of podcasts. As part of the announcement, we said we planned to close BBC Sounds to audiences living...

www.bbc.co.uk

Only to listen live so no catch up like now, much less convenient

 

[The Wino]

Surely it can't be that hard to have the four weeks then pay a subscription for outside the UK

 

[kev54]

Surely it can't be that hard to have the four weeks then pay a subscription for outside the UK

Subscription? Didn’t know that was available. Though I feel the fact that I pay my broadcast licence in the UK should count for something.

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