As a non-profit standard promotion organization in the global digital broadcasting industry, WorldDAB’s core value lies in building a unified global framework for technical specifications, industry adaptation, and market implementation—not issuing certificates directly. Since 2025, WorldDAB has completed a new round of technical specification upgrades, integrating public safety needs, smart device evolution, and emerging market expansion, while driving major global markets to adopt its specifications into local compliance requirements.

All core claims in this guide are based on official WorldDAB documents, national regulator announcements, and authoritative industry exhibition disclosures, with key milestones linked to clear sources. It aims to provide traceable, actionable, and risk-free compliance guidance for cross-border electronics manufacturers, broadcasters, and industry practitioners to avoid global market access pitfalls.

I.Core 2025-2026 WorldDAB Regulation Updates

1.ASA Safety Alert System: From Optional Feature to Mainstream Market Access FoundationThe Automatic Safety Alert (ASA) system is the highlight of 2025 WorldDAB regulations. Its core function is to deliver location-specific emergency alerts via DAB+ networks without internet dependence, waking standby devices for precise coverage—strengthening the public safety value of digital broadcasting.

Per disclosures at the January 2025 Paris Radio Show, ASA has become a core innovation direction for global digital broadcasting technology. The world’s leading DAB+ chipmakers have integrated ASA standards into mass production, with compliant devices identifiable via exclusive logos. Meanwhile, Austria’s media regulator KommAustria issued a September 2025 announcement incorporating ASA into its 2025 Digitalization Strategy, effective October 10, 2025, requiring gradual ASA support for domestic DAB+ devices.

Notably: WorldDAB has not issued official mandates for "mandatory native ASA support mid-2025" or "logo licensing suspension for non-compliant devices in 2026". However, aligned with EU public safety strategies and rollout timelines in Austria, Germany, etc., industry consensus expects ASA adaptation to become a hidden threshold for DAB+ devices entering EU and Middle East supply chains by late 2026 (mandatory timelines subject to national regulator announcements).

2.Automotive UX Guide Revision: Updated June 2025, Focus on Safe Interaction & Intuitive ExperienceTo address in-vehicle DAB+ interaction pain points amid smart cockpit adoption, WorldDAB officially updated its Automotive User Experience (UX) Guide in June 2025—the first major revision since 2020. All in-vehicle DAB+ devices must meet its core requirements to obtain WorldDAB logo authorization.

Mandatory interaction requirements (verifiable via full guide download on WorldDAB’s official website): ① Independent shortcut button for one-touch DAB+ switching to minimize driver operation; ② A-Z station listing (replacing traditional frequency sorting) for faster search; ③ Preset station support for cross-band (DAB+/FM) sync storage (minimum 30 presets); ④ Unified interaction terminology (e.g., "station search" instead of "channel scan") to avoid confusion.

Unlike the previous version, the 2025 revision does not specify power consumption parameters for in-vehicle DAB+ modules, only requiring "adaptation to new energy vehicle range needs and low-power optimization". Cross-border manufacturers may reference power consumption indicators in IEC 62104-2003 for R&D.

3.Asia-Pacific Market Adaptation: Thailand Takes Lead, Southeast Asia Accelerates RolloutA key 2025 update is enhanced Asia-Pacific market adaptation, aligned with Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia’s digital broadcasting rollouts. Regional technical adaptations are supported by Thailand’s NBTC official policies and WorldDAB’s Asia-Pacific Report. Per WorldDAB’s April 2025 website disclosure, Thailand’s NBTC released three core documents in October-November 2024: Digital Broadcasting Frequency Plan, Digital Broadcasting Equipment Technical Standards, and Digital Broadcasting Receiver Technical Standards, designating DAB+ as the core digital broadcasting standard with MPEG-4 HE-AAC v2 coding required.

Thailand’s Royal Thai Army Radio and Television completed high-power DAB+ testing in Bangkok and surrounding areas in July 2023, with supplementary tests covering Chonburi, Chiang Mai, and 2 other regions in 2024 (signal parameter adjustments only needed in parts of Chonburi, with overall coverage meeting standards). NBTC is now rolling out network operator licenses, targeting nationwide major city DAB+ coverage by 2026.

Indonesia and Malaysia are accelerating DAB+ technical research, with WorldDAB’s Asia-Pacific team participating in standard discussions. Clear device access specifications are expected H1 2026 (no official Kominfo 2025 license issuance timeline yet—verify via Kominfo’s official website).

  II. WorldDAB Certification Compliance Differences Across Key Global Markets

WorldDAB regulations serve as universal technical benchmarks, but market access requires local legal certification. Key compliance requirements (all based on official national regulator announcements, actionable directly):

1.EU Market: CE certification is mandatory, with radio frequency and EMC tests fully aligned to 2025 WorldDAB regulations (including Automotive UX Guide and ASA requirements). The late 2020 "new car DAB+ radio mandate" applies to vehicle type approval (not individual devices), but automakers prioritize WorldDAB-licensed devices for supply chains

2.German Market: Germany’s Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) issued a May 2025 resolution implementing a new digital broadcasting transmission compensation mechanism starting January 1, 2026. ASA is not yet mandatory for DAB+ devices, but industry trends indicate Germany plans to incorporate ASA into in-vehicle broadcasting safety specifications in 2026—manufacturers are advised to adapt early

3.UK Market: Ofcom is the regulator; devices require Ofcom compliance audit plus Digital Radio Tick Mark certification for circulation. ASA evaluation was added to the certification in 2025 (source: Digital Radio UK’s 2025 certification update)—non-ASA devices are ineligible

4.Middle East (Saudi Arabia, UAE): Mandatory SASO (Saudi) and Dubai DEWA (UAE) certifications, with tests fully aligned to 2025 WorldDAB regulations (focus on radio frequency, multilingual support, and ASA where applicable). Dubai Free Zone requires alignment between device compliance documents and tax filings to avoid audits due to discrepancies

5.Thai Market: Compliance with NBTC’s 2024 DAB+ standards and local accredited lab testing required for market access. DAB+ currently covers 7 million people across 4 key regions—manufacturers may prioritize these markets

  III. Enterprise Compliance Action Plan for WorldDAB Certification

Align with 2025 WorldDAB regulations and national requirements via this authoritative, risk-free process:

Step 1: R&D Adaptation – Base on official WorldDAB documents; download the June 2025 Automotive UX Guide and latest device specifications (V4.8 is current, V5.0 pending—monitor the "Device Specifications" section on WorldDAB’s website). Prioritize UX implementation for in-vehicle devices, ASA integration for consumer devices, and radio frequency optimization for Asia-Pacific-targeted products to adapt to complex terrain signal coverage

Step 2: Testing & Validation – Select WorldDAB-authorized labs for full testing (radio frequency, audio quality, anti-interference, and ASA if applicable) to obtain official reports. Tests reference IEC 62104-2003 and WorldDAB specifications to ensure global regulator recognition

Step 3: Logo Authorization – Apply for WorldDAB logo licensing after passing tests (3-year validity). Annual compliance self-audits are required 2025 onward, with focus on ASA adaptation (if applicable). Existing license holders must complete 2025 regulation retesting by late 2026 to retain authorization

Step 4: Regional Certification – Submit WorldDAB test reports and logo authorization for local legal certifications (CE, SASO, etc.). Initiate certification 3-6 months in advance—policy updates in emerging Middle East and Asia-Pacific markets require buffer time

Step 5: Market Launch – Mark products with WorldDAB and local certification logos post-certification; retain all compliance documents (test reports, certificates, source screenshots) for regulator audits

The core of 2025-2026 WorldDAB regulations is not raising access barriers, but adapting to market needs and enhancing public value. For practitioners, compliance success hinges on authoritative source alignment, proactive trend adaptation, and precise regional alignment. For professional certification consulting, contact BLUEASIA at +86 13534225140.