New digital radio technology will not make existing sets obsolete, says independent communications regulator Ofcom.

Broadcasters across the world will be switching over to a new broadcasting format which is incompatible with existing digital radio receivers. However, Ofcom, which regulates British airwaves, has said there are no plans to switch existing stations over for the time being.

Some websites have been carrying reports saying existing stations, which broadcast in mp2 format, will switch over to the new AAC format in eight years. Existing sets will not be able to receive AAC broadcasts, although new sets, which will be on sale this year, will.

A representative for Ofcom told Computeractive it would not risk stalling the growth of Dab just as it was taking off, adding: "At some point in the future, we may switch some or all services to AAC, but not until the vast majority of sets are equipped to receive such services."

AAC broadcasting offers some advantages over the older mp2 format, chiefly that more stations can be squeezed into the same capacity at the same quality.