MXR was an operator of regional DAB ensembles in the United Kingdom between 2001 and 2015.
In 1999 and 2000, MXR London, a newly-formed consortium including Border Television, Chrysalis Radio and Daily Mail and General Trust, [1] unsuccessfully applied for licences to broadcast a DAB ensemble in London which were ultimately awarded to CE Digital and Switchdigital. [2] [3] MXR subsequently, through multiple partnerships, including with Capital Radio Group, Chrysalis, 102.2 Jazz FM and GMG Radio, [4] submitted applications for licences to operate regional ensembles throughout England and Wales [5] and, following success with all of them, the ensembles started broadcasting in the early 2000s. The regional ensembles covered larger areas than local ensembles, with which they coexisted, but a smaller area than the national BBC and Digital One ensembles.
In 2000, Ford of Britain joined MXR [6] and subsequently committed to adding DAB-capable radios to cars made from 2004. [7]
In September 2012, MXR announced that their ensembles would stop broadcasting upon the expiration of their respective licences [8] and the last one covering Yorkshire ceased transmissions in 2015, [9] leaving Switchdigital's Central Scotland ensemble as the last regional multiplex in the UK. [10]
MXR applied to broadcast an ensemble throughout North East England on 18 October 2000. [11] It aired between 30 July 2001 [12] and 29 July 2013. [10]
MXR was given the licence to operate an ensemble in North West England in March 2001. [13] It was broadcast between 25 September of that year [14] and 24 September 2013. [15]
MXR was given the licence to operate an ensemble covering South Wales and the Severn Estuary in January 2001. [16] It was broadcast between 30 July of that year [14] and 29 July 2013. [10]
MXR was given the licence to broadcast in the West Midlands in February 2001 [17] and the ensemble was active between 28 August of that year [18] [19] and 27 August 2013. [20]
MXR was given the licence to operate the regional ensemble covering Yorkshire in late 2002. [21] It was broadcast between 30 June 2003 [14] and 29 June 2015. [9]