RTÉ Radio and commercial stations have come together for a trial of digital radio using DAB technology, which will be available to 36 per cent of the population.

RTÉ will be broadcasting all its existing radio stations, as well as providing six new digital audio services, during the trial, which is licensed until next November. Commercial stations including Today FM, Newstalk, 98FM, FM 104, Phantom FM, Q102, Spin 103.8 and United Christian Broadcasters will provide another 10 stations.

The service will be free to receive but listeners will need to purchase a specially equipped DAB receiver to hear the stations.

JP Coakley, head of operations with RTÉ Radio, said the purpose of the trial is to make DAB digital radio a "national mainstream proposition" within three years.

RTÉ and the commercial stations have formed an independent group, digitalradio.ie, to work together on the introduction of the new platform.

RTÉ currently has no plans for advertising on the six new services, which will operate on a low-cost model with no DJs or presenters.

Mr Coakley said that in markets where digital radio has been successful, it has required a regulatory catalyst from government, buy-in from new and existing radio stations, and support from retailers to ensure availability of low-cost receivers.

The UK government gave the necessary shot in the arm to its digital radio plans by offering a 10-year extension of analogue licences to stations that began broadcasting in DAB.

RTÉ's wholly-owned subsidiary, RTÉ Networks, is providing the technical infrastructure for the trial, with signals being broadcast from the broadcaster's sites in south Dublin and Louth.

One of the main reasons for choosing DAB as the platform is the success it has enjoyed in the UK. To date, 4.75 million receivers have been sold in the UK and the vast majority of portable, clock radio, and radios sold for use in the kitchen are now DAB units. Research has also found that those who purchase digital radios listen to 16 per cent more radio.

RTÉ initially trialed digital radio in the late nineties but pulled back from introducing a service. Coakley insisted that FM will be "the main game for the next five to 10 years" and DAB would not eat into that.

Research conducted for RTÉ last year found that 25 per cent of people were aware of DAB.