MXR was an operator of regionalDAB ensembles in the United Kingdom between 2001 and 2015.
In 1999 and 2000, MXR London, a newly-formedconsortium includingBorder Television,Chrysalis Radio andDaily Mail and General Trust,[1] unsuccessfully applied for licences to broadcast a DAB ensemble inLondon which were ultimately awarded toCE Digital andSwitchdigital.[2][3] MXR subsequently, through multiple partnerships, including withCapital Radio Group, Chrysalis,102.2 Jazz FM andGMG 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 nationalBBC andDigital One ensembles.
In 2000,Ford of Britain joined MXR[6] and subsequently committed to adding DAB-capableradios 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'sCentral Scotland ensemble as the last regional multiplex in the UK.[10]
MXR applied to broadcast an ensemble throughoutNorth 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 inNorth 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 coveringSouth Wales and theSevern 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 theWest 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 coveringYorkshire in late 2002.[21] It was broadcast between 30 June 2003[14] and 29 June 2015.[9]