Norway will be the first country in the world to phase off FM radio

This year, FM stations will begin to phase off in parts of the Norway from next week and the shutdown process will be complete by the end year, according to the government.

Norway is switching from FM to digital radio -- called DAB -- because the digital option offers more channels, better audio quality and savings for broadcasters.

"The main reason that Norway is the first is because of the Norwegian landscape, which has deep fjords, high mountains and scattered communities. This makes it particularly expensive to operate the Norwegian FM networks compared with other countries” the government said in a statement.

The government estimates that radio stations will save more than 200 million kroner ($23.5 million) a year by ditching FM, allowing them to invest further in radio content.

It doesn't expect any jobs will be directly affected by the shutdown as stations will switch to broadcasting via DAB.

The move from analogue to digital comes after more than a decade of government planning.
Norway's local radio association -- Norsk Lokalradioforbund -- has also warned that the cost of buying new radios will hit consumers.

Other countries, including the United Kingdom, are considering whether to switch from FM to digital radio, so the success of this transition will be closely monitored.

Norway has a population of about 5.2 million people. About 70% of homes already have DAB radios, according to Radio.no, a website backed by the country's public broadcaster.