The radio regulator is facing more than one option for the award of the local DAB digital radio multiplex for the three counties of Herts, Beds and Bucks.

Newcomer MuxCo Home Counties will bring five existing stations to the DAB platform, while a digital-only version of Mercury FM will also cover the region. MuxCo Home Counties is a consortium of five companies.

New stations Easy Radio, pop and rock format Jack FM and a rolling news station will join a dance/chillout music station on the multiplex, if MuxCo are successful in the licence award.

Established DAB player NOW Digital, a division of GCap Media, is planning to launch both local options of its Chiltern FM stations, in addition to its DAB-only Chill format, modern rock brand Xfm, Christian station UCB and rock/pop station Jack FM.

MuxCo Home Counties Limited

• BBC Three Counties Radio : news, information and music (BBC Radio)

• Chiltern FM : pop and contemporary music (GCap Media Digital Ltd)

• Horizon Radio : pop and contemporary music (GCap Media Digital Lt)

• Classic Gold Digital : classic hits (Classic Gold Digital Ltd)

• Hertbeat FM : contemporary music (Shadow Radio Holdings Ltd)

• Jack FM : pop and rock music (Absolute Radio International Ltd)

• Easy Radio : easy listening music (Easy Radio Ltd)

• new station : dance/chillout (Confidential supplier)

• new station : news & information (MuxCo Home Counties Ltd)

• Mercury Plus : pop and contemporary hits; news & info (Adventure Radio Ltd)

NOW Digital Limited

• BBC Three Counties Radio : news, information and music (BBC Radio)

• 97.6 Chiltern FM : pop and contemporary music (GCap Media Digital Ltd)

• 96.9 Chiltern FM : pop and contemporary music (GCap Media Digital Ltd)

• Horizon Radio : pop and contemporary music (GCap Media Digital Ltd)

• Classic Gold Digital : classic hits (Classic Gold Digital Ltd)

• Jack FM : pop and rock music (18 hours/day service) (Absolute Radio International Ltd)

• Chill : chillout music (GCap Media Digital Ltd)

• Xfm : modern rock music (GCap Media Digital Ltd)

• UCB UK : music and religious programmes (UCB Ltd)

MuxCo are proposing a start date of 1st April 2008 for its DAB services, with NOW Digital opting for a July 2008 launch.The radio regulator, Ofcom, will announce the winner of the multiplex in Summer.