Digital reception in East Kent

[samuel23]

Apologies if this has been asked before.
I brought a new (and blooming expensive!) digital radio and although it picks up all the FM stations very well, it just won't find any digital stations.
I took the radio back to the shop that sold it to me and they were great, exchanged it for another one with no questions asked, they even tried it and didn't get any digital stations either.
As I needed to work in the garden, I took the radio with me - I was talking with my neighbour and he suggested that I try the digital stations again and lo and behold (although the reception wasn't great) it picked up some digital stations outside. When I asked how he came up with the idea he said that he had spoken to several others thaat live here and they all had the same problem - no reception inside but got some limited stations outside.
Now I am concerned that when the switch over to digital arrives I'll be left with a radio that only works outside, and not all that well either.
Sorry about all the pre-amble but my questions are
A - Will the reception improve when the switch over happens and
B - What can I do if it doesn't?
I don't want to be left having to drag the tele all over the house just so that I can listen to the radio.
My view is that this digital thing is a con and I can't seen any benefit at all.

[redman41]

There will be no Switchover to Digital for Radio only for TV. You can receive digital Radio via your Freeview Box. There are plans in the pipeline to switch over to Digital Radio but not before the whole country is switched over to Digital TV first. Digital Radio possibly in 2020 !! Anybody's guess,

[samuel23]

thanks redman

[ChuckFickens]

did you actually check if your area has DAB reception before buying a radio?

http://www.ukdigitalradio.com/coverage/postcodesearch/

[scotman]

Some people reckon DAB Radio is a busted flush anyway as by the time comes to switch off the analogue channels so much will be coming by fast internet that radio will be obsolete. I am not so sure about that myself. I think it will depend on how much advertising revenue is available.
PS check out shoutcast.com

[ChuckFickens]

scotman, I agree, and TV will go that way soon after!

if anyone really thinks that in 50years time anything will still be analog and not transmitted by the internet they are mistaken