All of the BBC’s national, local and regional stations along with the BBC World Service are available to listen to live on the internet (rights permitting), with appropriate media player software.
It is also possible to listen to BBC Radio services via the internet without having to logon to a computer.
The easiest way to do this is via Wi-Fi or Internet Radio. These radios pick up radio stations streaming on the internet via a broadband connection to the radio.
There are no UK only IP restrictions on BBC radio, for more information and direct links to the various BBC stations see BBC National Radio.
That said, listeners overseas will only be able to access the BBC’s lower bitrate streams on BBC iPlayer.
For information on reception and programming, see The BBC Radio Website
Radio Bitrates on BBC iPlayer
The BBC have changed the way they provide radio streams. This change is part of a wider project for a new way of delivering online radio from source to the products that users consume, known as Audio Factory.
Audio Factory was designed to keep BBC services available, make them more resilient and ensure a consistent experience.
All BBC services are now available in HLS and HDS using the AAC codec. By the summer of 2015, the BBC hopes to have these streams available in the non-proprietary DASH format.
HTTP streams are available in both UK (320 kbps HLS AAC) and international variants, which allows those in the UK to continue to enjoy BBC Sports coverage.
International and mobile listeners will only have 96 kbps HE-AAC v1 streams available, again only in HDS/HLS.
Since 2015, all of the BBC Radio online content has been produced by the Audio Factory platform that provides the same quality and device support for all our stations.
Audio Factory is the BBC’s internal name for its audio streaming infrastructure.
The BBC has retained a single SHOUTcast stream of each service using the MP3 codec (128 kbps) to support devices that cannot support these protocols.
This is a fallback for devices that previously used windows media or SHOUTcast, the BBC chose MP3 to keep them compatible with the widest range of devices. Up to a third of these older devices do not have support for the AAC codec.
Audio Factory encodes BBC Radio content using the following codecs and bitrates: | |||
---|---|---|---|
Profile | Codec | Bitrate | Channels |
1 | AAC-LC | 320kbs | Stereo |
2 | AAC-LC | 128kbs | Stereo |
3 | HE-AACv1 | 96kbs | Stereo |
4 | HE-AACv1 | 48kbs | Stereo |
2a | MP3 | 128kbs | Stereo |
Not all these bitrates are necessarily supported by all devices at all times. For example, a mobile phone may only be offered the lower bitrate streams when on 3G to ensure the connection is more reliable and better-listening experience is achieved. Also, some devices may only be able to cope with a single bitrate and so may not offer the other options e.g. some internet radios.
Audio Factory does not support the WMA (Windows Media Audio) encoding and delivery protocol.
Audio Factory packages and delivers BBC Radio using the flowing protocols: | ||
---|---|---|
Protocol | Profiles | Target Devices |
HDS | 1, 2, 3 & 4 | Desktop computers (PC, MAC). Requires browser Flash plugin. |
HLS | 1, 2, 3 & 4 | Smartphones, tablets and IP radios and streamers. |
MPEG-DASH | 1, 2, 3 & 4 | New format to replace HDS and some HLS use. |
ICY (SHOUTcast) | 2a | Low-end Internet Radio devices and 3rd party Apps. |
With the exception of Radio 3HD, the BBC no longer provide ICY (SHOUTcast) streams using the AAC+ codec.
MP3 at 128kbs was chosen following advice from a number of Internet Radio device manufacturers regarding the codec and streaming protocols supported by the largest possible number of their legacy devices. These streams are also available to international listeners.
Newer Internet Radio devices should be able to make use of the HLS and/or MPEG-DASH protocols using the higher quality AAC+ codec.
Radio on BBC iPlayer
Station |
UK Bitrate
|
Overseas Bitrate
|
Audio
|
Description |
BBC Radio 1 |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
Youth orientated Popular music and speech. |
BBC Radio 2 |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
Adult-oriented Pop Music |
BBC Radio 3 |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
Classic Music |
BBC Radio 4 |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
News & Speech |
BBC Radio 5 Live |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Mono
|
Live news and sport (some UK only ip restrictions apply) |
BBC Radio 5 Live Sp Extra |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Mono
|
Live news and sport (some UK only ip restrictions apply) |
BBC 6 Music |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
Classic rock Alternative rock Funk Indie Jazz Hip Hop |
BBC Radio 4 Extra |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Mono
|
Comedy, Drama, and Chat |
BBC 1Xtra |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
New Black / urban music |
BBC Asian Network |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Mono
|
South Asian orientated |
BBC World Service |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Mono
|
English language version of the BBC World Service |
BBC Radio Scotland |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
National radio for Scotland. |
BBC Radio Nan Gàidheal |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
Scottish Gaelic language station. |
BBC Radio Wales |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
National radio for Wales. |
BBC Radio Cymru |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
Welsh language service. |
BBC Radio Cymru 2 |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
Welsh language service. |
BBC Radio Ulster |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
National radio for Northern Ireland. |
BBC Radio Foyle |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
The local radio station, serving the North West of Northern Ireland. |
BBC Radio Guernsey |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
BBC local radio for Guernsey. |
BBC Radio Jersey |
320 kbps HLS AAC
|
96 kbps HLS AAC
|
Joint-Stereo
|
BBC local radio for Jersey. |
For local radio, see BBC Local Radio 320 kbps HLS AAC for all local & regional BBC stations & 96 kbps for international listeners. |