United Christian Broadcasters Limited (UCB) has secured DAB Digital radio capacity on MXR, covering five major regions and potentially reaching another 17.6 million people with the gospel.

The development will allow UCB is to extend its DAB Digital radio broadcasting reach across the country with its existing London and Stoke licences.

UCB said this would mean "that virtually all major cities in England and Wales will be able to hear Christian radio, most of them for the first time".

UCB will commence broadcasting in the new regions on 1 October 2007, taking the broadcaster's potential audience for its Christian radio output on the DAB Digital radio network to just under 30 million adults, according to Ofcom.

MXR Limited, which operates the five DAB Digital radio networks, covering almost 18 million adults, invited UCB to apply for access to their North East, North West, Yorkshire, West Midlands and Severn Estuary regions in March.

Diane Wray, MXR Limited's Managing Director said: "We are really pleased to see UCB become a content provider on our multiplexes.

"UCB is a quality broadcaster and they are bringing something new and exciting to these regions."

UCB is actually launching two radio stations across the five regions: UCB UK and UCB Inspirational.

UCB UK is UCB's 'flagship' station currently being broadcast on DAB Digital radio across London and much of Staffordshire.

Ian Mackie, UCB's Chief Executive said: "We set our sights on providing national Christian broadcasting back in 1986 and more recently determined we needed two very different radio formats to ensure we were able to meet the needs of all our supporters, regardless of their age."

He added: "This breakthrough takes us a long way to achieving both objectives."

Towns and cities able to receive UCB's DAB Digital radio broadcasts for the first time will include Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield, Hull, Lincoln, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Coventry, Swansea, Cardiff, Bristol and Bath.