MUMBAI: The Beeb has announced that all its 40 radio stations in the UK will be streamed on the internet. This means that listeners who log on can access their local service no matter where they are.

The announcement follows last year's decision to broadcast all the national and regional variations of the BBC One to audiences across the UK on the digital satellite platform. A company release informs that the new strategy reflects the broadcasters strategy of making its local and regional services in the UK as widely available as possible.

BBC English Regions controller Andy Griffee added, "More and more people are listening to radio through the internet, especially on their office desk tops. Until now local radio stations were not part of the BBC's online distribution.

"This breakthrough means that listeners across the UK now have greatly increased choice of BBC stations. It will also provide us with the opportunity to create new programme formats and content spanning different local stations."

The service will be phased in later this year on the BBC's Where I Live sites, all of which can be accessed at www.bbc.co.uk/whereilive, and will be accessible to people with both narrowband and broadband connections.

BBC London 94.9 is already available on the Internet.