iBiquity Digital Corporation, the sole developer and licenser of digital AM and FM radio broadcast technology in the U.S., has announced an agreement with Impulse Radio to jointly work with the radio, consumer electronics, and automotive industries to develop a common platform to standardize digital radio data broadcasts that make use of the wireless data capabilities of iBiquity Digital's technology. Impulse Radio and other application developers will utilize the common platform to deliver exciting new data services that radio broadcasters will transmit to digital AM/FM radios. These data services will include everything from song title and artist name to real-time traffic information and interactive commerce.iBiquity and Impulse Radio are launching their standardization effort at the Digital Radio Wireless Data Conference in Detroit. Conference attendees include major radio broadcasters, receiver manufacturers, automakers, and wireless data applications developers. iBiquity Digital and Impulse Radio expect to continue to solicit input from all interested digital radio constituents throughout their development of a common platform.
"The opportunity for radio stations to generate additional revenue by delivering data services to complement their current audio programming is a major benefit of adopting our IBOC digital broadcast technology. We believe that consumers will view the new data services, including song title and artist name, as well as on-demand weather and traffic reports as valuable upgrades to today's radio," states Pat Walsh, vice president, Wireless Data Business Development, iBiquity Digital. "Impulse Radio recognizes these opportunities, and understands that a common platform is the best way to ensure that data services become as ubiquitous as audio services."
"We recognize that a common platform will be critical to the success of digital radio data services," states David Corts, CEO, Impulse Radio. "This development agreement with iBiquity will allow us to use our skills in application development to assist the radio industry in standardizing the format and presentation of digital radio data services. We think this is a critical enabler of a potentially huge opportunity for broadcasters, radio manufacturers, automakers, retailers, service providers and applications developers."
Today, radio in the United States is broadcast using analog signals. iBiquity Digital's AM and FM digital broadcasting technology uses an IBOC (In-Band On-Channel) approach to broadcasting, enabling radio stations to transmit a digital signal capable of delivering digital quality audio as well as wireless data for a wide variety of consumer applications, including traffic and weather information. In the future, in-vehicle radios, home audio and potentially a host of consumer electronics devices, such as personal digital assistants and smart phones, will receive wireless data transmitted by digital AM and FM radio stations.
About Impulse Radio Founded in December 1999 and headquartered in New York City, Impulse Radio is the leading developer of technology necessary to facilitate the management and proliferation of digital data services in the merging IBOC DAB market. Impulse Radio's technology enables exciting new features in the up-and-coming IBOC data transmission medium. Broadcasters and receiver manufacturers will use Impulse Radio Technology to manage, deliver and display visually synchronized information such as song title and artist information, news, traffic, financial reports and "on-demand" audio services.
Link for more info: www.ibiquity.com
