Digital radio was one of the hottest topics at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) even though it won't make it to the open market for over a year. The buzz isn't surprising considering that radio is one of the most popular (if not the most popular) broadcasting media in the U.S. There are over 550 million radios in the U.S. right now, 6.1 per household, according to the Consumer Electronics Society. All these radios are tuning in to analog broadcasts, full of static and interference. That's about to change.
Some stations have begun testing digital radio technology and will start transmitting digital signals in the second quarter of next year. That's plenty of time of manufacturers to start building digital radio receivers into all sorts of devices beyond alarm clocks and portable tape players. You're likely to see cellular phones, PDAs, and PC Cards with built-in digital radios as well. Radios that can receive the new signals will cost about 10 to 15 percent more than standard models and will feature slightly larger displays to accommodate the additional data received. The first step, however, will be to convert radio broadcast stations so that they're able to transmit the digital signal concurrently with their analog signal.
Simultaneous Sound and Data
While radio broadcasts simply transmit sounds via the airwaves, digital audio broadcast (DAB) technology can also transmit data in the form of bits. The radio broadcasts are received in an enhanced audio format along with the digital information, using what is called in-band, on-channel (IBOC) DAB technology. IBOC is efficient, enabling broadcasters to transmit digital audio using existing AM/FM frequencies while saving part of the spectrum for wireless data transmission. Thanks to the new technology, AM will have FM quality and FM quality will be equivalent that of CDs.
Audio and data transmissions are simultaneous, and the data services will include information such as station, song, and artist identification as well as news, stock, traffic, and weather updates. Eventually, you may be able to receive personalized services, such as instant messaging, e-mail, and calendars, but for the moment this is too costly. "The radio broadcast system is designed to transmit information only one way, hence the name broadcast. To access e-mail and other applications requires interactivity, which is technically possible but inefficient," says David Bikle, a spokesperson for Lucent Technologies.
Standards Battle
Two companies are now developing competing versions of IBOC DAB technology, Lucent Digital Radio, a spinoff of Lucent Technologies, and USA Digital Radio. Lucent uses its version of the Perceptual Audio Coder (PAC), originally developed by Bell Labs, to convert analog audio signals to digital. USA Digital Radio uses Advanced Audio Coding (AAC). A third competitor, Digital Radio Express, recently joined forces with USA Digital Radio to work on AAC applications. Both versions are currently under review by the FCC and the National Radio Systems Committee (NRSC) for selection as the U.S. terrestrial DAB standard, and the companies are eagerly awaiting a decision as to which standard will be approved. A decision is expected by the end of this year.
In USA Digital Radio's favor is substantial backing in the form of investment from leading radio broadcasters including ABC and CBS. "We feel good about the standards process, because half of the industry owns our company. We're also working closely with broadcasters in the design process in order to put the needs of listeners ahead of the competition," says Bob Struble, president of USA Digital Radio.
Lucent Digital Radio didn't meet the FCC's December 15th deadline for submitting lab and field test results to the NRSC. Lucent, however, feels confident about its technology's chances of being selected as the standard. "We're working very hard with radio broadcasters, consumer electronics manufacturers, and regulators in Washington. The NRSC will figure out who can offer better value between the USA Digital Radio and ourselves," says Suren Pai, president and CEO of Lucent Digital Radio.
Satellite Radio
Meanwhile, Lucent Digital Radio is also focusing its attention skywards. It has licensed its version of PAC to XM Satellite Radio. And another branch of Lucent Technologies, Lucent Microelectronics, is licensing its own version of PAC to Sirius Satellite Radio (formerly CD Radio). Both companies promise to deliver digital audio as well as data services to your car radio via satellite for a monthly fee of $9.95.
According to Lucent Digital Radio's Pai, satellite radio will complement terrestrial digital radio. It will also allow a long-distance traveler to listen to a single radio station while driving across the country rather than losing the signal when getting farther away from the transmitter.
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