Ibiquity Digital Corp. has cleared another hurdle on the road to commercial rollout of its in-band, on-channel digital audio broadcasting system. The standards-setting body evaluating the viability and practicality of implementing IBOC DAB has studied Ibiquity’s FM system, and declared it “a significant improvement” over analog. The DAB Subcommittee of the National Radio Systems Committee has recommended that the FCC approve the system for use in the U.S., specifically citing its “greatly reduced impact of multipath interference, superior resistance to co-channel and adjacent channel interference.”
Ibiquity President Robert Struble called the report a “validation” of Ibiquity’s FM system and he hoped the FCC would put the report out on public notice soon.
NAB President/CEO Eddie Fritts said the report is “a key step in moving broadcasters into the digital era.”
NRSC DAB Subcommittee Chairman Milford Smith said this effort represents the most comprehensive so far, from the sheer amount of data the group studied. The report is the result of efforts from several volunteers, led by Dr. Don Messer of the International Broadcasting Bureau.
The Evaluation Working Group of the DAB Subcommittee hopes to begin evaluating Ibiquity’s AM system at its next meeting, set for Dec. 10. The International Telecommunication Union has initially endorsed Ibiquity’s FM system for use abroad and will put a draft recommendation for a vote before its 189 country membership. The ITU endorsed Ibiquity’s AM system for use in countries besides the U.S. earlier this year.
NRSC: FM IBOC is Officially Better Than Analog
NRSC: FM IBOC is Officially Better Than Analog
