The FCC took a key step toward U.S. deployment of digital radio when it issued proposed rules for launching the service "expeditiously" after technical and standards issues are resolved.
In a 28-page notice on digital audio broadcasting (DAB) issued Monday Nov. 1, the FCC stopped short of endorsing in-band, on-channel (IBOC) systems designed to allow the simultaneous broadcast of analog and digital signals without disrupting existing services. Still, the notice stressed that "the catalyst for this action is the progress of in-band, on-channel DAB technology.
"IBOC DAB systems have not been conclusively proven to be technically viable at this point in time, yet great strides have been made and the systems certainly hold real promise," the FCC notice stated.
Among IBOC design issues [are] DAB systems that operate within existing AM/FM "emission masks," or limits, on signal power. FCC rules impose limits on signal power inside and outside a station's assigned channel. Industry comments on the FCC notice are due by mid-January.
FCC PROPOSAL (text)
FCC PROPOSAL (acrobat PDF)