Agreement to Increase HD Radio Signal Power

In a development that could vastly improve HD Radio signal reception and propel the digital radio service forward, iBiquity and NPR have reached an agreement for a managed HD power increase. It would give all HD FMs a four-fold power hike, but some stations could get an even bigger bump.

The two parties also agreed to additional power increases beyond the blanket 6 dB increase, depending on spacing criteria and conditions that would limit harmful interference. NPR says initial models suggest most stations will be able to exceed 6dB. The agreement caps weeks of dialogue with commercial and noncommercial broadcasters following September’s NAB Radio Show and the conclusion of field testing by NPR Labs. From those talks and tests the two parties identified conditions and criteria to manage the blanket power increase, including additional HD software enhancements. Those include single frequency networks to fill gaps in digital coverage, asymmetrical digital sidebands to reduce the potential for digital interference to short-spaced, first-adjacent analog stations, and low bitrate codecs and conditional access crucial to moving radio reading services into the mainstream of digital broadcasting.

NPR Labs executive director Mike Starling calls the agreement “a great example of an industry compromise.” Some broadcasters wanted to boost power levels tenfold. “A lot of people have put a lot of work into this. We are optimistic about the future of HD Radio, and eager to continue to work with iBiquity on the developments that will make this power increase work to everyone’s advantage – stations, listeners, and receiver makers.”

Ibiquity CEO Bob Struble called the deal “an unambiguously positive development” in the future of HD Radio. “We are delighted that the radio industry is now poised to push this technology ahead together.”

NPR and iBiquity are jointly presenting their recommendations to the FCC today and encouraging the Commission to adopt the power increase quickly.

The NAB is encouraged by the consensus agreement. EVP Dennis Wharton says, "We urge the FCC to move quickly and allow stations to operate at increased power according to the criteria in the agreement."