Re: [Swprograms] Digital radio news

[Richard Cuff <rdcuff@xxxxxxxxx>]

Reminds me of the term "dark fiber" - from the telecommunications industry.

When long-haul fiber optic cable was first laid into the ground,
expectations were that its transmission capacity would be sufficient
for a reasonable number of years, allowing for a reasonable period of
cost amortization.  However, the manufacturers of fiber optic
components soon discovered ways to squeeze more throughput out of a
given circuit, which significantly increased the transmission capacity
of a given cable - far beyond demand.  As a result, parts of the cable
weren't "lit up" with optical transmitters (or receivers), hence the
name "dark fiber".

Digital audio broadcasting, too, significantly increases the
transmission capacity of a given frequency (or given frequency band),
but there isn't sufficient demand for stations to invest in any sort
of "useful" format for these additional channels, as John suggests..

Perhaps what we need is some sort of "use it or lose it" requirement:
If stations do nothing other put these "placeholder" formats on the
subchannels, they lose their access to the channels, which are then
offered up at auction.  Sure, the existing station could bid for the
spectrum space and thus close out others, However that would overall
increase the cost for the stations to "defend" their turf.

Unfortunately I don't see the NAB or other lobbyist organizations
willing to support such a rule; their interest is to protect their
current members.

RC

On Thu, Jan 9, 2014 at 9:19 AM, John A. Figliozzi <jfiglio1@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> A personal take on the "drive for digital"... (Catchy, eh?)
>
> Ibiquity arguably has the best technology solution here because it alone
> addresses the blackout problem that occurs when the digital signal degrades
> below threshold. However, like its digital brethren (DAB, DAB+ and DRM,
> there's really minimal interest and demand for it.
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