NET RADIO BROADCASTING TO CELL PHONES INCREASING

Internet radio stations on your cell phone are already a reality according to an article in today’s RAIN newsletter "Orban/CRL has announced that several Internet netcasters are now streaming high-quality stereo audio programming to 3GPP mobile devices via Orban’s OPTICODEC-PC aacPlus streaming software. Groove Salad, Secret Agent, and Indie Pop Rocks from San Francisco netcaster SomaFM and Santa Fe, NM’s Blu 102.9 FM are all streaming using 3GPP streaming technology in addition to their normal aacPlus audio streams.

"According to Rusty Hodge of SomaFM, ‘3GPP aacPlus streams can actually sound better than FM radio. With these netcasters using this innovative technology, it is sure to help set the pace for more high quality streams and content to become available to the exploding wireless communications market.’…

"These stations join the many other netcasters who are listed on www.tuner2.com, a free streaming directory listing site for OPTICODEC-PC aacPlus netcasts. 3GPP streams are now also listed at www.tuner2.com/tuner/tuner2.wml for WAP browsers.

"Compared to MP3 and Windows Media Audio, these stations have found that OPTTICODEC-PC’s advanced aacPlus codec can reduce their bandwidth costs by almost two-thirds while increasing the audio quality they deliver to their listeners…"

HYPEBOT: It’s all a bit technical for us. But new software that lowers bandwith requirements while increasing sound quality therefore making broadcasting to cell phones possible and bandwidth costs for all net broadcasting lower, then we’re damn excited.