Alpine Electronics, iBiquity Digital Sign Strategic Agreement
20 September 2000
Alpine Electronics, iBiquity Digital Sign Strategic Agreement
SAN FRANCISCO--Sept. 20, 2000--iBiquity Digital Corporation, the leading developer of AM and FM radio digital broadcast technology, and Alpine Electronics, one of the world's leading automotive electronics manufacturers, today announced the signing of a Joint Technology and Marketing Development Agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will further the implementation of iBiquity's AM and FM digital broadcast technology, iDAB, and work together to determine a plan for the integration of iBiquity's technology into Alpine receivers. Alpine manufactures mobile electronics for leading automobile manufacturers and aftermarket retailers.Today, AM and FM radio in the United States is broadcast using analog signals. iBiquity Digital's technology will enable radio broadcasters to send a digital signal, capable of containing CD-quality audio with crystal clear reception and additional wireless data for a variety of consumer applications such as station and program content, stock and news information, local traffic and weather, and much more.
"Alpine is world renowned for developing innovative and cutting edge automotive entertainment and information systems to meet the demands of today's motorists," said Robert J. Struble, President and CEO of iBiquity Digital Corporation. "We are excited to be working with them to develop the hardware that will allow consumers across America to experience the next generation of AM and FM radio with its enhanced sound quality, and entertainment and information on demand capabilities."
"Alpine entered this alliance with iBiquity Digital as part of the groundwork we are laying for our vision of the automotive environment of the 21st century", said Akira Kurihara, Managing Director, Alpine Electronics Engineering & Development. "Digital radio with its CD-quality sound and myriad of data services promises to be a significant enhancement to the integrated systems we are developing for vehicles, which include navigation, telematics, communications and in-vehicle entertainment devices."
About Alpine Electronics
Alpine Electronics (www.alpine1.com) is one of the world's leading mobile electronics system integrators. Alpine is the only manufacturer specializing in mobile multimedia, an integrated system approach incorporating audio, visual, security and navigation products for the mobile environment. With research and development facilities in Asia, Europe and the U.S., Alpine is the global leader for in-vehicle navigation systems in Japan, North America and Europe for the after- market and for OEM factory installations. About iBiquity Digital
iBiquity Digital (www.ibiquity.com) is a leading technology innovator working to develop and commercialize digital radio and audio compression technology solutions. It's AM and FM digital broadcast technology, iDAB, will transform the terrestrial radio industry from being providers of audio-only analog to being providers of high quality digital audio and data services. PAC? is a highly customizable audio compression technology currently being incorporated into wireless solutions, such as XM Satellite Radio's Satellite Digital Audio Radio System (SDARS). iBiquity Digital was formed from the merger of Lucent Digital Radio and USA Digital Radio. The company is privately held with operations in Columbia, MD and Warren, NJ. iBiquity Digital's investor group serves as a major source of guidance and support. The broad investor coalition includes 15 of the nation's largest radio broadcasters, and other prominent technology, media and investment companies: ABC, Inc., New York ; Allbritton New Media, Inc., Washington, DC; AMFM, Inc., Dallas, ; Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc., Naples, Florida ; Bonneville International Corporation, Salt Lake City; Chase Capital Partners, New York, an affiliate of Chase Manhattan Corporation ; Citadel Communications Corporation, Las Vegas ; Clear Channel Communications, Inc., San Antonio ; Cox Radio, Inc., Atlanta ; Cumulus Media, Inc., Milwaukee ; DB Capital Partners, New York; Emmis Communications, Indianapolis ; Entercom Communications Corporation, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania ; Flatiron Partners, New York; Gannett Company, Inc., Arlington, Virginia ; Granite Ventures, LLC., San Francisco; Grotech Capital Group, Timonium, Maryland; Harris Corporation, Melbourne, Florida ; Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation, Dallas ; J&W Seligman & Co. Incorporated, New York; Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, New Jersey ; Pequot Capital, Westport, Connecticut; Pictet, Geneva, Switzerland; Radio One, Inc., Lanham, Maryland ; Regent Communications, Inc., Covington, Kentucky ; Riggs Capital Partners, LLC, Washington, DC; Saga Communications, Inc., Grosse Pointe, Michigan (AMEX: SGA); TI Ventures, Dallas; Viacom Inc., New York ; Visteon Corporation, Dearborn, Michigan ; Waller-Sutton Media Partners, New York; Whitney & Co., Stanford, Connecticut; and Williams, Jones & Associates, Inc., New York.