One of the biggest shifts in broadcast technology over the last few years has been the move to MPX over IP.

Traditionally, stations relied on Moseley or similar STL links on the 800 MHz band for point to point transport. When that spectrum was sold to mobile operators, most broadcasters were pushed onto analog STL links in the 2 GHz band. The problem was that many lost the ability to carry RDS data to car radios, and overall sound quality suffered.

At a previous station I worked at, we became only the second broadcaster in Gauteng to implement MPX over IP. The difference was immediate. Not only was RDS restored, but the FM sound tightened up in ways listeners could hear without being told.

Over the past two and a half years, stations in Johannesburg and Cape Town have followed suit, adopting different solutions. Many have opted for the Sigmacom MPX over Ethernet which is uncompressed and produces excellent quality. Others have chosen the WorldCast MPX over IP. My current choice is the Omnia MPX Node which uses compression to fit limited bandwidth while still delivering improved sound and carrying RDS data.

Having worked with both Sigmacom and Omnia, I can say each has its strengths. For my current project, bandwidth constraints made Omnia the smarter fit. Both codecs have multicasting capabilities.The expectation is simple. The station will finally sound the way it should again with full RDS data after some time without it.

In KwaZulu Natal most broadcasters have leaned heavily on legacy STL links. Bringing MPX over IP into the mix opens up more reliable and cost effective transport routes while raising the bar on sound.

I am confident that once more broadcasters hear the final product, this will stop being an optional upgrade and start becoming the standard.