FAQ: How much is the license fee charged by Xperi (Ibiquity) for an LPFM station to run HD Radio?

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Based on information received by REC on June 3, 2019 (revised August 28, 2021):

For noncommercial educational (NCE) broadcast stations (full-service and LPFM), Xperi does have a special licensing rate.  The license fee is $5,000.  This can be paid with a $2,000 down payment and then annual payments of $600 per year for 5 years.  You can pay off the licensing fees at any time.  

The NCE license fee allows stations to add HD2, HD3 and HD4 channels with no additional ongoing cost.  Rebroadcast of these multicast channels does not incur any additional costs either.

This of course does not include the equipment necessary to deliver a digital signal, just the royalty to use the HD Radio technology.

 

Topics: 
LPFM technical operations
LPFM program content/station operations/noncommercial nature
LPFM station planning and construction
Answer Date: 
Saturday, August 28, 2021