SAN ANTONIO, TX. (Top40 Charts/ Clear Channel Radio) - Clear Channel Radio's
Total Traffic Network today announced that it has begun transmitting traffic data via HD
Radio in 48 of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas. This launch marks the first commercially available data service over HD
Radio and leverages the robust data delivery capabilities of HD Radio. Clear Channel is working with a variety of receiver manufacturers to make the specially-equipped receivers available by the end of this year.
Clear Channel's Total Traffic Network also announced that it has further expanded its delivery of real-time traffic data over RDS-TMC (Radio Data System Traffic Message Channel) with the addition of 19 new markets that include: Albany, NY; Albuquerque, NM; Birmingham, AL; Columbia, SC; Fort Myers, FL; Louisville, KY; Omaha, NE; Portsmouth/Manchester, NH; Richmond, VA; Rochester, NY; Sarasota, FL; Springfield, MA; Syracuse, NY; Toledo, OH; Tucson, AZ; Worcester, MA and Toronto, ON; Ottawa, ON and Montreal, QE in Canada. Clear Channel's Total Traffic Network now delivers real time traffic via RDS-TMC in 68 cities, and plans to add more markets to its Total Traffic Network data delivery via RDS-TMC throughout 2007. This expanded coverage is made available to existing subscribers without additional charge.
"HD Radio is the future for broadcast data delivery, allowing us to not only deliver traffic data, but provide additional services as well," said Jeff Littlejohn, Clear Channel Radio Executive Vice President of Distribution Development. "Clear Channel Radio is synonymous with high quality traffic data. With the addition of these 19 markets, we cover over 160 million people with our traffic service for consumer devices."
Clear Channel Radio's Total Traffic Network currently provides real-time traffic information to devices made by Garmin, TomTom, Mio-Mitac, Delphi, Kenwood, Clarion, Navigon, Cobra Electronics and Siemens VDO and supplies traffic content to several media outlets including Citadel Broadcasting, Univision, Fox Interactive Media, and others.
In September 2006, Clear Channel Radio announced a milestone agreement with BMW of North America, LLC in which they became the first automotive brand in the United States to offer real-time traffic as a subscription free service included with navigation on select models. Earlier this year, MINI USA became the second automotive brand to announce such a relationship with Total Traffic Network.