An interactive satellite network for digital audio distribution

Although shortwave radio continues to be invaluable for penetrating closed countries, it is totally unsuitable for the distribution of high-quality stereo programming for rebroadcast on FM radio. Satellite digital audio distribution provides the solution. State-of-the-art digital audio compression techniques make it possible to send high-fidelity stereophonic signals over increasingly narrow bandwidths. International satellites can deliver these signals to large areas of the globe, utilising digital encoding techniques to reduce the required transmit power to an absolute minimum. The America Latina via Satellite (ALAS) project was conceived to utilise these resources to fulfill the programming requirements of Latin America´s young urban population. The ALAS network has been designed to provide a pseudo-interactive satellite distribution network