Time has flown by since the introduction of IP, and today, even most rural regions are connected to the internet. In addition, the cost has shifted in terms of satellite and IP bandwidth, even if it varies from country to country. With this in mind, MPX over IP offers radio stations operating a VHF network the possibility to choose their best transmission approach, depending on coverage and costs. This results in significantly more possibilities for signal distribution, leading to increased flexibility in network management. Some general points and main advantages:
The technology offers potential of savings in terms of bandwidth costs. If satellite is not economical, especially if the required kbps increases due to a high number of individual RDS configurations, plain MPX over IP is the cost-saving alternative. The situation is completely different when distribution via IP is a cost driver. Then encapsulation of the MPX signal in a transport stream for satellite distribution is the economic way to go. System simplification is possible because studio and transmitter locations are directly connected and the multiplex signal is only generated at the studio site. Two scenarios are given if MPX signal generation is done at studio sites.