Lucent Technologies Inc. said Monday it is developing digital audio broadcast systems that will provide listeners with greatly enhanced sound quality for AM radio and near-CD quality for FM radio. The Lucent Digital Radio venture will develop In-Band On-Channel systems, a digital enhancement to current analog radio broadcasting systems, the company said in a statement.

There are more than 12,000 radio stations in the United States (AM and FM combined), and the number of radios owned in the United States is more than 500 million, or more than 5 per household. Digital audio broadcasting systems are expected to be commercially available starting in 2000, the company said.

(Source: Ninfomania NewsWire)