Humax, Sirius sign satellite radio contract

Humax Co., Korea’s leading manufacturer of digital satellite set-top boxes, signed a contract with Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., a U.S. digital satellite radio company, to supply portable radios for its satellite digital audio broadcasting, or DAB, service. The company did not disclose the amount of radios to be supplied or the duration of the contract. Sirius produces radios that can be used in cars or homes, but are not portable. In a press release yesterday, Humax said it “will be developing new and innovative satellite radio products for Sirius,” and it expects the portable DAB market to grow fast. The satellite DAB service is growing dramatically in the United States and Europe, and the global market is expected to reach $2.9 billion this year. Sirius expects the number of subscribers to reach 2.5 million by the end of this year. Unlike satellite digital multimedia broadcasting, which offers a video service, DAB radios can only receive audio signals. by Park Sung-ha