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How streaming works on WaveSphere
Transparency builds trust with listeners and station operators. Here is the technical and policy picture in plain language.
Key fact: WaveSphere is a player and discovery UI. Your browser usually connects directly to the station’s stream URL. We do not “re-broadcast” audio as a radio network.
Where station data comes from
Metadata (name, tags, geo, stream URL) largely comes from public radio directory APIs (community radio-browser style sources). Listings can be wrong, offline, or geo-blocked. That is a directory reality, not always a WaveSphere outage.
What happens when you press Play
- The app selects a station record (search, map pin, or list)
- The HTML5 audio element requests the stream URL
- If the station allows your region/network, audio plays
- Optional tools (EQ, sleep timer) run in your browser
What we store
Favorites and volume preferences typically stay in local storage. Aggregated analytics (plays, presence) may use Firebase when enabled — see Privacy.
Station owners
If you operate a station and want a listing reviewed or removed, use Copyright & Removal. We treat ownership claims seriously.
Why this matters for brand
Honest architecture is part of the product. WaveSphere is built by Prateek Pareek as an independent free tool — not a black-box stream farm.