U.S. Electronics and others such as Public Knowledge and Ibiquity Digital say if the satellite radio companies are allowed to merge, a condition should be an “open device requirement.”
Having several manufacturers making new satellite radios would ensure chip, receiver and component makers have incentives to continue to produce satellite radio product and compete on price and features, proponents say.
Ibiquity met with several FCC staffers this week about the merger and reiterated a proposal to condition the merger upon the inclusion of HD Radio receive capability in any future satellite radios — within one year for non-OEM devices and within three years for OEM tuners. The specifics are designed to meet the production cycles of OEMs and non-OEMs, according to a filing.
Sirius and XM meanwhile submitted to the FCC this week what they are calling “Sirius-XM Greatest Hits: Collection of Broad Merger Support,” consisting of 200+ pages including supportive comments from the NAACP, the Family Research Council, Circuit City, NASCAR, GM, Ford and The American Trucking Association.
