At least one person has gone on the record as saying the FCC should decide if it’s going to put any teeth behind its intent to have Sirius and XM bring interoperable radios to market.
In a filing to MB Docket 07-57, Michael Hartleib has asked the commission for a ruling “to request clarity as to the reasons the FCC has chosen not to enforce the interoperable mandate.” Hartleib positions himself as a consumer.
The satcasters have said they have a design and prototype for an interoperable radio but can’t convince a manufacturer — like an OEM — to build it because it’s so expensive. Hartleib believes it’s more complicated than that (and I agree). He says their exclusive OEM deals limited demand by placing sat radios in certain makes and models, and thus limiting consumer choice.
Unfortunately the FCC never put a deadline on when interoperability was to be achieved. We’ll see what reaction comes in to this filing.
