XM & Sirius In One Radio

[John Mullaney]

 from: http://www.radioworld.com/pages/s.0100/t.2871.html

Karmazin: Satcasters Would Need to Support Legacy Radios for About 10 Years

 
  
3.09.2007   
 

If the two satellite radio companies merge, they would need to support two
separate technology platforms until about 2016.
This is key, as Wall Street analysts have been debating how much money
Sirius and XM might save by merging and how far down the road those benefits
would be realized.

The 2016 date is from Sirius President/CEO Mel Karmazin, who testified
before the House Telecom and Internet Subcommittee this week in a hearing
about the future of radio. The satcasters don't want to make current
receivers obsolete, he said.

In other words, Sirius signals can't transmit and be received by XM radios
and vice versa.

When asked by Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey, D-Mass., if a merged company
might be able to give up one of its two chunks of 12.5 MHz spectrum space,
Karmazin said that using compression technology, each company could "squeeze
more channel capacity" out of their respective services to add some more
programming, but could not give up a big swath of spectrum.

Yet, he left the door open by saying. "We're not spectrum hogs" and "would
be open to other ideas." 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org
[mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of
Bill Smith
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 5:00 PM
To: boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org
Subject: RE: XM & Sirius In One Radio

The FCC  required XM and Sirius develop dual platform chipsets when they
first granted them a license.

http://sec.edgar-online.com/2002/04/22/0000928385-02-001552/Section10.asp

"In February 2000, we signed an agreement with Sirius Radio to develop a
unified standard for satellite radios, which will facilitate the ability of
consumers to purchase one radio capable of receiving both companies'
services.
In accordance with the terms of the agreement, we expect to work with
General Motors to integrate the new standard under the terms of the
distribution agreement with General Motors. The agreement with General
Motors provides that if General Motors elects to install radios which are
capable of receiving broadcasts from other satellite radio providers, in the
absence of any regulatory requirements to do so, we may seek to renegotiate
the distribution agreement. If the FCC requires the installation of
interoperable radios, we will renegotiate the distribution agreement on
mutually acceptable terms."


Bill
> -----Original Message-----
> From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org
[mailto:boston-radio-
> interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Dan Strassberg
> Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 2:41 PM
> To: Roger Kirk; bri@bostonradio.org
> Subject: Re: XM & Sirius In One Radio
> 
> I bet that, at last, the two companies are encouraging
consumer-electronics
> manufacturers to introduce radios that are compatible with both services.
> Previously, both companies were reported to be actively discouraging 
> the development of such products.
> 
> --
> Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367