HD Radio: SATRAD

HD Radio Mandate Sirius
"FCC Inquiry on Mandate for HD Radio on Sirius"

"That last issue, the FCC statutory authority to adopt rules in this area, is a general question considered in several other recent FCC proceedings... Rules requiring that equipment manufacturers take certain actions have run into problems in the Court of Appeals in the recent past as the FCC has only limited jurisdiction over such manufacturers..."

"Statement of Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate"

"However, many commenters, particularly those in the automobile industry oppose a government mandate requiring inclusion of HD chips in all radios, and the resulting increase in cost... Without exception, the auto manufacturers I spoke with urged the Commission to forbear from imposing an HD chip requirement. Their estimate of the cost per car was, on average, two, three, or four times the cost suggested by iBiquity... Thus, I believe the proper path for the Commission to take is to review the issue, along with the price cap, in three years."

"DOJ Approves Sirius/XM Merger"

"The statement also dismisses claims by HD Radio that a merged Sirius and XM would exclude competing technology from car stereos and other equipment."

Ford slams HD Radio inclusion
"Ford Slams HD Radio Inclusion Proposal"

"In an interesting move, Ford Motor Company has come out against a proposed rule that would require all satellite receivers to include HD radio capabilities. The position Ford is taking is interesting because Ford was one of the first major auto makers to announce a deal with HD Radio for installations of HD technology their cars."

"Association of International Automobile Manufacturers"

"AIAM opposes a mandate that HD radio features be integrated into satellite radio receivers or vice versa. Such a requirement would, among other things, impose significant new engineering burdens on vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as significant unnecessary costs on consumers and the industry... A minimum of three to four years lead-time would be required to complete all of the necessary design, testing, and approval processes, assuming that no unexpected complications were to arise that could further lengthen the estimated period."

"Ex Parte Notice of General Motors and Toyota"

"We are writing jointly on behalf of our two companies, General Motors Corporation and Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc. to express the opposition of our companies to suggestions that the Federal Communications Commission should require the incorporation of HD radio technology in any satellite radio receiver as a condition of approval of the proposed merger of XM and Sirius Satellite Radio."

"Pioneer says HD Radio succcess should be decided by open market"

"IBiquity, the company behind HD Radio, is making enemies all over the place, the latest of which is Pioneer. The Japan-based corp, which makes the popular Inno, recently told the FCC [PDF] that iBiquity's scheme to force satellite radio manufacturers to include HD Radio playback is absurd. The iBiquity conditions would limit the breadth of radio product offerings to consumers, limit which radio component suppliers’ products be designed into radios, have the effect of decreasing AM/FM tuning performance, unnecessarily increase costs to consumers uninterested in HD Radio and interfere with the useful and healthy free market mechanisms extant in radio electronics purchases."

iBiquity HD Radio double-cross
“You don’t want HD Radio’s Bilk-o in your foxhole”

“How would you like it if one you believed to be a business partner did an about face and supported the very thing your industry is fighting against? Memo to terrestrial radio: iBiquity and the HD Radio Alliance just double-crossed you... The dynamic duo closed their dismal year by firing off a letter to the FCC on December 20 urging that if the merger between XM and Sirius satellite radio companies is approved – HD Radios must be included in all satellite receivers.”