Suggestions that XM and Sirius should incorporate HD radio into all their satellite receivers are not sitting too well with two major car manufacturers.
“While HD radio is successfully penetrating the marketplace, it is nevertheless still an evolving technology," executives from General Motors and Toyota wrote in a Thursday letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). “Any mandate will inherently distort the normal incentives to cost reduce and further improve the HD product offering."
Though XM and Sirius have agreed to certain conditions in order to gain FCC approval of their merger, two senators earlier this month suggested that the companies go one step further and turn over up to 50 percent of their holdings to independent companies and integrate HD radio into all satellite radio receivers.
HD radio allows AM and FM radio to broadcast their programs digitally. The 'HD' in HD radio does not stand for high-definition; it is part of iBiquity Digital's brand name for its digital AM and FM radio technology.
“While HD radio is successfully penetrating the marketplace, it is nevertheless still an evolving technology," executives from General Motors and Toyota wrote in a Thursday letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). “Any mandate will inherently distort the normal incentives to cost reduce and further improve the HD product offering."
Though XM and Sirius have agreed to certain conditions in order to gain FCC approval of their merger, two senators earlier this month suggested that the companies go one step further and turn over up to 50 percent of their holdings to independent companies and integrate HD radio into all satellite radio receivers.
HD radio allows AM and FM radio to broadcast their programs digitally. The 'HD' in HD radio does not stand for high-definition; it is part of iBiquity Digital's brand name for its digital AM and FM radio technology.
