Wireless Communications Services (WCS) licensees told FCC that ag...
Wireless Communications Services (WCS) licensees told FCC that agency should require XM Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio to demonstrate why they needed extensive repeater networks to fill gaps in coverage. WCS licensees were reacting to NAB filing last week…
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that cited XM patent for technology that would allow use of locally oriented content such as weather to provide information to subscribers (CD March 5 p7). WCS licensees have raised concerns to Commission that high-power terrestrial repeaters planned by satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) operators will cause harmful interference to their operations. Ex parte filing at FCC was made Fri. by AT&T Wireless, BeamReach Networks, BellSouth, Verizon Wireless, Wireless Communications Assn., WorldCom. Wireless operators cited trade press reports in which XM denied it planned to provide local programming (CD March 6 p14). “XM may be willing to forgo local programming now in order to appease the NAB, but that cannot be the end of the Commission’s inquiry,” WCS said. “The Commission simply cannot credit assertions by the SDARS licensees that their terrestrial repeater networks have been designed to cause no more interference to WCS than necessary to fill gaps in satellite coverage.” WCS operators called on FCC to compel SDARS licensees to show why their repeaters were needed to fill in gaps. Meanwhile, NAB again said XM Satellite should “unequivocally disclose” its local service plans to FCC, citing press report that XM and Sirius had been negotiating with supplier of local traffic information for data to be transmitted to local markets. In 2nd ex parte filing on issue in week, broadcasters said XM statements that it planned no local content were “impossible to reconcile” with press reports and receipt of patent for local content.