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FM radio stations were began broadcasting in 1941. XM radio was first made available in 2001. There is a 60 year gap between the start of FM and XM radio.
Just so it's clear these would be the same free OTA stations you listen to now. The only difference is they will be broadcasting in digital instead of analog. As noted many stations are already doing this.
Who should care is the guy in the other building that is not getting reception of what they should be getting on the same frequency you are using.
I don't see it as the place of the government to take something from someone that has been using it for years to give to someone else that is going to charge you to continue using it.
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The airways belong to the public and are regulated by the FCC. Since there is very a limited supply this regulation is absolutely necessary, otherwise you'd have chaos.
I don't see it as the place of the government to take something from someone that has been using it for years to give to someone else that is going to charge you to continue using it.
You would have the markets deciding.
So you would simply let lightsquared shut down the GPS system? Kill a few people in airplanes? Basically force all GPS owners to buy new equipment?
This does not involve any change in ownership. It involves a change in technology. And that change in technology will expand the available channels allowing more use of the resource.
Without intervention you stop progress. With the existing technology there is no more space for a competitive new technology as the older technology uses it all.
You could sell the spectrum which to some degree is what has occurred in recent years. But that has a significant downside in that a few operators masy well capture all the suitable spectrum and you end up with oligopoly pricing.
So you would simply let lightsquared shut down the GPS system? Kill a few people in airplanes? Basically force all GPS owners to buy new equipment?
This does not involve any change in ownership. It involves a change in technology. And that change in technology will expand the available channels allowing more use of the resource.
Without intervention you stop progress. With the existing technology there is no more space for a competitive new technology as the older technology uses it all.
This isn't true. This is the same argument that we couldn't allow GM go through a bankruptcy because the ripple effect would devastate the economy.
GM went through the bankruptcy and there weren't people jumping off buildings or getting thrown into the streets.
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You could sell the spectrum which to some degree is what has occurred in recent years. But that has a significant downside in that a few operators masy well capture all the suitable spectrum and you end up with oligopoly pricing.
According to you its limited anyway so there will only be a few giving people less choice.
Right now people can pick free FM or pay for digital radio. Free is the problem.
This isn't true. This is the same argument that we couldn't allow GM go through a bankruptcy because the ripple effect would devastate the economy.
GM went through the bankruptcy and there weren't people jumping off buildings or getting thrown into the streets
This one absolutely is true. All sides including Lightsquared agree that it would have laid waste to the GPS system. Lightsquared argument was that was caused by bad implementation on the GPS side...which it was. But the devastation to the GPS side was still there includinhg commercial and military systems. It was a marketplace driven outcome. It was much cheaper to build GPS to live in the existing environment than to live in the specified one. So they built to the existing environment...not the one that could be built.
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According to you its limited anyway so there will only be a few giving people less choice.
Right now people can pick free FM or pay for digital radio. Free is the problem.
And those who have a digital radio get to pick stations for free. But as Coalman suggested just to ease that problem provide a 10 year transition. Ten year old receiver electronics has no value left.
I don't know if I have ever heard digital radio, other than Sirrius satellite radio, although we apparently do have digital radio here in the US.
Apparently there is a move towards doing away with FM radio in some parts of the world. According to the FCC, digital radio is a superior technology to FM. And it is free, although you do have to have a receiver that is designed to pick it up.
In any case, what do you guys think? How desirable is it for us to do this?
The radio and antenna cannot be controlled. Satellite radio can.
Dumb idea. As it is radio stations are losing their audience. This will cost them even more listeners. A lot of them will not upgrade but say "the heck with it. I'm done with radio."
And those who have a digital radio get to pick stations for free. But as Coalman suggested just to ease that problem provide a 10 year transition. Ten year old receiver electronics has no value left.
Where can you get free digital radio?
As far as technology goes, the same was said about tube amps and turntables but for many the new technology can't touch either.
As far as technology goes, the same was said about tube amps and turntables but for many the new technology can't touch either.
you are generally opinionated but seldom dumb. YOu are crossing the line here.
Free digital radio is all over the place. Most heavy radio stations are providing digital channels for free. The problem at this point in time is you need a specialized radio to receive them. That is because the mass radio receiver manufacturers will not include digital until it becomes popular with mass audiences which will not occur until low cost receivers are available. So the easy solution is to require that new radios receive both AM,FM and Digital. In five years there is no more FM demand.
The tube amp stuff is bullsh#t of the classical I got more money than you sort. There is no way tube amps have any actual advantage below the kilowatt level. I am one of the last generation to be taught how to build tube amplifiers...and I assure you the claim is utter nonsense. Electrons simple do not care what kind of hardware they pass through...they do what the fields so and ignore all the BS.
Turntables are a little different but more of the "I like certain kinds of distortion". They clearly degrade the accuracy of the system.
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