The latest filing from iBiquity Digital Corporation clearly offers a “proposal” regarding the merger between Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., and could be the best signal of late that the FCC is close to a decision.
It is also the most specific filing from iBiquity regarding merger concessions to date.
Excerpt:
…iBiquity urges that any Commission approval of the proposed merger be undertaken in conjunction with the following addition to the Commission’s rules:Proposed Rule
25.144 Licensing provisions for the 2.3 GHz satellite digital audio radio service.(a)(3)(iv) Each licensee will certify no later than June 1 of each calendar year, in accordance with the dates specified below, that any newly introduced satellite radio receiver models that operate with the licensee’s satellite DARS system and includes the ability to receive terrestrial analog AM/FM signals, will also include the ability to receive digital AM/FM signals in accordance with the technical specifications for terrestrial digital radio specified in MM Docket No. 99-325. This requirement will be effective three years from the effective date of this rule for new model Original Equipment Manufactured (”OEM”) automobile receivers and one year from the effective date of this rule for new model non-OEM receivers.
Note that iBiquity specifies that only receivers that have AM/FM capabilities would be required to include the HD Radio chipset - this means that the majority of the retail receivers would be exempt from this rule.
But more significantly, the specificity of this filing might lend some insight into what stage of the discussions are taking place at the Commission. And that might mean we’re nearing the end of this whole ordeal.
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