Last week AT&T announced that new smartphone customers will no longer be eligible for the unlimited data plans that current customers enjoy. Instead, two somewhat less expensive plans will be available. For $15 new customers may download 200 MB of data per month, with a charge of $15 for every additional 200 GB over the […]
Archive | Satellite Radio
FCC orders fix to unleash wireless broadband near Sirius XM band
The Federal Communications Commission’s long awaited Order to fix interference problems between Sirius XM [SIRI] and the neighboring Wireless Communications Services (WCS) band is published. Here’s hoping it will at long last resolve this feud, and allow for peaceful coexistence on the 2.3 MHz band. At least that’s the idea, says FCC Chair Julius Genachowski. […]
Decision time coming for Sirius XM vs. WCS bands
The Federal Communications Commission has announced that it will issue a Report and Order with coexistence rules for Sirius XM (SIRI) and the Wireless Communications Services band at its next Open Commission meeting, scheduled for May 20: “WCS-SDARS Report and Order: A Report and Order that enables robust mobile broadband use of 25 MHz of spectrum […]
Sirius XM accuses wireless companies of "warehousing" spectrum next door to satellite radio
The great accusation fest which is the struggle between Sirius XM (SIRI) satellite radio and a host of wireless companies went to its next round on Friday, with Sirius accusing the companies of “warehousing” their licenses nearby the service’s bandwidth: “There can be little question that WCS [Wireless Communications Service] licensees have warehoused spectrum in hopes of […]
Sirius Subscriptions Bounce Back a Bit
On Wednesday Sirius XM radio (SIRI) announced that it added 171,441 net subscribers in the first quarter of 2010. While this is certainly better news for the company than a net loss, the gain still doesn’t quite put its subscriber base at the same level it was at the end of 2008. Then the company […]
Wireless companies blast Sirius XM in spectrum controversy
The Federal Communications Commission has called for comment on proposed rules intended to prevent interference between Sirius XM radio (SIRI) and wireless broadband in the 2.3 GHz band area. But when Sirius XM asked for a one week extension on the comment deadline, the organization representing the various wireless companies blasted the request. “At virtually […]
Sirius says it received notice from NASDAQ about $1 minimum rule
Sirius XM has just put out a press release acknowledging that it has received a letter from NASDAQ “stating that the Company has not regained compliance with the $1.00 minimum closing bid price requirement for continued listing on The NASDAQ Global Select Market.” The satellite radio company says it will ask for a hearing with […]
FCC National Broadband Plan: give wireless band next to Sirius 20 MHz
The Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Plan is up, and, as expected, it recommends that a wireless band close by the Sirius XM band get 20MHz of spectrum for use to deploy wireless broadband services, probably WiMAX style. “Recommendation 5.8.1: The FCC should make 20 megahertz available for mobile broadband use in the 2.3 GHz […]
Rough notes: What does the FCC's National Broadband Plan mean for radio?
Next Tuesday the Federal Communications Commission will reveal the entirety of its National Broadband Plan, over a year in the making. Required by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which authorized $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus spending, The Plan will weigh in on about a thousand broadband related subjects—how to help more people get it, […]
Sirius XM "extremely disturbed" by FCC wireless non-interference proposals
Sirius XM satellite radio CEO Mel Karmazin warned the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday that the FCC’s proposed non-interference rules with a nearby wireless band won’t do. “We are extremely disturbed by the proposal,” Karmazin confided in a letter sent to the agency’s Chair, Julius Genachowski. “The proposed rules seem to bear little resemblance to […]