Tech industry attacks proposal for mandatory FM radio in cellphones

CEA, CTIA and other bodies not impressed.

A group of technology industry associations, including CTIA and CEA, have written to members of the US House and Senate Judiciary Committees to protest against a proposal to force handset makers to put FM radios in their devices.

The proposal came from radio body NAB and music industry coalition musicFIRST, as part of their negotiations over performance royalty payments for music played on the radio.

"Calls for an FM chip mandate are not about public safety but are instead about propping up a business which consumers are abandoning as they avail themselves of new, more consumer-friendly options," says the letter, referring to claims that FM radio is well suited to delivering emergency alerts.

"It is simply wrong for two entrenched industries to resolve their differences by agreeing to burden a third industry - which has no relationship to or other interest in the performance royalty dispute - with a costly, ill-considered and unnecessary new mandate."

The hard-hitting letter claims that consumers "may not desire or ever use" FM radio in their phones, and furthermore that "The groups that are parties to the discussions over the performance rights royalty issue lack any expertise in the development of wireless devices and are in no position to dictate what type of functionality is included in a wireless device".