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Filed under: Portable Audio, Wireless

Well, it’s only been a couple hours since the DOJ officially approved the XM / Sirius merger, and while we’re a little surprised at how low-profile the two satellite radio services are being about the decision, there’s nothing at all shocking about NAB’s reaction — the organization says it’s “astonished,” and that the Justice Department’s decision to “propose granting a monopoly” to the two companies is “breathtaking.” Yeah, they’re not happy. Same goes for various members of Congress: Rep. Ed Markey, head of the House telecom subcommittee, expressed his disappointment that “the Bush administration has apparently never seen a telecommunications merger it didn’t like,” and suggested FCC approval would have to come with strict conditions, while Sen. Herb Kohl flatly said the deal would “create a satellite radio monopoly” and encouraged the FCC to block it. That’s a lot of haterade — but XM and Sirius are apparently too busy looking deeply into each other’s eyes as their respective stock prices soar, because the only post-decision statement either company has made is a rehash of a months-old list of organizations and people that support the merger. Ah, young love — so innocent, so oblivious.

Read - NAB statement
Read - Bloomberg article with Congressional reaction
Read - XM list of supporters

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Source: Nilay Patel

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Filed under: Cellphones

We don’t usually take much stock in proposed legislation — Schoolhouse Rock left out the part where lobbyists gut all the good bits — but we’re willing to root for the Wireless Consumer Protection and Community Broadband Empowerment Act, currently on the floor in the House and Senate. The bill, sponsored by Massachusetts Rep. Ed Markey, would require carriers to sell contract-free phones, provide rate plan information in a “clear, plain, and conspicuous manner,” disclose any phone subsidies hidden in the plan’s price, and offer price-comparable plans with no subsidy or early termination fee. That means you’d finally know exactly how much a plan would bill you every month including taxes and fees, it’d be easier to see how much devices like the iPhone are marked up, and most importantly, it’d be way easier to switch carriers to get better deals. The House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, of which Markey is the chairman, held a hearing on the bill this morning with reps from both the wireless industry and consumer groups present, so progress is being made — we’ll see how things go.

[Via CNET]

Read - Markey’s statement to open the hearings
Read - Proposed bill [PDF]

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Source: Nilay Patel

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Filed under: Cellphones

Tape up those mitts and put on your thinking caps kids, it’s time for an intellectual rumble. Today’s subject: the Senate’s overwhelming reauthorization of Gee Dubs domestic spying powers with a new measure giving phone companies retroactive immunity from lawsuits. Good thing too (for them) since our AT&T, VZW, and Sprint collaborators have racked up about 40 lawsuits accusing them of violating USitizen’s privacy rights. The bill now goes to the House. If they reject it or fail to pass the measure this week, then the temporary surveillance powers activated after 11 September, 2001 will expire on the House floor. So what’s it going to be, live free or die or give up some civil liberties in good faith to your government? Your state representatives would like to know.

P.S. For those following the election: McCain voted for telco immunity, Obama against, and Clinton didn’t vote at all even though she was in the area for Tuesday’s primaries.

Voter Roll-call (a “Yea” is a vote to strike the immunity provision)

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Source: Thomas Ricker

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