On Dec 20, 11:35�am, "David Eduardo" wrote:
wrote in message

...





Eduardo - Serious question.

Not to put you on the spot but in your estimation how successful of a
year was it for iBiquitys HD radio?

The unavailability radios, the low number of stations converting, the
dwindling dollars available, zero consumer interest and ethical
problems at the FCC - Not much to report. �2009 looks bleak also.
Where do you think it's headed?

IBiquity could spin the facts in previous years but it's going to be
tough this year. �Even if low power radios become available in 2009
(and they don't require huge external antennas to work) the window is
closing fast.

What would be the incentive for stations to convert or continue to pay
fees to iBiquity in 2009?

Most of the early adopter stations pay no fees or a very, very tiny fee. So
that's not an issue. Getting more stations is not an issue, either... 90% of
the US population is already covered. This is pretty much a major market
issue.

The only issue is getting receivers out. That is a marketing issue, and one
that depends on cheap, portable chipsets. In a recession, I don't see that
happening fast. �But I don't see WiMax happening fast, either, so there is a
wider window.

As to AM, the band is dying. The major format, news / talk is moving to FM
and what will be left will be drek. HD on AM at that point becomes
irrelevant.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Eduardo's hate for AM radio is obvious - many of the larger 50kw AM
stations are ranked #1, or are in the top-5, and aren't going
anywhere. The HD conversion has stalled - that was the original point
of HD, to get all stations to convert. I don't see WiMax as a huge
issue either - Verizon and AT&T already provide fast service to the
Internet. My boys just got the new Blackberry Storms and the Internet
is real fast. The FCC is dead-set on providing Internet services
nation-wide. Obama's administation is going after the FCC, and it is
only a matter of time when the HD Radio scandal gets investigated.