Prologue

The Ups and Downs of Satellite Radio

New technology in the 21st century is no stranger to the age-old problem of red tape; just look at the up-and-coming satellite radio industry. Currently the two companies, Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio, that are sanctioned to offer satellite-delivered digital radio by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are starting their services as we speak. But as both move forward to expose their services to the nation, powerful opponents are trying to run interference.

On the surface, the issue at stake regards repeaters. A repeater is a device that is placed in areas where a satellite signal could be cut off by too many objects in the way. Major cities are the best example, where repeaters placed on the tops of buildings will receive satellite signals and redistribute them, so that subscribers to the paid radio service will be able to get it in urban areas. At the time this was written the FCC had yet to OK the installation of these repeaters. Before the commission could approve anything two factions went on the offensive. BellSouth Corp. and AT&T Wireless filed concerns with the FCC claiming that the repeaters, though transmitting at a higher frequency, were still powerful enough to interfere with the Wireless Communications Service (WCS) band, a portion of the spectrum that both companies have payed hefty fees to use for applications such as wireless Internet. XM, which is depending on the repeaters to assure a robust signal for all its users, is saying that there is not enough evidence to support the claims of BellSouth and AT&T and are confident any potential problems could be solved.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), who represents terrestrial radio stations, is complaining that the existence of repeaters makes it possible for either satellite radio company to offer localized programming that could compete with local broadcast radio stations. Sirius and XM both have only announced a national plan for its programming that offers the same shows for all users, with no localized programming. NAB claims that if the national service model does not work out financially for the companies, locally based service models are an alternative.

Hoping the problems will be resolved amicably. XM began their service this past September in San Diego and Dallas, and is currently rolling out the service to the entire nation to be completed by the end of December. XM will be charging $9.95 per month for its service, which will have limited commercials on a few, but not all, channels. When we wrote this, Sirius had not announced an official launch date, but says it will launch before the end of 2001 at a monthly service fee of $12.95 per month with no commercials on any channel. Each company intends to have 100 stations each: XM is full, while Sirius is close to completing its roster. Both are working with automobile manufacturers to have pre-installed satellite radio-ready head units and several are already shipping satellite-ready head units to stores. The devices are satellite-ready in that you have to buy the antenna if you want to get the service.

Who Deserves HDTV?

As expected, the response to our Mitsubishi HDTV contest was huge. Based on the results, we’ve determined that E-Gear has a very creative and deserving readership. Unfortunately not every entry can be a winner. Because there were so many good answers to the question “Why I deserve HDTV,” We’ve decided to award prizes to first and second runners up. Unfortunately, we can only give away one Mitsubishi HDTV.

There was a draw for second runner up. Both entries were poems, that while lacking in literary merit, they made up for in originality. They each win a one-year subscription to E-Gear.

Charles Day of Newington, Conn. wrote:

Four kids, one wife, lame job, no life.

One old tube (made by Fisher).

I’d buy a big screen if I was richer.

Have no hobbies or books on Nietschze.

Could dig a big old Mitsubishi.

Debbie Green of Vicksburg, Miss. wrote:

Oh whoa is me, and my little bitty TV,

which I can no longer see.

How I long to be in a room with just me

and my brand new HDTV from Mitsubishi.

Ken Allen of Santa Barbara, Calif. is our first runner up with his tale of two cities. He lives in a place he calls Chickville, with a wife and two daughters who subject him to dolls, fashion shows and a purple dinosaur. His desire is to create a place he calls Dudeville, centered around an HDTV, where he and his dude friends can enjoy ESPN, Monday Night Football and the NBA. He may not have earned himself a new HDTV, but he can begin the construction of Dudeville with a Tivoli Model One Radio.

Jeremy Walker of Groves, Texas walks away with the grand prize, a Mitsubishi High Definition-Upgradeable TV. His response was so heartfelt we couldn’t possibly deny him the prize. There were some staff members here who thought he should seek medical attention. Here’s what he wrote:

When I read the features of the TV, I accidentally made a high-pitched “uhhhh” noise in the back of my throat. You’ve got to really want it to make a weird noise like that.

Jeremy, we hope no one overheard you.

We want to thank all readers who entered the contest. It’s our conclusion that everyone deserves HDTV. You can read more of the creative responses to this contest at www.e-gear.com.