Broadcaster, carrier and cellphone manufacturer representatives continued their disagreement on...

Government Affairs Committee Friday to discuss how FM chips in cellphones could assist in national emergencies, a committee spokeswoman said. Chairman Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., is interested in FM radio chips because it’s an emergency issue, a radio executive invited to attend had said (CD Aug 10 p14). Carriers “continue to believe that decisions about device functionality should be driven by consumer demand and competitive considerations rather than government fiat,” CTIA Vice President Jot Carpenter said. “NAB would be better served to expend its energy exploring commercial opportunities instead of asking the government for help.” Broadcasters aren’t “seeking legislation, nor a mandate,” an NAB spokesman said. “Rather, we ask for voluntary activation of radio chips that are currently installed in most cellphones in America. Giving consumers the option of free and local radio on mobile devices would be good for the carriers and good for the 260 million Americans who listen to local radio every week.” CEA sees consumer demand as the “key driver of features in mobile devices,” Vice President Julie Kearney said. “Consumers do, in fact, have the choice to purchase a phone with FM radio capability, though research shows that it isn’t a desired feature. If NAB and the broadcasters want to start designing mobile phones, then they should be talking to consumers, carriers and manufacturers, not Congress and the FCC.”