I checked it out. They have 16 repeaters for Manhattan alone and more than 40 for the city. Using 700 MHz you could do a great job with 4 or 5 for the city and 10 for the greater NYC area IMO. Always said that XM was a terrestrial radio company using their satellites as a device to get by the NAB. Bob Miller On 9/24/07, Bob Miller <robmxa@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > I don't think that XMRadio is using 91 repeaters for NYC, more like > New York State. Probably 25 to 30 for NYC and that is the greater NYC > which could include all of Long Island (120 miles Long) lots of New > Jersy and parts of Connecicut etc. > > And they are operating at 2300 MHz which is not so sweet as 700 MHz is > for Qualcomm. Qualcomm probably covers NYC with one transmitter or a > couple at best today with their COFDM based MediaFlo. > > Bob Miller > > On 9/22/07, Albert Manfredi <bert22306@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > > > What I found interesting in this piece was that in addition to its > > satellite transmitters, XM Radio needs, for example, 91 "small sticks" to > > cover NYC, and 39 small sticks to cover LA. Furthermore, that at least some > > of these "small sticks" are tall. They mention one example of a sanctioned > > 490' antenna height turning out to have been 900' in fact. I don't know how > > many of their small sticks are that tall. Seems to me that many were, they > > would be more obvious. Perhaps they are sharing TV towers in some cases? > > > > The article talks about power level and location violations, without > > mentioning what the power levels are. > > > > Apparenty, Sirius, with 3 ellyptical orbit satellites, depends less on > > terrestrial repeaters than XM, with two satellites in geosynchronous orbits. > > > > The NAB is against the possible merger of these two companies. Best I can > > tell, the NAB's concern is that such a monopoly would have so much content > > buying power that local stations would be shut out of competition. Although > > the NAB also makes arguments which I find puzzling. For example, that such > > a merger would reduce innovation and increase prices for satellite radio. > > Probably true, but it sounds to me like that would work to the NAB's > > advantage. > > > > (NAB positions at http://www.nab.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home) > > > > Bert > > > > ------------------------------------------- > > http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=azdBm8rw6BmU&refer=news > > > > XM's Rogue Antennas Amplify Signals, Merger Scrutiny (Update2) > > > > By Christopher Stern > > > > April 24 (Bloomberg) -- XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. became the > > nation's largest satellite broadcaster with a network of hundreds of > > antennas that were built and operated in violation of U.S. Federal > > Communications Commission rules. > > > > At least a third of the 800 antennas that beam XM's radio channels to > > millions of customers were placed in unapproved locations or emitted > > signals that were too strong, according to a review of FCC filings. XM says > > some now comply with the rules, though it doesn't know how many. > > > > The misplaced antennas may result in fines or a shutdown of part of the > > company's network. Lawmakers including U.S. Representative Edward Markey > > say regulators should take the violations into account when they consider > > XM's plan to combine with Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. > > > > ``This series of apparent violations by XM does provide fuel to opponents > > of the merger and gives them reason to think they can get the deal > > rejected,'' said Paul Gallant, a Washington-based policy analyst with > > Stanford Washington Research. > > > > Sirius and XM need approval from the FCC and Justice Department for their > > all-stock combination, worth $3.42 billion at today's closing prices. > > > > The extent of the breach hasn't been widely disclosed by XM. The company > > told shareholders on Feb. 22 in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing > > that ``certain'' antennas had unapproved locations or power without giving > > further details, and said that the FCC had begun an investigation. > > > > `Administrative Problems' > > > > XM Chief Executive Officer Hugh Panero told investors on a Feb. 26 > > conference call that while ``clearly there were mistakes or administrative > > problems,'' the FCC isn't likely to force the company to make changes that > > would affect customers. The company is ``just working with'' the FCC to > > find a solution, Panero said. > > > > ``XM voluntarily disclosed these variances to the FCC, took unilateral > > action to eliminate many of them, and continues to work directly with the > > FCC to address any concerns,'' XM spokesman Chance Patterson said. The > > differences between the approved and actual locations or signal strength > > are ``generally immaterial,'' he said. > > > > XM depends more on its ground-based network than Sirius, whose satellites > > give better coverage. Sirius Chief Executive Officer Mel Karmazin told > > Congress last week that 11 of the company's 138 antennas violated rules and > > that he switched them off in October. > > > > Four Hearings > > > > Lawmakers have no direct authority to block the merger, though they might > > influence the outcome by making their feelings known. Congress has held > > four hearings on the proposed combination at which legislators raised > > concerns over issues including XM's violation of FCC rules. > > > > Shares of XM fell 20 cents to $10.93 at 4 p.m. New York time in Nasdaq > > Stock Market trading. They've dropped 22 percent since the purchase by > > Sirius was announced. > > > > Sirius shares were down 3 cents at $2.77 and are down 25 percent since the > > announcement. > > > > The two companies ran afoul of the FCC last year, when the agency said they > > were selling radios with signals that were too strong. Sirius and XM pulled > > the radios off the market temporarily while they were fixed. > > > > XM uses antennas, or repeaters, to boost signals where buildings or hills > > block reception from orbiting satellites. The unapproved repeaters are > > dotted throughout 59 markets including Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, > > Washington-based XM said in an FCC filing in January. > > > > 42 Percent > > > > In the filing, XM said the antennas in violation serve 42 percent of its > > network. In Los Angeles, 23 of XM's 39 antennas are in breach of the rules, > > the company said. In New York, 35 of 91 are. > > > > XM said in December filings that turning off Los Angeles repeaters would > > have a ``drastic and adverse impact'' on reception and a New York shutdown > > ``would devastate'' service. > > > > Some antennas were erected thousands of feet from their approved location, > > said XM, which has 7.5 million subscribers. In Chicago, an antenna was more > > than 11 miles from the authorized spot. In Austin, Texas, a repeater > > sanctioned for a height of 490 feet was 900 feet high. > > > > Consumer groups including the Consumers Union and the National Association > > of Broadcasters, the trade group for broadcasters that provide free radio, > > said the violations show why the companies shouldn't be allowed to combine. > > > > ``Given their repeated lack of candor in dealing with the FCC, it is > > astonishing that XM and Sirius would now seek a government-sanctioned > > monopoly,'' said Dennis Wharton, spokesman for the broadcasters' group. FCC > > spokesman David Fiske declined to comment. > > > > Raising Doubt > > > > XM's failure to follow FCC rules indicates it may not live up to Karmazin's > > promises that the combined company will offer consumers more choice and > > lower prices, said Markey, who chairs the House Telecommunications and > > Internet Subcommittee. > > > > ``What is the expectation it will follow through or fulfill any public > > interest conditions?'' Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, said in an > > e-mailed statement. > > > > XM committed the violations as it raced against Sirius to begin service in > > 2001 and sign up customers. The two have racked up combined losses of more > > than $6.4 billion in five years as they built their networks. Annual sales > > at XM grew from $20 million to $933 million in four years. Sirius had > > revenue of $637 million. > > > > The companies say the merger won't stifle competition because of the > > availability of alternative providers of entertainment and information such > > as Apple Inc.'s iPod as well as high-definition and traditional radio. > > > > To contact the reporter on this story: Christopher Stern at and > > cstern3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > > Last Updated: April 24, 2007 16:27 EDT > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > More photos; more messages; more whatever – Get MORE with Windows Live™ > > Hotmail(r). NOW with 5GB storage. > > http://imagine-windowslive.com/hotmail/?locale=en-us&ocid=TXT_TAGHM_migration_HM_mini_5G_0907 > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways: > > > > - Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at > > FreeLists.org > > > > - By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word > > unsubscribe in the subject line. > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways: - Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at FreeLists.org - By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.