Bad news for anyone banking on video content from
XM any time soon: XM's deal to acquire WCS has been terminated due to an inability to gain government approval for the purchase. The plan, which the companies agreed upon in July of last year, had XM buying WCS for around $200 million, in order to acquire the meaty spectrum WCS holds in the 2.3GHz band. After waiting around for nearly a year, the two companies have called it off so that WCS can search for another suitor. XM, who has adjacent spectrum, was reportedly hoping to use the WCS to start offering video and data services, but they claim they do have a way to provide such things even without WCS. The friendly NAB folks have been the loudest detractors from the merger, scared of the extra competition from XM, and claiming XM's localisation efforts violate its FCC licenses. Luckily, it doesn't seem XM has given up on expanded services yet, so sit tight and keep on
Photoshoppin' those video players.
posted May 24th 2006 8:20AM
I am sure the acquisition failed because they lost money when they lost O&A.
HAHAHAHAHA.
But really, evne though I am s Sirius subscriber, I do want Satellite Radio to succeed. Just listening to UNCUT non-radio versions of music was enough to sell me on the idea.
Hmmmmmmm.. I wonder if they could work out a deal with MTV and stream just music videos :-P
Oh well... how you say? tough-boogies?
um... XM still has O&A, and just because your radio requires a tow hitch doesn't mean all Satellite Radio has as poor of user experience. Plus I mean Martha Stewart? What was Mel Carmazan thinking?
PEZ if XM lost O&A someone forgot to tell them because I am listening to them on XM202 right now...how odd.
I really don't see the failed acquisition as that much of a setback, I wouldn't be surprised if in the next year or two XM rolls out a video service. In terms of technology XM is still about a 1-2 years ahead of Sirius in the technology department, XM has 5 true portable handheld receivers and Sirius has none, and when I say TRUE portable I mean able to receive and listen to satrad while NOT in the dock...Sirius is set to release theirs first one later this year.
How could anyone voluntarily listen to Opie and Anthony. They SUCK! With a capital S U C K.
True, I've never heard their show but I still say they suck.
Disclaimer: I am an avid Howard Stern fan and Sirius subscriber.
Xm is dieing honestly OnA couldnt even draw more than about 35,000 subs when they were charging a dollar for their show just to show how *laughs* popular they are. Xm does have better technology right now but who cares when they have crap offerings most of their subscribers are people who buy a car and its automatically in the car and Xm just ranks in the numbers from that but later on that person probably doesnt renew Xm. People are very rarely if any going out of their way to get an Xm radio unlike Sirius where people are going out of their way to get them just walk into a freaking best buy and you will see so many Xm radios because they cant sell them. "O Qwa Tanzeonwan" -Riley Martin Show
I love the Riley Martin show. Heard it for the first time last night and it was stellar.
hAha - that quote is so funny!
What the hell does this story have to do with O&A and Sirius?
I'm an XM subscriber because I like XM, not because it came with my car. My brother and dad had their service and I liked it, so I got it. I don't hate Sirius because of this. I don't hope their ventures fail.
I don't understand why you would want XM to fail. As direct competitors, I want each to be as innovative and ground-breaking as possible and drive the other to do the same.
It really makes you sound insecure with your purchase when you trash the others. Whether it's true or not, it sounds like, "I hope they fail before they put my service out of business!"
Grow up...
Must not have greased the right congressional palms. Maybe they should ask the MPAA what the going rate is for FCC approval.
I am an XM sub, but I was considering Sirius as well, XM was cheaper.
About the debate topic... I am just hoping satellite radio will continue to push the envelope in the technology arena. I think portable entertainment would be great, regardless of the company. Although, looking at subs, XM is the obvious financial giant of the two.
On a side note... Why cant posters learn to spell?