Congressmen Ask FCC To Act On FM Chips In Smartphones
A letter from House Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie Thompson and House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter Defazio asks Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler to do everything in (his) power to make certain that every American consumer has access to the FM radio chip in their smartphones today.
The letter urges Wheeler to "take every possible action to ensure that the public has every tool in the public alerts and warnings toolbox at its disposal." The Congressmen note that Wireless Emergency Alert messages are limited to 90 characters and typically direct users to other media; In light of that directive, they write, it is unclear to us why the radio chips that are already in most smartphones are deactivated, preventing the public from immediately taking the very action the WEAs prescribe. (Allaccess.com)
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