Eighty-one percent of U.S. cellphone owners would consider paying a...

adults polled April 18-20 said they'd “strongly consider” paying what the association estimates a radio chip costs, up three percentage points from 2010. Another 38 percent responded they'd “probably consider” paying 30 cents, up two points from two years ago. Seventy-six percent of respondents now say they'd use a radio built into their cellphone, an increase of 10 percentage points from 2010, the NAB said (http://xrl.us/bm6qa9). “We're hopeful that as demand for this capability becomes more apparent, wireless carriers will voluntarily offer this feature or activate radio chips already in their devices,” an NAB spokesman said Tuesday (http://xrl.us/bm6qbd). “Radio-enabled cellphones are a standard feature in much of Europe and Asia.” CTIA sees “considerable marketplace evidence that many consumers prefer Pandora and other apps to the FM format, so consumer preference has to drive outcomes in this space,” responded Vice President Jot Carpenter. “For that reason, we agree with NAB’s oft-stated position that there is no need for an FM chip mandate. Consumers who want FM-enabled devices can buy them, as the market already delivers a variety of FM-enabled handsets.” CTIA is holding its convention in New Orleans. (See separate report in this issue.) “For those who wish to listen to analog over-the-air radio on their smartphones, there are dozens of models that offer that feature,” noted CEA Senior Vice President Michael Petricone. “Similarly, the vibrant mobile phone marketplace also serves the growing number who prefer listening to Pandora, Spotify or radio stations digitally streamed on the Internet. Americans are entirely capable of picking smartphones and other devices with the features and functions they prefer. We strongly object to any attempts to remove the consumer’s right to choose by mandating the inclusion of analog over-the-air radio receivers in mobile phones or other devices."