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Access to information via smart phones during emergencies would be very useful.
Because increasingly, the device the public uses for connecting to the world is a mobile phone, NPR and APM are working with friends in commercial and religious broadcasting to urge the major cell phone service providers to activate the FM chip that is already in any mobile phone they sell. To date, only Sprint is on board, while the other major carriers – AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile – have refused, even though it would cost them nothing. We believe that for the sake of public safety and universal access to fact-based news and quality cultural programming, it is imperative for the major cell phone carriers and manufacturers to activate FM chips in the smart phones they sell. This will ensure that radio – including public radio – is available 24/7 to everyone with a smart phone.
Activating the FM chips in smart phones will increase basic access to all radio service, and will help to expand free radio services to more Americans. You can help make this happen. Here is how:
Communicate with your cell carrier to ask them to activate the FM chip in their mobile phones. Carriers can specify activated FM chips in their orders with manufacturers, but they need to know there is market demand for this capability. We encourage you to use all means at your disposal – email, facebook, blogs, etc. A useful advocacy site that can assist you to make this request is: http://freeradioonmyphone.org/
Because increasingly, the device the public uses for connecting to the world is a mobile phone, NPR and APM are working with friends in commercial and religious broadcasting to urge the major cell phone service providers to activate the FM chip that is already in any mobile phone they sell. To date, only Sprint is on board, while the other major carriers – AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile – have refused, even though it would cost them nothing. We believe that for the sake of public safety and universal access to fact-based news and quality cultural programming, it is imperative for the major cell phone carriers and manufacturers to activate FM chips in the smart phones they sell. This will ensure that radio – including public radio – is available 24/7 to everyone with a smart phone.
Activating the FM chips in smart phones will increase basic access to all radio service, and will help to expand free radio services to more Americans. You can help make this happen. Here is how:
Communicate with your cell carrier to ask them to activate the FM chip in their mobile phones. Carriers can specify activated FM chips in their orders with manufacturers, but they need to know there is market demand for this capability. We encourage you to use all means at your disposal – email, facebook, blogs, etc. A useful advocacy site that can assist you to make this request is: http://freeradioonmyphone.org/