Posted by Jeremy Andrews on March 10, 2013 at 17:53:14:
In Reply to: Re: END of AM-FM RADIOS IN GM CARS? posted by Ghost of Marconi on March 10, 2013 at 09:30:52:
Because it's free and there is no cell coverage in many areas and cell coverage is often unreliable.
Try even accessing the internet on an iPhone in Iowa. It won't happen unless you're in Mason City, Des Moines or Sioux City. Cellular coverage is scarce in so many areas, even in 2013 I couldn't get the data for my iPhone to work. And that includes MOST of Wisconsin outside the Milwaukee and Madison area.
The more devices using a cell tower, the slower it gets. For example, on the Fourth Of July, everybody is out and about doing festivities and watching the fireworks and using their smartphones at the same time.
Even with a full signal 3G connection, the data was so slow it was practically unusable. Imagine what will happen to these cellular networks when cars start to have internet connections via cellular networks on the radios. There's not enough bandwidth in this country, even when they try to expand it and add more cell towers.
Radio doesn't require any of that. Anybody can listen as long as they are in range of the transmitter site. And it doesn't cost them $80+ a month.
I mean seriously. I am saying this as an owner of a smartphone with experience using it in various areas around the country.