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Saturday July 15, 2006
The Guardian By Bobbie Johnson, technology correspondent A law banning gadgets that let iPod users listen to
their music over FM
radio is to be overturned, it has been revealed. The communications regulator, Ofcom, said yesterday
that it wanted to lift
Britain's ban on the gizmos, which can be used to listen to digital music in cars or around the home. Devices such as Griffin Technology's iTrip are
hugely popular in the US and
Europe, but using them is illegal in the UK. Thousands of British consumers already have the devices, however, thanks to a legal loophole that lets the country's retailers sell them. The gizmos work by allowing car radios or household
stereos to tune in to
iPod signals and play music, using the same wavelengths as radio stations. Although the devices only broadcast their FM radio signals over distances of a few metres, they were ruled illegal because of fears they would interfere with commercial radio. Despite the ban, thousands of people use the iTrip
or Belkin's TuneCast
wireless transmitter to listen to their music on the move. "The iTrip is actually our biggest-selling hardware accessory," said Jonathan Cole, managing director of the iPod retailer PopXpress.com. "But we're in the strange position where it is
legal for us to sell it
within the European Union, but customers can only use it in other European countries. I think it's all a bit silly really." Mr Cole said hooking music players up to other devices was one of customers' most common requirements: "We must get 20 people a day in our shops asking how to connect an iPod to their radio or hi-fi." Ofcom officials said yesterday that the popularity
of the devices had led
them to reconsider the ban. "Low-power FM radio transmitters for MP3 players are currently unauthorised for use in the UK and parts of Europe because of the potential to cause interference to broadcast services," the regulator said in a statement. "Ofcom is responding to growing consumer demand for the use of these devices and has led negotiations in Europe to develop a harmonised approached to their use." As part of the review, Ofcom could also broaden the
scope of CB radio and
lift restrictions on other low-power radio devices such as hearing aids, alarm systems and meter readers. If the consultation goes smoothly the ban could be lifted by Christmas. Owners of FM-enabled MP3 players will not need a licence to operate the devices. "I am delighted that Ofcom have ended this
ludicrous ban based on 1940s
legislation," said Don Foster, the Liberal Democrat culture, media and sport spokesman. A spokeswoman for the iPod maker Apple refused to comment, saying the California company would only speak publicly once the ban was lifted. Meanwhile yesterday one of Britain's leading
charities issued new warnings
about potential hearing damage caused by MP3 players. The Royal National Institute for Deaf People warned that youngsters were risking premature hearing loss by listening to their music at high volume through headphones. The charity said 16- to 30-year-olds were largely unaware of the possible risk to their hearing. |
