Audio (4895)

Ofcom proposes to legalise iTrip

Low power FM transmitters to become

14 July 2006 15:03 GMT / By Stuart Miles

iPod owners who are illegally using FM transmitters to send a signal from their iPod to a nearby stereo should be able to do so legally if Ofcom has its way.

The Office of Communications today proposed to legalise the use of low power FM transmitters.

Simple and low cost wireless devices, such as the “iTrip”, are commonly used in other countries to enable people to listen to music transmitted from an MP3 player or other audio device to radios in the home or on the move but are currently illegal because they break broadcasting laws here in the UK.

Ofcom says it is responding to growing consumer demand for the use of these devices and has led negotiations in Europe to develop a harmonised approach to their use by late autumn 2006.

Ofcom also proposes to deregulate Citizens’ Band services.

Full tags

Audio, Radios, FM transmitters, Ofcom