ADA update enters debate over FM chips

The International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS) this week endorsed the possibility of a congressionally mandated FM chip in every cell phone.

The group cited the update of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which has passed both chambers and compels technology companies to make sure their products are accessible. The FM proposal deserves "more attention" now that it passed, the group said.

The proposal is pushed by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and opposed by cell phone manufacturers, with trade groups CTIA and CEA leading the pushback.

David Noble, a government relations official for IAAIS, said the FM chip would bring "people with disabilities ... one step closer to equality and independence," noting that radio is free and that disabled people usually make less than the non-disabled.

Under the plan, such people "won’t have to buy a smartphone and add an expensive monthly data plan.”

NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton welcomed the endorsement.

"News reading services provide a critical information and lifeline resource to people who are visually-impaired, and local radio stations are the conduit for making these services possible. NAB is proud to have the support of an organization committed to making a positive difference in communities across America," he said.