In an interesting filing with the FCC, Senator Kenneth D. McClintock, President of the Senate of Puerto Rico, has weighed in on the merger seeking inclusion in the satellite radio service area. The Senate of Puerto Rico opposes the merger until such time that the exclusion of Puerto Rico and other non-contiguous states ceases.

Officially SDARS only covers the continental 48 states. People in other areas such as Alaska and the Caribbean can receive satellite radio, but must use billing addresses that are stateside. The letter to the FCC references that the Senate of Puerto Rico has officially taken an opposition position on the merger unless they and other outlying areas are included in the service area of the merged SDARS company.

In all likelihood, this filing will not impact the merger decision of regulators, but does show that there is a compelling interest to extend the service officially to areas beyond that which are currently served. It also outlines the diverse audience that SDARS serves.

Position – Long Sirius, Long XM