NextRadio sets its sights on FM chip activation in T-Mobile Android phones

NextRadio is pushing to get T-Mobile to unlock FM chips on its phones. The company has launched a campaign with the tagline “Help Get NextRadio on T-Mobile.” It asks people to turn to social media and voice their support for unlocking the chips for phones on T-Mobile plans. The effort is centered on the #sayyestoFMchip hashtag and encourages fans to tweet at both the official T-Mobile account and at CEO John Legere to ask for chip activation. NextRadio President Paul Brenner even addressed Legere directly in a video clip shared to YouTube.

The company recently inked a deal with AT&T that will see the chips activated in Android smartphones supporting the carrier in 2016. Jeff Smulyan, CEO of parent company Emmis Communications, expressed his optimism about the outlook for the app in the company’s Q1 2016 earnings call last month. “This will be something that we think changes the face of American Radio,” he said.