09.10.2024 update: The GFM campaign reached its goal and is no longer accepting contributions. Thanks to everyone who contributed.
Last month I launched a GoFundMe campaign. No, it isn’t to benefit me. The purpose is to keep Como Audio’s Internet radio and podcast service alive, along with the smart radio portal and the popular My Favorites feature which allows storing an almost unlimited number of Internet stations.
You see, those services and features are being taken over by the station aggregator, Airable, because the platform provider, Frontier Silicon, will no longer cover the costs to maintain them. Accordingly, the aggregator is charging the audio companies that use Frontier Silicon’s legacy Wi-Fi modules to continue the service. Those brands that don’t or can’t pay will have their radios’ service disabled on October 31, 2024.
This placed Como Audio customers in a precarious position because Como isn’t around to pay it’s $5,000 fee since it went out of business 18 months ago. As I had a long-term relationship with both Frontier Silicon and the station aggregator, I intervened and launched a GoFundMe campaign last month following an agreement with the aggregator. No one asked me to do this and I wasn’t required to, but if I didn’t act, the service would be terminated on all Como radios.
Thanks to the generosity of Como users, the GoFundMe campaign met the $5,000 goal in less than 30 hours. There was no way to disable service only for radios of owners who didn’t contribute. That means every Como Audio radio around the world will retain it’s service until October 31, 2025 whether you contributed anything or not.
If you’re a Como Audio user and didn’t contribute, considering you’ll be getting free service for 12 months, please do your part for year #2’s $5,000 fee. The GoFundMe campaign is currently accepting contributions for year #2, and although we’ve made excellent progress, we’re still several thousand dollars short for year two.
One friendly piece of advice if you contribute. GoFundMe automatically adds a generous tip for themselves to every donation. This money doesn’t go to the campaign but to GoFundMe. Believe me, they’re making enough money, they don’t need a tip. Use the tip bar to adjust the donation figure down to zero before you submit your donation. If you’re feeling especially generous, instead of tipping GoFundMe, you might consider buying me a coffee or making a PayPal donation for my time and effort on everyone’s behalf.
If/when the second year’s goal is reached, I shall close out the campaign and if possible, pay the second year’s fee in advance. As the date gets closer I will consider launching a new GFM campaign in August of 2026 to raise funds for the third year’s fee.
Paying a fee to keep our service alive isn’t a scenario I or anyone else envisioned and I’m sorry we have to go through this. Thank you to those who have contributed. If you’re a Como Audio music system owner or just appreciate music, I hope you’ll reward my voluntary efforts and support our cause. I can’t imagine life without music.
Thank you again,
Peter Skiera