Satellite radio is a digital radio service that transmits audio signals over large areas with greater clarity and consistency than terrestrial (AM/FM) broadcasts. It works by beaming the signal from one or more satellites orbiting Earth to specialized receivers, typically located in automobiles and home stereo systems.
Several satellite radio services are available worldwide. Two of the most popular and successful are Sirius XM and Worldspace, both founded in the 1990s.
The most common way to receive satellite radio is through a car-mounted satellite radio receiver, which contains a special chipset that decodes the signals. General Motors, Honda and a number of other car manufacturers have signed agreements with XM to provide satellite radio as a standard feature in their vehicles.
In the United States, a company called 1worldspace operates three satellites in geostationary orbit that cover the continent. Each of these satellites has three signal beams that can transmit more than 50 channels of programming, spanning from Africa to Asia and north of the border into South America.
Another option is to use HD Radio, a hybrid digital/analog transmission technology developed by iBiquity that provides clearer sound and more local stations within a given signal. However, it requires a head unit or tuner that can decode the signals and displays them in an HD radio-ready format.
Most new luxury cars are equipped with satellite radio as a standard feature, and many non-luxury models also include it as an optional accessory. Getting a satellite radio for your vehicle can cost several hundred dollars, and you will have to either pay a monthly subscription fee or start a free trial period to test it out.
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