Whether you love music, sports, news or talk radio, satellite radio delivers high-quality digital broadcasts over clear, static-free signals from orbiting satellites. Unlike AM/FM radio, which requires a radio receiver to pick up and decode the signal, satellite broadcasts can be listened to with specially designed equipment that’s usually installed in vehicles or at home. You’ll also need a subscription to listen.
The first satellite radio provider in the United States was XM Radio, which started in September 2001 and beat rival Sirius to market by about a year. The two companies battled for subscribers by attracting marquee talent such as television host Oprah Winfrey and radio personality Howard Stern. A debt crisis in 2008 shook the industry and prompted both services to merge; the combined company is now known as SiriusXM Radio.
In addition to traditional music channels, Sirius and XM offer a wide range of specialty programming including comedy, news and traffic updates and sports. The satellites are positioned in geostationary orbit about 22,000 miles above the Earth and can be heard throughout the country and in parts of Canada and Mexico.
Although most new cars come equipped with a satellite receiver as standard or optional equipment, you can also add the technology to your existing car or listen at home using portable satellite radio receivers that are available from a number of electronics companies. Unlike AM/FM, satellite radio requires a monthly fee and works more like a cable subscription where you can choose the packages that best suit your needs.
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