Satellite radio is a service that uses satellites to broadcast digital audio and other data to receivers on Earth. These receivers can be found in cars, homes and even some boats and RVs. These receivers work like any other AM-FM car radio but can receive broadcasts from satellites that are positioned above the United States at all times, so they will never be out of range, even when driving through rural areas or around tall buildings in cities.
There are two dominant providers of satellite radio in the U.S., Sirius and XM, with almost all luxury car manufacturers offering Sirius/XM radio as standard equipment. Both systems provide near-CD quality digital audio with no static or fading signals. They can also be accessed via mobile antennas when you’re on the go, so you can enjoy your favorite programming while traveling.
The first commercial satellite radios were developed in the 1990s. The Federal Communications Commission allocated a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the 2.3 gigahertz (GHz) S band to two companies, WorldSpace and XM Satellite Radio. Both satellites were launched into geostationary orbit, allowing them to be positioned over the United States at all times. Each satellite transmits three signal beams, containing more than 60 channels of audio and other content, to overlapping coverage areas.
The satellite receivers are designed to unscramble the digital data and decode the audio that is transmitted, enabling the user to hear music, sports, news, talk, traffic and weather information. The digital audio is encoded with information about each song, including its title, artist and genre. This data is displayed on the radio’s display. In addition to terrestrial AM and FM radio, the system can play audio from CDs and MP3 devices.
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