Satellite radio uses clear, static-free digital signals broadcast from satellites orbiting Earth. This technology enables you to listen to your favorite music, talk, news, sports, and entertainment from virtually anywhere within the continental United States. You can get it in any vehicle equipped with a receiver, a satellite antenna, and a subscription.
Unlike terrestrial (AM and FM) radio, satellite audio is transmitted in CD-quality sound via a detachable antenna that’s included with some portable boomboxes and may also be available as an option for your car’s in-dash radio or other home components. Depending on your provider, the monthly subscription fee covers both car and home use.
Sirius and XM are the two major providers of satellite radio. The companies merged in 2008 to avoid bankruptcy after competing in the same market for nearly a decade. Both satellite radio services offer a huge assortment of channels for many different tastes, including talk and news programming, sports, traffic and weather reports, comedy, and music. Both offer commercial-free music channels, but they do run ads on their news and talk channels.
The success of satellite radio depends on maintaining a line of sight (LOS) between the satellite and your radio receiver. That’s why both companies put multiple satellites into operation at the same time and use a system called “satellite diversity” to maintain a connection. The satellites send out three signal beams, each covering 5.4 million square miles (14 million square kilometers). Satellite diversity means if one of the satellites loses its lock on your car’s receiver, it can pick up another satellite’s signal instead.
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