I am thoroughly hooked on XM Satellite Radio. XM was my choice simply because they managed to make it to market before Sirius did-and I was waiting for them. In fact, the first satellite radio provider out of the starting gate would have a captive audience they didn't even know they had. I was actually emailing the XM crew before they offered service with programming ideas-they rudely told me I didn't know what I was talking about! In the interim, they've come around to my way of thinking.
As a long-haul truck driver, I had fought to maintain radio reception for years. Today's trucks, starting with their fiberglass bodies in about 1995, don't present enough of a ground plane for antennas to work well. As I was always moving, I had real problems maintaining a station for very long. Multiply my lack of reception by about 3 million other truckers and you can see a huge market waiting for the opportunity to sign on. If you've ever spend a long lonely night driving across the desert without radio or a conversation companion, you'll know how desperate the situation was becoming.
FM radio broadcasts have never had the carrying power of AM-which is no problem to the local resident who listens to FM from home and never leaves the signal area on his way to and from work. AM reception on the 50,000 watt clear channel stations assigned around the country used to put out a signal that could be picked up over several states most nights. However, with the popularity of FM which only carries short distances, the AM stations lost much of their strength due to interference, new government broadcasting patterns and small micro-stations. Many went out of business. By the time FCC changes allowed one company to buy up hundreds of small stations and put them on automated, canned programming, there wasn't much to listen to. Music is fine-for awhile. However, to drive for long periods of time, one needs to keep their mind alert and music just doesn't do it.
XM started out to focus on the "commercial-free" music channels as their mainstay. As with many new start-ups in the early part of the century, they planned to attract an audience of primarily young people who wanted such things as "Techno-Dance" music 24 hours a day. They soon found out their first and most loyal audience was truck drivers, whose average is 41 years old-and they wanted to listen to the news, sports, talk shows and home improvement channels. They also wanted "The Truckin' Bozo" show and other industry-specific information and they were willing to pay the bill. Luckily, wiser heads soon prevailed at XM headquarters and within a year, XM was providing a full complement of TV cable news audio and quickly went into sports. Since that time, XM has focused on channels like weather and traffic specific to large cities, emergency alerts, syndicated talk radio shows and other variety content such as audio books and Old-Time Radio.
The advent of satellite radio-and attendant cheaper cellular rates-has nearly led to the death of the CB out on the highways. Satellite radio has changed truckers' work lives for the better. We now have new forms of communication and are better informed than ever before. Both XM and Sirius have a trucker channel and provide industry news, maintenance tips and industry-specific information. For the first time, truck drivers have a collective voice through satellite radio, have become politically involved and can act in concert on critical information like serious road shut-downs, calling Congress about an unfriendly bill and understanding new regulations and requirements. Call-in shows are popular and most talk shows now realize truckers are their mainstay audience. It has led to better understanding of industry changes and problems.
There are still plenty of music channels-and these are commercial-free. But the news channels and syndicated talk shows have commercials built in that are already there when they contract for the right to provide them. . If you intend to listen to Hannity and Colmes or Randi Rhodes, you will have commercials. These commercials pay for the actual production of the show at the local level for both satellite and terrestrial radio. These are no more distracting than the average commercial on any radio or tv station and I have trouble understanding why people get so upset because they are there. If no commercials are so important, better you spend the $13 a month to fill your iPod with purchased music. This is XM's own fault, however, as they focused advertising at the beginning on providing "commercial-free" music. Advertisers have quickly adapted to the new market and now advertise specifically to the satellite audience.
Programming is company-specific in some instances: if you want Howard Stern, you will need Sirius. If you want NASCAR, it will be XM. Hockey? Sirius. Coast to Coast? XM. Most people's choice of radio depends on these kinds of decisions, or whether they buy a vehicle factory equipped with one service or the other. If you need to make a choice, check them out on their web pages for complete schedules. The price is nearly identical-at about $12.99 if paid by the month with price breaks for yearly or multi-year service. XM has family plans that allow you to commission a second, third and fourth radio for half-price on the same plan (Sirius may also have this-I don't know). As these radios don't need to be in the same place, they make great gifts for family members. I got one for my mother on my plan so she could listen to the three classical channels, the show-tunes channel and the 40's channel. She might also enjoy Old-Time Radio as she's of the generation that grew up listening to radio shows such as Fibber McGee and Molly and Green Lantern. This is a great gift for the elderly or those with low vision as most receivers have large well-lit channel and artist displays.
Neither XM nor Sirius manufactures radio receivers. These are made by leading providers such as Delphi, Audiovox, etc. These receivers are specific to the provider-an XM radio won't work for Sirius. I understand there are a very few high-end receivers produced that can be set for either service, but these will become more common in the future due to merger plans. Most manufacturers come out with new models ever year and the older ones go on sale at fantastic prices. More capabilities are being built into them all of the time, including combination satellite radio and iPod, CD players, stock ticker displays and recording memory.
If you look carefully around the internet, you can often find last years model for nearly free: I just purchased a SkyFi2 for $13 with a $13 rebate so it will end up being free. I also purchased the boom box it fits into for $22. The newer boom boxes are made for the newer radios and are about $150. I got my mother's Roadie with home kit and antenna on a deal that made it free with a six month subscription. I personally use a MyFi recorder-style radio with home adapter kit I can use both on the road and at home. This allows me to record six hours of audio so I can listen to my favorite midnight talk shows the next day.
Reception in the northern latitudes used to be a little spotty and reception in Canada was difficult if you got too far north of the border. XM has recently received permission to broadcast into Canada. They can now sell their services to Canadians and provide French-language programming and some Canadian sports. Latino and African American programming is also included on several channels. Another satellite system, WorldSpace-apparently not connected to US satellite companies- provides service to much of Africa, Europe, India and many countries in between. Truly, satellite radio has come of age.
Within the next year, there will be less decision-making involved in purchasing satellite radio service. XM and Sirius have received most of the permissions needed from government regulators to merge. Although details are spotty as yet, it is expected new radios will encompass the signal frequency for both systems and that there will be subscription options to opt into premium content or standard services, much like cable tv. Currently, there is an option to block the adult comedy channel for a more kid-safe experience. We're all waiting to see what kinds of deals are offered.
Satellite radio has likely reached it's maximum subscriber base unless there is more interest among home users. Equipment is already manufactured as a component of home entertainment and stereo systems. RVers are also seeing the benefit of satellite radio. Commercial subscriptions for office spaces are offered at a bit more per month. The combined XM/Sirius would do well to concentrate on advertising more to the home-owner who wants a great-sounding receiver in place in the family entertainment center. All in all, it's a great service. I wouldn't be without mine.