| A satellite radio or subscription radio (SR) is a digital | | | | automakers to equip vehicles with their receiver. As |
| radio signal that is broadcast by a communications | | | | of 2007, the following manufacturers offer satellite |
| satellite, which covers a much wider geographical | | | | radio as original Sirius has an exclusive contract for |
| range than terrestrial radio signals. | | | | VW and Audi vehicles from 2007 through |
| For now, satellite radio offers a meaningful alternative | | | | 2012[citation needed]. Those brands previously |
| to ground-based radio services in some countries, | | | | offered both services. GM, Honda and Suzuki are all |
| notably the United States. Mobile services, such as | | | | major investors in XM; Sirius is not offered as options |
| Sirius, XM, and Worldspace, allow listeners to roam | | | | in their vehicles.[1] Bentley and Rolls-Royce come not |
| across an entire continent, listening to the same audio | | | | only with receivers and lifetime subscriptions for Sirius |
| programming anywhere they go. Other services, such | | | | service. XM is featured in select Harley-Davidson |
| as Music Choice or Muzak's satellite-delivered content, | | | | motorcycle models, while Sirius can be heard in |
| require a fixed-location receiver and a dish antenna. In | | | | several brands of recreational vehicles and boats. |
| all cases, the antenna must have a clear view to the | | | | One of the challenges for satellite radio has been to |
| satellites. In areas where tall buildings, bridges, or | | | | move away from cars and into the homes of |
| even parking garages obscure the signal, repeaters | | | | consumers.[citation needed] Several portable satellite |
| can be placed to make the signal available to listeners. | | | | radio receivers have been made for this purpose. XM |
| Radio services are usually provided by commercial | | | | satellite radio has developed the XM2go line of |
| ventures and are subscription-based. The various | | | | "Walkman-like" portable receivers, such as the Delphi |
| services are proprietary signals, requiring specialized | | | | MyFi, the Pioneer AirWare and Giant International's |
| hardware for decoding and playback. Providers usually | | | | Tao. Polk Audio makes a component-style home XM |
| carry a variety of news, weather, sports, and music | | | | Reference Tuner[2] and a tabletop entertainment |
| channels, with the music channels generally being | | | | system, the I-Sonic[3], with XM capability. Sirius has |
| commercial-free. | | | | developed the Kenwood Portable Satellite Radio |
| In areas with a relatively high population density, it is | | | | Tuner, Sirius S50, Here2Anywhere and the Sirius |
| easier and less expensive to reach the bulk of the | | | | Stiletto 100.[4] The Pioneer Inno and Samsung Helix |
| population with terrestrial broadcasts. Thus in the UK | | | | for XM were among the first portable receivers to |
| and some other countries, the contemporary | | | | offer the ability of recording live content for playback |
| evolution of radio services is focused on Digital Audio | | | | later. Thus allowing for satellite radio to compete |
| Broadcasting (DAB) services, such as HD Radio, | | | | more fully with MP3 players. |
| rather than satellite radio. | | | | While key agreements with automobile |
| Business applications | | | | manufacturers are still being made, both companies |
| Satellite radio, particularly in the United States, has | | | | have made the leap away from satellite radio only in |
| become a major provider of background music to | | | | the car and into the homes of consumers. One bump |
| businesses such as hotels, retail chains, and | | | | in the road to becoming more widely used in the |
| restaurants. Compared to old-line competitors such as | | | | home was both Sirius and XM running into legal issues |
| Muzak, satellite radio's significantly lower price, | | | | in early 2006 with the FCC about their internal FM |
| commercial-free channel variety, and more reliable | | | | Transmitters. This required Sirius and XM to pull |
| technology make it a very attractive option. Both | | | | several of their models off the shelf and fix the |
| North American satellite radio providers offer business | | | | problem. The FCC was claiming that the emissions of |
| subscriptions, though given the merger of XM | | | | the internal FM Transmitters were too powerful and |
| Satellite Radio with Sirius, the future of XM for | | | | needed to be lowered. With these changes any |
| Business is uncertain. Sirius's commercial services are | | | | customer buying a new satellite radio receiver doesn't |
| provided nationally by third-party partner Applied | | | | achieve nearly the broadcast distance as the old |
| Media Technologies Corporation. Satellite radio has a | | | | models. Since this is a key point in the ability to use a |
| large following within the truck driving community as | | | | satellite radio in the home (i.e. by taking the signal |
| well. The advantage of driving from coast to coast | | | | received and then broadcasting it to multiple points |
| without losing signal is an obvious advantage. Both | | | | throughout the home at the same time and avoid |
| providers offer programming aimed at trucking | | | | having to bring the satellite radio with them as they |
| professionals. | | | | move around the home) it has led many subscribers |
| System design | | | | to use an external Personal Fm transmitter like the |
| Satellite radio uses the 2.3 GHz S band in North | | | | Whole House FM Transmitter, C Crane, Griffin |
| America and generally shares the 1.4 GHz L band with | | | | Technology, etc. to replace the lower powered |
| local Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) stations | | | | internal FM Transmitter. Since these external FM |
| elsewhere. It is a type of direct broadcast satellite | | | | Transmitters are Part 15 compliant they can |
| and is strong enough that it requires no satellite dish | | | | broadcast the signal further than the new internal FM |
| to receive. Curvature of the earth limits the reach of | | | | Transmitters now included in the satellite radios and |
| the signal, but due to the high orbit of the satellites, | | | | still be legal. These external FM transmitters may |
| two or three are usually sufficient to provide | | | | prevent a slow down in the progress already made |
| coverage for an entire continent. | | | | into the home consumer market for Sirius and XM |
| Local repeaters similar to broadcast translator | | | | satellite radio. |
| boosters enable signals to be available even if the | | | | Canada |
| view of the satellite is blocked, for example, by | | | | On November 1, 2004, the Canadian Radio-television |
| skyscrapers in a large town. Major tunnels can also | | | | and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) began |
| have repeaters. This method also allows local | | | | hearing applications for Canada's first satellite radio |
| programming to be transmitted such as traffic and | | | | operations. Three applications were filed: one by |
| weather in most major metropolitan areas, as of | | | | Standard Broadcasting and the CBC in partnership |
| March 2004. | | | | with Sirius, one by Canadian Satellite Radio in |
| Each receiver has an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) | | | | partnership with XM, and one at the last minute by |
| Radio ID to identify it. When a unit is activated with a | | | | CHUM Limited and Astral Media. |
| subscription, an authorization code is sent in the digital | | | | The first two would use the same systems already |
| stream telling the receiver to allow access to the | | | | set up for the U.S., while CHUM's application is for a |
| blocked channels. Most services have at least one | | | | subscription radio service delivered through existing |
| "free to air" or "in the clear" (ITC) channel as a test. | | | | terrestrial DAB transmitters rather than directly by |
| For example, Sirius uses channel 184, Sirius Weather | | | | satellite (although satellites would be used to deliver |
| & Emergency. | | | | programming to the transmitters). The CHUM service |
| Most (if not all) of the systems in use now are | | | | is all-Canadian; the other two applications propose to |
| proprietary, using different codecs for audio data | | | | offer a mix of Canadian-produced channels and |
| compression, different modulation techniques, and/or | | | | existing channels from their American partner |
| different methods for encryption and conditional | | | | services. |
| access. | | | | A small "gray market" already exists for Sirius and |
| Like other radio services, satellite radio also transmits | | | | XM receivers in Canada in which a Canadian would |
| program-associated data (PAD or metadata), with | | | | have an American order their receiver and setup. |
| the artist and title of each song or program and | | | | On June 16, 2005, the CRTC approved all three |
| possibly the name of the channel. | | | | services.[5] |
| United States | | | | In its decision, the CRTC required the following |
| In the United States, two companies operate satellite | | | | conditions from the satellite radio licensees: |
| radio services: XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite | | | | A minimum of eight channels must be produced in |
| Radio, though these companies are merging. A | | | | Canada, and for each Canadian channel, nine foreign |
| monthly fee is charged for both services (as of 2005, | | | | channels can be broadcast. |
| Sirius also offers a one-time fee of nearly $500 valid | | | | At least 85% of the content on the |
| for the lifetime of the equipment). Some XM music | | | | Canadian-produced channels (whether musical or |
| channels have commercials, while Sirius is | | | | spoken word) must be Canadian. |
| commercial-free. Both services have commercial-free | | | | At least 25% of the Canadian channels must be |
| music stations, as well as talk and news stations, | | | | French-language stations. |
| some of which include commercials. XM uses | | | | At least 25% of the music aired on the Canadian |
| fixed-location geostationary satellites in two positions, | | | | channels must be new Canadian music. |
| and Sirius uses three geosynchronous satellites in | | | | At least 25% of the music played on the Canadian |
| highly elliptical orbits passing over North and South | | | | channels must be from up-and-coming Canadian |
| America, to transmit the digital streams. The net | | | | artists. |
| difference is that the Sirius signal comes from a | | | | These conditions were an extension of the existing |
| higher elevation angle in the northern part of the U.S. | | | | Canadian content rules applicable to all broadcasters in |
| and even more so in Canada. (This higher angle | | | | Canada. The applicants had until 13 November |
| makes Sirius' signal less likely to drop out on cities, | | | | 2005, to notify the CRTC of their decision. Both |
| but more likely to drop out in parking garages, gas | | | | companies managed to negotiate the standards a |
| stations, tunnels, and other covered spaces.) | | | | little to their favor, and in return, they would instead |
| Both services are available mainly via portable | | | | play 50% French content as opposed to 25%. Also, |
| receivers in automobiles, but both have many | | | | XM Canada succeeded in getting an extra five |
| accessories so one can listen at home through a | | | | channels of National Hockey League Play-by-Play onto |
| home stereo, with a portable boombox, or online | | | | their platform, without an additional channel creation, |
| through a personal computer. Both services now | | | | by agreeing to cover every Canadian team's game |
| have some form of receiver that is completely | | | | during the season. |
| portable. | | | | CHUM appealed the decision, claiming they would not |
| Satellite radio's chief asset is the fact that it is not | | | | survive if Sirius and XM both were allowed in the |
| localized: drivers can receive the same programming | | | | Canadian market, and that the licence conditions |
| anywhere in the footprint of the service. A stop at | | | | regarding Canadian content imposed on Canadian |
| any truck stop will demonstrate the popularity of XM | | | | Satellite Radio and Sirius Canada were too lax. |
| among long-haul drivers. In addition, both XM and | | | | Canadian Satellite Radio and Sirius Canada countered |
| Sirius carry programming that is simply not feasible on | | | | that CHUM was simply trying to create a monopoly in |
| commercial radio stations. Specialty stations cover | | | | the Canadian market. |
| things such as family talk, radio drama, classical music, | | | | In late August 2005, Heritage Minister Liza Frulla |
| and live events. | | | | asked the Federal Cabinet to review the CRTC |
| The footprint of both Sirius and XM is only the United | | | | decision and possibly send it back to the CRTC for |
| States (including Alaska), Canada, and the upper third | | | | further review. Lobbyists complained that the CRTC |
| of Mexico; it does not cover Hawaii as satellite TV | | | | decision did not require enough Canadian content |
| does. | | | | from the broadcasters. The broadcasters responded |
| Success so far | | | | by promising to add additional Canadian and French |
| As of Feb 28,2008 XM claims over 9 million | | | | content. |
| subscribers, while Sirius claimed 7.6 million as of | | | | After vigorous lobbying from both sides, the Federal |
| October 30, 2007. One critical factor for the success | | | | Cabinet officially accepted the CRTC decision on |
| of satellite radio is the deployment of in-car receivers. | | | | September 10, 2005. |
| Both Sirius and XM have attempted to convince | | | | |