Broadband Canada Internet Satellite

Sirius currently lags behind competitor XM Satellite Radio in terms of subscribers with just over 2.1 million, well less than XM's current audience of more than five million subscribers. As of 2005, Sirius receivers are available for various new Ford, BMW, Volkswagen, and DaimlerChrysler vehicles, and the service plans on adding availability for portable use. Satellite radio is more than the lastest fad technology.

The Radio Chick (Leslie Gold) can currently be heard on Sirius Channel 103. On October 6, 2004 Sirius announced that it signed a five-year, $500-million agreement with shock jock Howard Stern to move his radio show to Sirius starting on January 9, 2006. XM Radio uses two Boeing HS 702 satellites, appropriately dubbed "Rock" and "Roll," placed in parallel geostationary orbit to provide its satellite radio services.

When the XM Satellite Radio service was launched in late 2001, many analysts had forecast that it was the beginning of the end for traditional radio. On October 4, 2004, former National Public Radio host Bob Edwards broadcast the first Bob Edwards Show on XM Public Radio, channel 133. In October 1997 XM Radio obtained one of only two satellite digital audio radio service licenses offered by the Federal Communications Commission.


XM Radio provides data services such as weather information for pilots and weather spotters, in addition to real-time weather and traffic updates every two minutes for major metropolitan areas. A portable satellite radio has a rechargeable battery and a built-in antenna, and can be listened to via headphones anywhere the satellite radio signal can be received. The idea behind satellite radio is quite basic.

XM Radio Canada and Sirius Canada are the first licensed satellite radio services in Canada. Portable satellite radios that also store and play back MP3 files will soon be available. In the US market, there's two players: XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Dedicated car satellite radios work with in-dash car stereos only. A special antenna connects to it, and sits on the roof of the vehicle.