About XM Radio
XM Radio is part of Sirius XM Satellite Radio, which provides radio entertainment services to a combined 18.5 million subscribers. It was the first of the two providers to launch, and it offers about 160 channels of audio programming including music, news, sports and traffic information.
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History
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XM began as American Mobile Satellite in 1998. It was not known as XM Radio until a name change in 1997. That year, XM received one of the two satellite radio licenses in the U.S. XM began operations on September 25, 2001. It would take until the end of 2003 to reach 1 million subscribers, although XM's growth sped up afterward, reaching about 8 million subscribers before the merger was completed in 2008.
Features
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Among the 156 channels offered by XM Radio as of January 2009, 73 include music, 39 are devoted to news, sports and talk, 21 broadcast traffic information and 23 carry play-by-play sporting events. In addition, the service offers an online version, which includes several more online-only stations.
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Cost
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Monthly service is charged at $12.95 per month, although discounts are available when customers pay ahead. Starting March 11, 2009, additional radios on an account cost $8.99 monthly, with online access $2.99 extra. Before then, extra radios were charged at $6.99 and online access was free. XM says that the cheaper rates can be locked in by subscribing to the pay-ahead packages.
Benefits
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The benefits of XM and satellite radio are arguably the broader playlist and fewer commercials than on FM radio. Instead of using advertiser dollars to subsidize cost, XM replaces this revenue stream with subscription fees. This allows the company to operate its channels without much (if any) commercials.
Considerations
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As the two satellite services are technically separate, some services are not available for those who sign up with XM. This includes previously Sirius-only content, including the NFL, Martha Stewart and Howard Stern. XM subscribers can still receive this programming, however, they must subscribe to the "Best of Sirius" add-on package.
Warning
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Satellite radio, like satellite television, is susceptible to losing the signal because of obstructions. If the view to the southern sky is blocked, the signal may fade in and out or be lost completely. In addition, heavy cloud cover can cause signal loss. Additionally, reliable reception is only available in the U.S. and Canada.
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