XM Satellite Radio Review
XM Satellite radio took the world by storm when it pioneered the satellite radio service in the early nineties as the American Mobile Radio Corporation. When XM was launched in 2001 across America, bringing with it digital quality sound, little did people think that satellite radio would become such an integral part of life today. Today, in spite of competition, XM Satellite radio, owned by XM Satellite Radio Holdings, Inc. is still the leader with its innovative content and competitive costs.
Though XM initially focused on the automobile market, today XM radios can be found in a majority of cars and trucks. Some of the biggest auto manufacturers today offer various car models with built in XM satellite radios as part of the deal. XM satellite radios are available in a variety of sleek space saving designs and these can fit anywhere. Users can enjoy looking at the song information displayed when their favorite song is on air. This information includes the name of the channel, the name of the artist and the song title. XM has access to the biggest play list compared to any other service and its lineup in music includes a variety of genres covering country, rock, pop, classical, R&B, jazz and Christian music.
Today there are 170 XM satellite radio channels that are a hundred per cent free of commercials, enhancing the listening pleasure of its subscribers. Of the 170, over 69 are music channels with 39 or so bringing you news, talk, entertainment, and sports. XM radio also features around 21 channels that bring traffic and weather information. Around 23 XM radio channels are dedicated to sports, with play-by-play broadcasts. There are also three premier channels that are made available to the users at an additional fee.
The XM Satellite Radio Satellites
XM has two geo stationary satellites that it uses to broadcast its programming and these are named Rock and Roll, interestingly, and these are supported by hundreds of ground repeaters spread across the United States. These repeaters are responsible for uninterrupted clarity in reception in any area no matter how many constructions come in the way. To users, this means that when they are traveling from one end of the nation to the other, they can continue listening to the same station with the same digital sound quality.
XM satellite radio has exclusive airing rights to many programs. It uses several well-known celebrities to host its shows – for example, Bob Dylan, Bob Edwards, Oprah Winfrey etc. In addition to listening to XM radio via a satellite receiver, you also have the option to pay less and opt for the online broadcast.