Making a decision about which satellite radio company to choose will probably come down to a purely personal choice based on the listening channels each offers. The subscription fees they charge are about the same, and will probably stay that way in order to remain competitive with each other. So if you’re an Elvis fan, you might be swayed by Sirius’ Elvis Radio channel. On the other hand, NASCAR enthusiasts can only find NASCAR Radio on XM. The truth is, both companies have such a wide variety of programming available that either one will probably have plenty of channels you’d be happy with. Both companies have information about their programs on their web sites, to help you decide.
One thing it’s important to know, however - once you buy a satellite radio receiver from one company, you can’t use it to receive the other company’s broadcasts. So take the time to check out the programming each company offers before you choose. Once you’ve gone to the trouble & expense of installing one company’s system into your car, you’re committed -- unless you want to do it all over again. The FCC has ordered XM and Sirius to work together to produce a receiver capable of playing both companies’ broadcasts, but it might be several years before it’s available for sale.
Satellite Radio’s Space-Age Reception
People who live in rural or hilly areas will particularly appreciate satellite radio’s reception capabilities. Because the signal is transmitted from high above the earth’s atmosphere, you can receive it no matter where you’re located on the continent. This powerful reception is great even if you’re just driving from one end of town to the other, but you just might decide to make your summer vacation a road trip this year. With a satellite radio you can drive from Los Angeles to New York while listening to the same channel for the entire journey, with perfect reception. Now that’s a listening experience that’s out of this world.