Satellite Radio Basics

By Rachel Cericola
October 21st, 2008

Somewhere up in the sky, beyond the birds, the planes and even Superman, there are satellites whose sole purpose is to make sure you can rock out to Blue Oyster Cult, Bette Midler and Baha Men all in the same hour, all commercial-free, and across state lines.

Typical radio signals come from local radio towers. They are free for all, but once you move away from the tower (as little as 20 miles away) the signal can become fuzzy or even get lost. Conversely, satellite signals are beamed down from the heavens, giving them a wider broadcasting range. That’s why satellite users can drive from one end of the U.S. to the other and enjoy near-CD-quality sound without losing reception.

The Services

The first satellite service, XM Radio, began broadcasting in 2001. A year later, competitor Sirius launched. The two services operated independently, with ...

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