It's Easy to Learn about XM Satellite Radio:

There are 2 Brands or companies offering it in the U.S.:

• Sirius Satellite Radio
• XM Radio

They each offer 65+ music stations and 60 or so other channels.  All the music is commercial free.  Most of the other channels are commercial free too.

Both are $12.95 per month, no contract, no credit check and they offer disocunts for signing up for prepaying for service.

Here is a good place to Learn about XM Radio

Where can I get a printable version of the XM Channel Lineup?
Please visit http://channels.xmradio.com. You'll find printable versions in HTML and PDF formats that you can print out on your home computer.


Where can I buy XM Equipment?
Right Here! Learn More... 


What will I hear on XM?
XM offers a huge variety of stations you'll never hear on commercial radio. Many of our music channels are commercial free. Most are unique and innovative XM Originals, which include totally new programming. Virtually every musical style is represented in depth and variety. Some channels include Fow News Channel, BBC World Service, PBS's News Hour with Jim Lehrer, Bloomberg News Radio, NASCAR, CNN News, Radio One, Salem Communications, The Weather Channel, and many more.


Does XM carry local stations?
XM Satellite Radio is revolutionizing radio by offering exciting and unprecedented coast-to-coast programming. Listeners need to tune to the XM band on their XM radio to tune into our programming. XM's listeners still have access to their local AM & FM stations for local content.



What is XM Satellite Radio?
XM Radio is broadcasting over 120 digital channels of totally new music, news, sports and children's programming direct to cars and homes via satellite and our extensive repeater network, which supplements the satellite signal to ensure seamless transmission. The channels originate from XM's broadcast center, the world's largest all-digital studio complex in Washington, DC, and uplink to our two (Boeing 702) satellites. These satellites transmit the signal across the entire continental United States. Each satellite provides 18kw of total power making them the two most powerful commercial satellites ever built, providing coast-to-coast coverage. XM Satellite Radio is changing the way people listen to radio in the same way cable changed television.

 

Does XM have commercials?
All of XM Radio's music channels are 100% commercial free. Today's FM stations carry 18 minutes or more commercials per hour.

Is XM Service available in Canada and Mexico?
XM is only licensed to provide service to the US (All states except Alaska and Hawaii), its territories and adjacent waters. XM's satellite signal reaches into portions of Canada and Mexico near the U.S. borders however, XM's service is not currently sold in Canada, Mexico or any other region outside of the continental United States.



Is XM Service available in the waters off the coast of the United States?
Yes, XM is designed for marine use. In addition to domestic waterways in the continential United States, XM's signal extends off the coast into all U.S. coastal waters.  



Does XM offer customer support?
XM's Listener Care Center provides efficient and reliable support services to XM subscribers through a dedicated toll-free telephone number, 1-800-XM-RADIO (1-800-967-2346). Listener Care Representatives provide amazing care in dealing with activations, general inquires, trouble shooting and billing care services.

Our hours are:
Mon - Sat: 6AM - 2AM ET
Sun: 8AM - 8PM ET


How do I set my FM Modulated Radio for the best sound?  
To ensure your XM Radio sounds its best, please click here to learn how to adjust your radio levels.

 

Are there different antennas available?  
There are several antenna configurations available to receive the XM signal. These configurations include a glass-mounted antenna, a roof-mounted antenna, and a magnet-mounted antenna. The customer can select the type of antenna that they want; however some radios come standard with certain antenna configurations. Additional antenna configurations may need to be purchased separately. Please see your retailer for details. Learn More...  

 
Who installs XM radios?
Most XM radios can be installed by you - the purchaser.  We also offer prepaid installtion cards to make professional installation a breeze.  



What does XM Ready mean?
XM Ready means that the radio can be upgraded to receive XM programming and that your radio is fully compatible with the XM tuner module needed to receive the XM Radio service.


What is required to upgrade to XM?
In order for an XM Ready radio to receive XM programming, you will need a XM Ready radio, a tuner box and an antenna. Cassette Adaptor and FM-modulated units are available and will work with your existing car or home stereo. The tuner box enables the radio to receive and transmit the XM signal. The antenna needs to be installed or mounted on the outside of the automobile where it will have the maximum exposure to the sky. Learn More...



Can I get XM Satellite Radio in my leased car?
Yes, you can get XM in leased cars.


How long before I hear XM after I activate my radio?  
Please turn your radio on and tune to the Preview Channel, which is Channel 1. To ensure the activation process is complete, scroll through the channels in sequence (for example you will hear channels, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc.). When you hear channels 7, 9, 47 and 122 your activation is complete.

For auto installed units, make sure that your vehicle is outside with an unobstructed view to the sky.

If you have a home unit, please make sure the antenna is located in a south-facing window with clear glass and with no visible obstructions to the sky.

If you do not receive over 120 XM channels after one hour, please call us at 1-800-XM-RADIO (1-800-967-2346).



Why is there a difference in cost between a commercial and regular consumer account?  
A consumer account is established when customers listen to XM programming for personal use in their vehicle or home. In a commercial or business setting, such as a doctor's office, dentist's office, restaurant/bar, retail stores, hair salons, malls, greyhound buses, airlines, river cruise boats, etc. many customers and/or employees are listening to XM programming as background music. With an XM Commercial Service package for your business, XM reports and pays all commercial licensing and royalty obligations to the artists, unless you operate an establishment that charges an admissions or membership fee (e.g. a theme park, skating rink, dance club, health club, etc.) or use music sources other than XM (e.g. CDs, DJs, live music or terrestrial radio, etc.), in which case you are responsible for payment of any copyright royalties to ASCAP, BMI, SESAC or for any sound recordings.



How much does the XM Radio Service cost?  
If you are a consumer, you will pay a $14.99 activation fee plus monthly service fee of $12.95 for over 150 channels. If you activate on our E-care website http://activation.xmradio.com, you will only need to pay $9.99 for your activation fee plus the monthly service fee of $12.95.

If you are a business, you must be set up as a commercial account. Commercial accounts are $27.95 with a one-time activation fee of $14.99. At this time, you cannot activate or manage a commercial account on the web. Please call us at 888-689-2300 for your commercial activation.



Do I have to sign a contract for XM service?
There is no contract, it is subscription based and you may cancel your service at any time.  



Do I need to have a separate XM subscription for each radio?
Each radio that is activated will be charged its own set of fees.  



What are my billing options?
XM accepts MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover credit cards. XM also offers EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) from your checking or savings bank account, as well as invoice billing.

Due to escalating handling and processing costs, XM charges a nominal fee of $2 per invoice to subscribers who choose invoice billing.  


How do I sign up for service?
Once you purchase a radio from any of the thousands of different national, regional and local retail stores or through automobile dealers with a purchase of a new car, you will be able to sign up for our subscription service through our Listener Care Center or over the Internet.


Is XM Radio available over the Internet?
Yes -- now you can listen to all of XM's commercial-free music channels as well as Bob Edwards, Opie and Anthony, Comedy and Kids programming online. Please visit http://listen.xmradio.com for a free trial of the XM Radio Online service.

The Company XM Satellite Radio Inc. is headquartered in Washington, DC. and is a wholly owned subsidiary of XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., which is publicly traded on NASDAQ. XM is one of two FCC licensees to deliver satellite radio programming. XM delivers its coast-to-coast, digital-quality service with more than 150 channels of music, news, talk, radio, sports, comedy and children's programming. The service is targeted to the nation's 200 million plus automobile and truck drivers as well as home radio users.  

Ticker Symbol NASDAQ: XMSR  

Programming Amazing Radio: more than 150 digital channels coast-to-coast, including original music and talk channels created by the company's XM ORIGINALS programming unit and by leading national brand-name content providers. 100% of XM's 67 music channels are commercial-free. XM's programming partners include Sesame Workshop, NASCAR, Associated Press, ABC News, CNBC, BBC World Service and BBC Concerts, Radio One, The Sporting News, CNN, Bloomberg, Fox News, C-SPAN Radio, Clear Channel and Discovery, MTV, VH-1, Disney, & ESPN.  

Service Basic monthly subscription fee, $12.95 per month. Under XM Family plan, subscribers get a discounted rate of $6.99 per month for additional radios. Premium channel(s) available at an additional monthly cost.

FCC License SDARS license awarded in October 1997

XM Satellites Two Boeing 702 satellites built by Boeing Satellite Systems, with payloads manufactured by Alcatel Space. Both satellites operate in geostationary orbit, with "XM Rock" at 85° West Longitude and "XM Roll" positioned at 115° West Longitude. Telesat Canada monitors and controls the satellites for XM. Sea Launch provided launch services.

XM Frequency 12.5 MHz of S-Band: 2332.5 to 2345.0 MHz

Broadcast Studios The largest digital radio facility of its kind in the country with more than 80 end-to-end fiber-optic programming and broadcast studios at XM headquarters in the heart of Washington, DC.

Chairman of the Board Gary Parsons

President & CEO Hugh Panero

Headquarters 1500 Eckington Place, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 866-962-2557
Fax: 202-380-4500

Technology and Innovation Center
3161 SW 10th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Superior Sound Quality XM succeeds because of its superior digital sound technology, unparalleled signal coverage, proven chipset technology and outstanding programming. The technologies that define XM Satellite Radio sound quality have been auditioned and endorsed by leading audio experts from around the world.

The superior XM sound quality experience in the car and home begins in XM's Digital Broadcast Center, where it creates and integrates its 101 state-of-the-art audio channels.  


The Best Sound Quality Technologies: XM searched the world for the best sound quality technologies and found them in customized CT-aacPlus audio encoding with Neural Audio optimization, which provides superior sound quality remarkably close to Compact Disc.

The key to XM's outstanding sound quality is CT-aacPlus, a third-generation audio encoding technology. CT-aacPlus is the combination of Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), a highly efficient global standard combining the work of the world's foremost experts on perceptual audio encoding -- AT&T, Dolby, Fraunhofer, and Sony - with Coding Technologies' revolutionary Spectral Band Replication (SBRTM) technology.

Neural Audio created a customized version of its process for XM, designed to enhance CT-aacPlus results by optimizing temporal and spectral elements prior to encoding, improving soundstage clarity, and increasing intelligibility. The unique combination of CT-aacPlus and Neural Audio algorithms enable XM to deliver a consistent, superior sound experience.

In addition, Neural Audio's "stereo transcoder" algorithm preserves the imaging and spatiality of stereo and surround-sound content that XM broadcasts. So XM customers with matrix-style surround sound equipment, including Dolby technology, can receive a full surround sound experience.  



Independent Tests Find
XM's Sound Quality
Superior Two independent, side-by-side tests have been performed on satellite radio sound, both recently: one by Bob Ludwig, the world's most renowned mastering engineer and audio quality expert, and the other by Sound & Vision, the largest audio enthusiast publication in the world. Both of these evaluators said unambiguously that XM had far superior sound quality.

In May 2002, Ludwig declared XM to have superior sound quality after an in-depth, side-by-side evaluation of the two satellite radio services conducted at his world-famous Gateway Mastering Studios. Ludwig, who has mastered countless gold and platinum records for many of the world's top musical artists, including Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, Madonna, k.d. lang, and Creed, performed comprehensive comparisons among the original CD sources and broadcasts of the songs on XM and on its competitor Sirius Satellite Radio, all under laboratory conditions in his sound studios.

Ludwig said he consistently found the XM sound superior. "Overall, XM was more natural sounding and a much better music experience," he concluded.

These finding were mirrored in the July/August 2002 issue of Sound & Vision, after two days of road testing XM and its competitor in and around Denver, Colo. The Sound and Vision evaluation was performed by Senior Contributing Editor Ken C. Pohlmann, who teaches audio engineering at the University of Miami, and Contributor Leslie Shapiro, a recording engineer.

"At this stage of the game, XM sounds better than Sirius," Pohlmann and Shapiro said. "The bottom line: Sirius sound quality was inferior to XM's - to a significant degree we thought."

The road test results were corroborated by Sound & Vision Technical Editor David Ranada, who conducted an additional comparison in the magazine's offices to ensure that the results were attributed to the satellite signals and not the car electronics. Both XM and Sirius participated in and gave their full support to the magazine's tests.