Satellite Subscriptions Up
Digital satellite systems also offer additional data about shows. Satellite TV provides a strong digital signal to subscribers' television sets and is almost completely wireless. The National Basketball Association has reached a multi-year deal with Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. to expand radio broadcasts of professional basketball games.
A subset of Sirius' music channels are included as part of the DISH Network satellite television service. In November, 2004, a partnership between Sirius, Standard Broadcasting and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation filed an application with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to introduce Sirius in Canada. As of October 2005, XM Radio leads Sirius Satellite Radio in subscriptions in the U.S. satellite radio market.
XM Radio provides data services such as weather information for pilots and weather spotters, in addition to real-time weather and traffic updates every two minutes for major metropolitan areas. XM offers a huge variety of stations you'll never hear on commercial radio. XM Radio uses two Boeing HS 702 satellites, appropriately dubbed "Rock" and "Roll," placed in parallel geostationary orbit to provide its satellite radio services.
When the XM Satellite Radio service was launched in late 2001, many analysts had forecast that it was the beginning of the end for traditional radio. Sirius and XM are the two major satellite radio providers available in the USA At its launch in 2001, satellite radio was targeted only towards motorists. XM Radio Canada and Sirius Canada are the first licensed satellite radio services in Canada. Satellite radio receivers continuously display the artist's name and the song title. Neither XM nor Sirius is making money in the United States, though market leader XM, which has 5 million subscribers, is getting close to breaking even, according to analysts. Despite crystal clear sound, crackle free delivery and nationwide coverage, American radio listeners have not been quick to take up many Satellite Radio offerings.
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