XM vs Sirius, The War Begins
January 2nd, 2006
Business wars are great and to add to the Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo war, Sirius and XM satellite radio are going at it too. Last week Sirius announced that they have surpassed 3 million subscribers. Something that XM did back almost a year ago in December of 2004. However, Sirius had the help from a well know guy named Howard Stern who is now officially working for Sirius as of Jan 1 2006. Therefore, what makes one better form the other? I have put together a chart to help differentiate the two.
| Sirius | XM | |
| Satellites | 3 | 2 |
| Monthly Cost | $12.95 No Contract | 12.95 No Contract |
| Activation | $15.00 online activation available | $14.99 online activation available |
| Sports | NFL, NBA, NHL, College Sports, English Soccer, Horse Racing. (NHL to be on XM for 07-08 season) | NASCAR, PGA, MLB, COLLEGE SPORTS |
| Hardware | Sirius Radios | XM Radios |
| Online listening | Yes | Yes |
| Commercial Free | 65 Channels | 67 Channels |
| Channels | Over 120 digital | 160 digital |
| Availability | US and Canada | US and Canada |
| Customer service | 24 hrs | Mon - Sat: 6AM - 2 AM ET Sun: 8 AM - 8 PM ET |
The war is going to be good. Currently they are mostly the same package, although Sirius is boasting more channels that people like such as sports and Stern. We will have to wait and see who will win this battle. Although its already started. The Washington Post is reporting XM has reached a deal that will allow there radios to work with voice commands. This will be interesting since it’s all about who can get the most customers.