XM Satellite Radio Launch Delayed Due to Attacks on U.S.

by Alan Sheckter, Smart TV & Sound news editor

The revolutionary, 100-channel XM Satellite Radio service was forced to delay its ballyhooed Sept. 12 launch for two weeks due to the previous day’s tragedies in New York City and Washington, D.C. Not only did the Sept. 11 attacks shut down commercial air traffic, but the events also led to a temporary federal interruption in the FCC’s repeater network authorization process.

One week later, the Federal Communications Commission granted the company the terrestrial network authority to begin commercial operations of what it says will be the first U.S. digital satellite radio service.

The XM Satellite Radio service promises digital-quality sound and coast-to-coast coverage. The service will allow you to stay in tune with a single station on a car-trip from New York to California.

XM expects to offer 71 music channels, as well as 29 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels.
The service will require a special XM digital audio receiver, and a $9.99 per month service fee. A $100 million media blitz touting the slogan “Radio to the Power of X,” was poised to get XM Satellite Radio off the ground.