SATELLITE RADIO

A satellite radio or subscription radio (SR) is a digital radio signal that is broadcast by a communications satellite, which covers a much wider geographical range than terrestrial radio signals.

We all have our favorite radio stations that we preset into our car radios, flipping between them as we drive to and from work, on errands and around town. But when you travel too far away from the station, the signal breaks up and fades into static. Most radio signals can only travel about 30 or 40 miles (48 to 64 kilometers) from their source. On long trips, you might have to change radio stations every hour or so as the signals fade in and out. And it's not much fun scanning through static trying to find something -- anything -- to listen to.

Satellite radio broadcasters promise crystal-clear music from satellites thousands of miles above the Earth.

Now, imagine a radio station that can broadcast its signal from more than 22,000 miles (35,000 kilometers) away and then come through on your car radio with complete clarity. You could drive from one end of the country to another without ever having to change the radio station! Not only would you never hear static interfering with your favorite tunes, but the music would be interrupted by few or no commercials.

XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio each launched such a service at the beginning of the 21st century. Satellite radio, also called digital radio, offers uninterrupted, near CD-quality music beamed to your radio from space.

Satellite radio offers a meaningful alternative to ground-based radio services.  Satellite radio e.g. Worldspace, allow listeners to roam across an entire continent, listening to the same audio programming anywhere they go. Radio services are usually provided by commercial ventures and are subscription-based. The various services are proprietary signals, requiring specialized hardware for decoding and playback. Providers usually carry a variety of news, weather, sports, and music channels, with the music channels generally being commercial-free.

In areas with a relatively high population density, it is easier and less expensive to reach the bulk of the population with terrestrial broadcasts.

Satellite radio, has become a major provider of background music to businesses such as hotels, retail chains, and restaurants. Satellite radio's significantly lower price, commercial-free channel variety, and more reliable technology make it a very attractive option.

Satellite radio uses the 2.3 GHz S band in North America and generally shares the 1.4 GHz L band with local Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) stations elsewhere. It is a type of direct broadcast satellite and is strong enough that it requires no satellite dish to receive. Curvature of the earth limits the reach of the signal, but due to the high orbit of the satellites, two or three are usually sufficient to provide coverage for an entire continent.

Local repeaters similar to broadcast translator boosters enable signals to be available even if the view of the satellite is blocked, for example, by skyscrapers in a large town. Major tunnels can also have repeaters.

Each receiver has an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) Radio ID to identify it. When a unit is activated with a subscription, an authorization code is sent in the digital stream telling the receiver to allow access to the blocked channels. Most (if not all) of the systems in use now are proprietary, using different codecs for audio data compression, different modulation techniques, and/or different methods for encryption and conditional access.


At this time, there are two space-based radio broadcasters:



•Sirius XM Radio
•Worldspace

Satellite radio companies are comparing the significance of their service to the impact that cable TV had on television 30 years ago. Listeners aren't able to pick up local stations using satellite radio services, but they have access to hundreds of stations offering a variety of music genres. Each company has a different plan for its broadcasting system, but the systems do share similarities. Here are the key components of the two satellite radio systems:


•Satellites
•Ground repeaters
•Radio receivers

Satellite radio works a lot like satellite TV -- you purchase a receiver and pay a monthly subscription fee for a certain number of channels. For the moment, there are slight variances in the three satellite radio companies' systems.

Indian satellite radio policy to be put on hold

India’s proposed policy on satellite radio may now be kept on hold. The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has prepared a draft Cabinet note for the satellite radio policy, but now a policy is unlikely because WorldSpace radio has decided to shut its India operation. US-based WorldSpace, which is the only entity operating satellite radio in India, has announced that its service will be terminated in the country on 31 December. WorldSpace, which started its service in India in the year 2000, has been operating without any policy framework so far.


While there was no limit on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in satellite radio due to lack of any regulation, the new policy was expected to cap FDI at 74%. The draft cabinet note had indicated that WorldSpace would have been given three years to comply with the guidelines.

Sources have pointed out that the new owner of WorldSpace may restart the India operation, perhaps with a new brand name. “They would return if the system allows them. After all, they have retained the satellites, technology and the associated assets,” a source argued. However, the receiver sets may have to be changed even if the India operation resumes, as the new service may be offered on terrestrial platform.

Several media houses in the country are believed to have been keen on buying the WorldSpace India business, but no transaction has been executed so far. Around 300 employees in the WorldSpace India office, in Bangalore, have lost their job due to the closure.

(Source: DNAIndia.com)