XM Launches Satellite Radio Service in Canada

TORONTO, Nov. 23, 2005/Satnews Daily/ — XM Canada launched on Tuesday Canada's first satellite radio service, weeks ahead of rival Sirius Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI - News), which also announced start of its service through its Canada affiliate early next month.

“This is an historic day for consumer choice, for music lovers, hockey fans and for all Canadians, rural and urban,” said Stephen Tapp president and COO, XM Canada. “XM Canada is on the air and signing up subscribers. To our thousands of supporters, XM Canada has delivered on its promise to be the first to bring Canada the greatest technological evolution in radio in the past 60 years.”

More than 4,500 Canadians pre-registered for XM over the last month by signing up to be members of XM Canada's Founders Club. The Founders Club members were given priority in purchasing XM radios online. XM Canada is offering originally-produced programming, including 100 percent commercial-free music and the best in news, sports, news, talk and entertainment.

XM Canada was the first to apply for a broadcast license, the first to enter partnerships with leading automotive manufacturers and consumer electronic retailers, the first to begin broadcasting play-by-play coverage of more than 1,000 National Hockey League (NHL) games per season and the first to deliver 100 per cent commercial-free music to Canadians.

Sirius Canada is also set to offer 100 channels of programming when it begins broadcasting next month.

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