http://www.markevanstech.com/2005/12/04/sirus-and-xm-get-serious-about-canada/ Insight and Analysis from North of the Border Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:51:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 http://www.markevanstech.com/2005/12/04/sirus-and-xm-get-serious-about-canada/#comment-778 Blogger_Brent Mon, 05 Dec 2005 21:05:58 +0000 http://markevanstech.com/?p=1127#comment-778 As a long time XM (US version) subscriber, and a guy with a long commute in Vancouver, I simply love the service, more for the news and comment during the commutes. My kids love the music, especially the feature that lets their favourite artists pop up whenever they are on another channel (Sky-Fi2 by Delphi does this). Here's the thing that XM and Sirius better do FAST: Get repeaters in the downtown core of the major Canadian cities. Satellite's high frequency means line of sight... when you are downtown, you lose the signal. In the US, in 2001 they installed low to the ground repeaters in all the "NFL" cities. In Seattle, my radio worked 2 floors below the ground in a parking garage!! It won't take too long for the backlash to begin if they don't do the repeaters... and please start in Vancouver! As a long time XM (US version) subscriber, and a guy with a long commute in Vancouver, I simply love the service, more for the news and comment during the commutes. My kids love the music, especially the feature that lets their favourite artists pop up whenever they are on another channel (Sky-Fi2 by Delphi does this). Here's the thing that XM and Sirius better do FAST: Get repeaters in the downtown core of the major Canadian cities. Satellite's high frequency means line of sight… when you are downtown, you lose the signal. In the US, in 2001 they installed low to the ground repeaters in all the “NFL” cities. In Seattle, my radio worked 2 floors below the ground in a parking garage!!
It won't take too long for the backlash to begin if they don't do the repeaters… and please start in Vancouver!

]]> http://www.markevanstech.com/2005/12/04/sirus-and-xm-get-serious-about-canada/#comment-777 Stuart MacDonald Sun, 04 Dec 2005 22:42:33 +0000 http://markevanstech.com/?p=1127#comment-777 One thing I have really noticed is how much better XM is doing with their marketing (I should say promotion - my guess is that in terms of distribution, pricing, product, etc., they are essentially the same). It's almost stunning to me how poorly Sirius is going about delivering their message. XM is bold, simple, relevant and clear. The brand name is front and centre and the design really stands out. Seems well thought out and well executed. Sirius, on the other hand, is almost murky with their stuff. The brand name is almost hard to find, the TV stuff is very unclear, and to date it is eminently forgettable. Plus, they were the later of the two. Just on the basis of how they are bringing the product the market, XM looks set to be the winner of the two, IMHO. Oh, and no plans to subscribe to either, here. I agree that the overall offer is pretty weak, at least in as vibrant a radio market as we have here in Toronto. Personally, I have no desire to pay for 100 channels of nothing on. - Stuart One thing I have really noticed is how much better XM is doing with their marketing (I should say promotion - my guess is that in terms of distribution, pricing, product, etc., they are essentially the same). It's almost stunning to me how poorly Sirius is going about delivering their message.
XM is bold, simple, relevant and clear. The brand name is front and centre and the design really stands out. Seems well thought out and well executed. Sirius, on the other hand, is almost murky with their stuff. The brand name is almost hard to find, the TV stuff is very unclear, and to date it is eminently forgettable. Plus, they were the later of the two.
Just on the basis of how they are bringing the product the market, XM looks set to be the winner of the two, IMHO.
Oh, and no plans to subscribe to either, here. I agree that the overall offer is pretty weak, at least in as vibrant a radio market as we have here in Toronto. Personally, I have no desire to pay for 100 channels of nothing on.
- Stuart

]]> http://www.markevanstech.com/2005/12/04/sirus-and-xm-get-serious-about-canada/#comment-776 Mathew Sun, 04 Dec 2005 16:11:49 +0000 http://markevanstech.com/?p=1127#comment-776 I know at least one Canadian satellite fan who has signed up for Sirius -- but the U.S. version. He got the receiver cheaper (even with the currency conversion) the montly fee is lower, and he says he gets all the Canadian channels as well as the U.S. ones. But most important, he gets Howard Stern, a pleasure (although that's debatable) that Canadians are denied... I know at least one Canadian satellite fan who has signed up for Sirius — but the U.S. version. He got the receiver cheaper (even with the currency conversion) the montly fee is lower, and he says he gets all the Canadian channels as well as the U.S. ones. But most important, he gets Howard Stern, a pleasure (although that's debatable) that Canadians are denied…

]]>