RE: Satellite radio

[Sven Franklyn Weil <sven@gordsven.com>]

On Wed, 26 Sep 2001, Hakim Madjid wrote:
> mail order audio dealer). The least expensive way install satellite radio in
> your car runs around $350. $250 for the hardware box  to adapt your existing
> satellite antenna. IMHO they're blowing it on this one - having the required
> antenna a $100 add - on.

That's also got me really peeved.  I'm waiting for Sirius to get on the
air here in NYC.  ALthough they're more expensive, they're totally
commercial free (and no influence by Cheap-Channel).  

But 100$ for an antenna for a 200$ radio?  Come ON!!  The reason cable
caught on is because there was no equipment to buy -- it was all rented
from the cable company at a reasonable (compared to this) fee.  If there
were a way to rent the receiver from Sirius for the 12.99 or maybe a bit
more then I'd be the first to hop on the bird-radio bandwagon.  

Currently, cell-phone providers are GIVING away certain models of phones
to get people to sign up -- and some people I know switch providers so
often to get the best deal that they have a drawer full of de-activated
and use-less cellphones.  

Considering that these receivers are (or can be) made by the thousands at
minimal cost (considering the extremely low price of semiconductors these
days). There's no way the should be costing 200-300$

If these satellite companies were smart, they would have signed on with
some no-name manufacturer and offered these radios as a free-gimmick or
low-priced item for people to sign to the service. After all, that's where
the money is, not to mention that XM Radio (partly owned by Clear Channel)
plans on selling ads on some of its channels.

Sven