XM Radio Unveils Largest Digital Broadcast Center In U.S., And Demos First Prototype Satellite Radio

19-Sep-00

XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: XMSR) demonstrated the first prototype satellite radio for the U.S. market and unveiled its state-of-the-art Washington, D.C. headquarters and Broadcast Center. XM will broadcast as many as 100 new channels of music, news, talk, sports and children's programming coast-to-coast, beginning next spring. The new 150,000-sq. ft. facility will include 82 all-digital interconnected studios, making it the largest audio broadcast facility of its kind in the United States. XM also announced a number of programming, retail, auto and radio manufacturing deals at the grand opening celebration featuring a performance by Aretha Franklin.Hugh Panero, XM Radio President and CEO says, ""Listening to digital-quality music from XM prototype radios is a huge technical milestone. It validates our XM radio chipset design and architecture."" XM's chipset manufacturer, STMicroelectronics, has begun fabrication of the company's two custom chips, key components of the XM radio, he says. Upon completion, the chips will be manufactured in mass quantities and provided to XM-partner radio manufacturers to produce satellite-capable radios at attractive retail price points that will also include the AM and FM bands. Commenting on another technical milestone, Panero adds, ""XM has successfully conducted end-to-end XM signal testing. An XM digital music signal was successfully up-linked to a KU-band satellite, beamed back to earth to a terrestrial repeater and received by an XM prototype radio in a moving vehicle. This is an unprecedented accomplishment.""On-Site Satellite Dishes Will Beam Programming To SatellitesThe 150,000-square-foot facility will be equipped with 82 end-to-end fiber optic, all-digital radio studios and a 2,600-sq. ft performance studio. Two seven-meter satellite dishes on site will transmit up to 100 channels of programming to XM's orbiting satellites, ""XM Rock"" and ""XM Roll,"" 22,300 miles above the earth. The XM signal will then be beamed to car, home and portable radios across the country. The XM Broadcast Center, instead of using traditional wiring and interconnections, incorporates fiber optics and computer servers to interconnect the facility.For more information, visit XM's Web site at www.xmradio.com.

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