How can anyone really know who's winning the Satellite Wars? For that matter, when the intergalactic radio dust settles, how will we really know who actually won? Depending on what you read (and where you read it) and what "facts" you consider relevant, you could argue that Sirius is winning. Consider this, from an official Sirius Press Release
"NEW YORK, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI - News) today announced that its subscriber base increased 190% in 2005 to 3,316,560 at year end. SIRIUS added a record 2,173,302 subscribers during the year. For the fourth quarter, SIRIUS was the market share leader in terms of new satellite radio subscriber additions, adding 1,142,640 net new subscribers during the quarter. This was an increase of 138% over the year-ago quarter and the company's best ever quarterly gain."
"We expect to end 2006 with over 6 million subscribers."
Or, you could argue that XM is winning. Consider this, from an official XM Satellite Radio Press Release:
WASHINGTON and LAS VEGAS, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- XM Satellite Radio, the nation's leading satellite radio company, today announced that it has more than six million subscribers, and projected it will end 2006 with more than nine million subscribers on the strength of breakthrough products introduced today at the Consumer Electronics Show, its powerful content lineup and growth in the factory-installed new car market. XM extended its lead over its competitor in 2005 by adding 2.7 million net new subscribers, and expects more than three million net new subscribers in 2006.
If you read both press releases, some key points of each side's "war-plan" and actual position are abundantly clear.
