Young adults, professional drivers and farmers who are anxious to break free of “what ever regular stations want to cram down their throats” are being bitten by the ‘gotta get a gizmo’ bug across the Spotlight region. And in this case they’re marching their closest electronics supermarket looking for satellite radios for a variety of reasons. And there’s even a hint of suspense involved.
That’s because the new technology is not illegal — but it’s not legal either, says High Prairie Radio Shack and Heberts Electronics 2000 Ltd. owner/manager Jean Hebert.
In fact, the only two radio satellites currently beaming out signals are owned by American companies – Sirius Radio and XM Satellite Radio. They provide virtually unlimited “CD quality reception,” anywhere there’s a clear line of sight between the satellites and customers’ receivers, he says. And they offer close to 100 channels with a “genre to fit every mood.”
Satellite radio has been the rage in the United States since early in the century.
Watching hook-ups and profits sky-rocket almost exponentially south of the border, the CRTC (Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission) issued a call for ‘subscription service’ to launch a satellite radio option in December of2003.(Estimates suggest there were ‘grey market’ receivers in Canada in March of this year.) And while three companies stepped up to the plate with packages and promises to add Canadian content, the communications overseer has yet to issue its decision.
The only hiccup for Canadian customers, he says, is finding an American billing address (takes only a call to a British Columbia number), and perhaps changing from an American to Canadian service provider — somewhere down the road.
But benefits certainly outweigh any inconvenience – be it real or perceived – when customers tune in to the crystal clear reception that is virtually unending.
Hebert has been selling the radios for the past six months or so and initially got involved at the urging of customers.
“It has nothing to do with Radio Shack because I get my car audio equipment from a different supplier,” he says. And while he couldn’t offer any specifics on the number of sales in the past six months, the unit’s popularity quickly became clear when he owner found himself staring at an empty wall when he attempted to show off his display to the reporter.
The units essentially include docking stations for home or vehicle, he says, an antennae and a small portable unit that fits into either or moves from one to the other. The new radios are particularly popular for drivers in the High Prairie area, be the log-haul or oilfield variety – or farmers thwarted by limited reception in rural areas.
But in High Prairie, satellite radios are particularly attractive to the fresh-out-of-high-school-with-a-new-job-and-credit-card, 20-something set he adds.
“They’ve got a nice new vehicle and a credit card” that allows them to set up a satellite radio account, he says, so can’t wait to show off both.
The craze hasn’t yet taken off as extensively as the cell phone mania for the teenaged, 20-something and even Generation X sets like him as text and picture-messaging options evolve, says Hebert.
But he could see the satellite radio ‘bug’ prompt an explosion like that which hit this rural region when satellite television dishes became financially feasible for rural customers.
“In that case there were one or two TVs per household,” he says, but many families have two, three – or even four vehicles — so multiple per household sales could be a definite possibility.
Because he’s not on the road often, Hebert hasn’t yet indulged in the satellite radio craze, but he admits the new technology is enticing. He says he went on a road trip with a friend a year or so ago, and was more than favourably impressed when his friend brought along a satellite radio.
“It was CD quality, nicely labelled and easy to navigate,” he says, and definitely worth the $200 or $300 purchase price and the approximately $150 (US) or so annual access fee.
And just as importantly, he adds, the channel options include everything from commercial free to news, sports, entertainment, comedy, religious “and every genre to fit your mood and day.”

Copyright © 2000 The Lakeside Leader. All Rights Reserved.
No part may be reproduced without written permission.

View our Privacy Statement.
Send website suggestions to the Webmaster