e.Digital Corporation (fka EDIG)

[cksla]

Satradio Query: Your paper reported this week on the race to bring satellite radio to the masses. Among the many interesting tidbits in the article was this tidbit from one of the XM higher-up, who the writer describes as saying XM Satellite radios will be "an option" in 2002 Cadillac's Seville and Deville models.

An option? I thought these radios were going to be standard equipment in cars, and that was the biggest element in the companies' favor: forced implementation, so to speak. I know drivers would still have to pay for the service, but I didn't think they'd have a choice about whether their automobiles included the receivers. Is it different with Sirius' contracts?

Frank Ahrens: More like an "option out." The plan that both Sirius and XM have, and both have confirmed to me, is that in several 2002 models, more upscale models, the satellite radios will come with the car, like a CD player, and you'll have to ask to NOT get it. Further, a one-year subscription to the service will be included in the price of your car.

http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/01/ahrens0410.htm