Is XM radio temporarily offline?

We're sure this has precisely nothing to do with the Opie and Anthony situation, but we're hearing that XM has temporarily stopped broadcasting -- Orbitcast claims they haven't had a signal since noon EST, with reports to them and us about service outages nationwide. Anyone else having problems with their XM feed? Sound off in comments!

Update: Orbitcast got the following statement from XM: "We are experiencing a temporary degraded performance issue, which has affected some of our customers. We expect to return to normal service levels this evening."

[steve-o @ May 21st 2007 2:44PM]

Interesting...

"Problems with the solar arrays that generate power for the company's Boeing 702 satellites have been acknowledged since last September, when Boeing said the solar arrays could degrade sooner than expected. XM Satellite Radio has since said the problem could affect its two satellites as early as 2005. Analysts are now debating whether that will throw a wrench in the quality of the company's broadcasting service or in its otherwise strong business."

Source:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_john_r_m_070521_xm_satellite_down_3f.htm

[John @ May 21st 2007 2:16PM]

Shockingly....no response.

Everyone has Sirius.

[wigby @ May 21st 2007 2:32PM]

yeah, i used to argue and have wars over who was better, atari or intellivison, sega or nintendo, he-man or g.i. joe. i was in 3rd grade you sirius tool!

btw, atari rules!

[Tony @ May 21st 2007 4:03PM]

You do realize you posted that 5 minutes after the story went up, right?

[tvlarry @ May 21st 2007 2:17PM]

XM is still streaming over the internet

[Devin @ May 21st 2007 2:19PM]

I noticed coming back from lunch, so roughly 1pm (Eastern), that my radio was cutting in and out, it'd play a few seconds worth and break up and them come back fine and repeat. Don't know if its still acting up but that was what i was experiencing a little over an hour ago.

[Mack Swift @ May 21st 2007 2:19PM]

Yeah, there's a problem. I'm having a really hard time catching a stable signal.

I've just been informed from a friend of mine that their Sirius signal isn't coming through all that hot either.

[Jeff @ May 21st 2007 2:49PM]

Based on your friend's comment, I checked my radio, and Sirius is still coming through loud and clear. In other news, I really need new speakers in my car.

[Unmai @ May 21st 2007 2:19PM]

I got the signal this afternoon around 1 pm (EST) on and off and I thought there the car was not in line of sight with the Sat. I was driving thru a residential area with lot of trees.

[Jason D. @ May 21st 2007 2:21PM]

My signal has been fire in Ohio on an Inno.

[Jody @ May 21st 2007 2:21PM]

Yep, I was out at lunch, and lost the signal. Thought it was just the trees, but it never came back.

[Iscariote @ May 21st 2007 2:22PM]

The XM radio included in my GTI was cutting in and out at lunch time.

[Matt @ May 21st 2007 2:23PM]

I was trying to listen to Ron & Fez and it was breaking up pretty bad when I was driving for about a half hour starting at 12:15 EST. Once I got parked I was able to listen to it without a problem.

[ridestp @ May 21st 2007 2:31PM]

Yeah mine was cutting in and out, I was getting really pissed off!!

[matt @ May 21st 2007 2:31PM]

It's broke here in Boston: "No Signal"

[CharlieX @ May 21st 2007 2:32PM]

No signal here in Venice, CA

[Kavanagh @ May 21st 2007 2:33PM]

"Everyone has Sirius." Okay Stern lackie...

-Streaming over the internet fine and while at lunch my radio was working.

[John @ May 21st 2007 2:33PM]

Hmm, my XM radios haven't had a signal since I cancelled them last week for their awful handling of the O&A situation. I can't feel too sorry for them if this turns into a huge problem.

[GalaXy @ May 21st 2007 2:34PM]

Long Live Sirius!

Sorry. I'm just obsessed with Sirius.

[Samuel @ May 21st 2007 2:36PM]

Out-ish on an open stretch of highway. One bar out of three to no signal at all.

Glad to see I'm not the only one having problems.

[steve-o @ May 21st 2007 2:36PM]

I was suspecting solar activity, but sources say otherwise...

"IA. Analysis of Solar Active Regions and Activity from 19/2100Z
to 20/2100Z: Solar activity was very low. Region 956 (N04W18)
produced a long-duration B6 flare at 20/0556Z, but no evidence of an
associated CME has been observed.

IB. Solar Activity Forecast: Solar activity is expected to be very
low to low."

[Kyle Lenkey @ May 21st 2007 2:39PM]

Here is some more info

http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_john_r_m_070521_xm_satellite_down_3f.htm

[Tom @ May 21st 2007 2:40PM]

I suspect the motherships are gathering and the UFO's will reveal themselves shortly.

[Felkster @ May 21st 2007 2:40PM]

At my 9:15am (PST) commute to work, I noticed the XM signal dropping in and out much more than usual. But it was definitely still working overall (although I seemed to have no ground repeater signal). I was assuming the bad weather had something to do with it, but I guess not.

[grundler @ May 21st 2007 2:49PM]

I've not had any problems with mine. Was listening to XM 155 for an hour or so from 1-230 or so in georgia. no problem. love my xm!

[Jerry @ May 21st 2007 2:48PM]

My XM has been offline all day.

[chaosrain @ May 23rd 2007 9:38AM]

Uh-oh. Be careful Engadget! Even if millions of global inhabitants report the raining of flaming debris covered with XM logos falling from the sky as the satellites de-orbit and each and every XM customer chimes in with reports of lost signals, you'll still get blamed for the drop in XM's stock price!

Remember the cardinal rule of 21st century reporting. No bad news! The only news fit to print is that which is regurgitated from the AP or Reuters feeds after being properly conditioned by the NSA for warm fuzziness and verified as carrying an approved message by our global overlords.

Independent reporting and independent thought WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!

[zmanforever @ May 21st 2007 2:50PM]

I live in New York, on Long Island, and my 2007 Acura TL Type S has full XM Radio signal, no signal dropping at all.

[Suck City @ May 21st 2007 2:51PM]

COME BACK XM I NEED MY RICK ASTLEY 24 HOUR KRUNK-O-THON

[DrHockey @ May 21st 2007 2:55PM]

A communications disruption can mean only one thing... invasion.

Hey, I was finally able to use a quote from that abomination of a movie.

[mblind @ May 21st 2007 2:56PM]

Sirius is working PERFECTLY!! Die XM Die!!

[SteveA @ May 21st 2007 2:58PM]

Both the terrestrial and satellite signals are down in Seattle.

[Robert @ May 21st 2007 2:58PM]

Signal comes through about 90% of the time... Music comes through for about a minute, then a 3 or 4 second break, etc.

Dallas/Ft. Worth area

[Eric Etten @ May 21st 2007 3:01PM]

Given all the stuff that needs to go right to have satellite service work I still think it's amazing it works at all... along with cellphones and many other modern tech we take for granted.

So much modern tech today would seem like some crazy magic to people only 100 years ago.

That being said, my XM worked perfectly around 10am CST on my way to work. Hopefully they'll have any issues sorted out by the time the evening commute rolls around.

[findlayboy @ May 21st 2007 3:01PM]

Been out since mid-morning in Kansas City. Don't bother calling them, either. I was on hold so long I finally just gave up.

[Jim @ May 21st 2007 3:02PM]

In Alabama the XM signal was in and out during my lunch hour today. Thought my kit might be messed up - glad to know it wasn't just me.

[Stephen Boots @ May 21st 2007 3:03PM]

Yes, had the same problem in Northern NJ (Bergen County) at around noon today. The signal kept cutting in an out. Max signal was 3 bars, but more often than not it was 1 or 0.

[Blofeld @ May 21st 2007 3:08PM]

Hello.
I am Blofeld from S.P.E.C.T.R.E.
SPECTRE is an acronym for SPecial Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion....I have captured you so called "XM" satalite, and am holding it hostage untill I receive the heafty sum of.....

ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS!

[asdf @ May 21st 2007 3:09PM]

No Signal - Seattle

[strider_mt2k @ May 21st 2007 3:12PM]

Whew, my Sirius is working fine.

I'd hate to miss Les Davis on Pure Jazz 72!

[ScottP @ May 21st 2007 3:12PM]

Mine was cutting in and out here in Florida at lunch today. I kept looking up to see if I was under power lines or something lol.

[Eric Etten @ May 21st 2007 3:13PM]

According to XM, they just launched two new satellites "Rhythm" and "Blues" in late December to complement the originals "Rock" and "Roll" that went up in 2001. Supposedly "Rock" and "Roll" are supposed to be used as "in-orbit spares" in the near term.

So then, if this was just a satellite problem wouldn't they simply kick the signal over to one (or both) of the spare satellites?

[Grinders @ May 21st 2007 3:19PM]

South Suburbs of Chicago experiencing signal problems this morning before noon-
Seems to be ok now

[Zak @ May 21st 2007 3:20PM]

No signal, just outside NYC.

[DorianGray @ May 21st 2007 3:21PM]

the Bush administration did it.
with a Chinese satellite-killing missile.
so we can go to war with China.

as usual.

[Michael K @ May 21st 2007 3:24PM]

I too was having issues driving around 12:15 ET, with signal cutting in and out. I just had my car in for service and I thought the dealer did something! Good thing I read Engadget!

[Don Coker @ May 21st 2007 3:27PM]

Was fine earlier today but got back in the car a couple of hours ago and was cutting in and out...still that way when I got out about half an hour ago...in Los Angeles and OC area...

[strider_mt2k @ May 21st 2007 3:28PM]

I heard that the XM signal ran afoul of the new SETI array.

The array still found nothing.

Take care of your waitresses folks, and try the veal!

[Slops @ May 21st 2007 3:29PM]

There are some poeple who still have XM? strange....

[Edgett @ May 21st 2007 3:31PM]

Sirius was having cutouts in Las Vegas over the weekend and also had a few cutouts in Phoenix this morning. These were on freeway areas which provide relatively clear line of sight.