Offering more options than traditional radio and nationwide coverage, satellite radio is a natural choice for truckers' cab entertainment.

And as the newness of the system wears off and hardware prices come down, more truckers are likely to take the plunge and invest in a satellite radio for their rig.

Do any research into buying satellite radio and you'll quickly become acquainted with the two major players in the field: Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio. What's the difference and which one's for you? Read on.

A Comparison

Price: XM, based in Washington, D.C., launched a year before Sirius. Price-wise, XM charges $9.99 per month, compared to Sirius' $12.95. But Sirius recently launched a "three months free" offer for year-long subscribers that essentially matches XM's price.

Content: Both companies tout a commercial-free format, so interruption isn't an issue, and each offers local weather and traffic reports for a handful of major metropolitan areas. Sirius offers 61 music streams, from pop and rock to classical and Latin. It also has eight sports channels, including ESPN Radio; 15 streams of news, including CNN, Fox, BBC and the Weather Channel; and 20 channels of talk and entertainment, including Court TV, Talk for Women and Wisdom, dedicated to life improvement.

XM offers 68 music channels, 32 channels of news, sports, talk and entertainment and 21 channels of traffic and weather.

Both offer programming for truckers: XM has Truckin' Bozo, Dave Nemo and Bill Mack; Sirius carries the Midnight Trucking Network and daytime news and information on the Sirius Trucking Network.

Each company claims a few exclusives: Sirius has exclusive rights to broadcast all NFL games, so this is your choice if you're a football fan. XM offers NASCAR Radio, with live broadcasts of Craftsman Truck, Busch and Nextel Cup races.

Hardware: As technology advances, the price and complexity of the hardware required for satellite radio has dropped. Sirius offers Streamer, a completely portable system with true wireless transmission. The suction cup mount for the docking unit is a popular feature, as is the real-time clock, constantly updated via satellite.

XM offers three levels of equipment: the Delphi XM SkyFi, a portable receiver; XM Commander, a mid-range priced unit that includes a micro-antenna and built-in FM modulator; and the new Delphi XM Roady, the smallest version that includes a micro-antenna and cassette adapter.