Do satellite radios work internationally?

Question

Our daughter is in the Peace Corps and we thought a satellite radio would be a great Christmas gift. But not sure if it would work. She is in Tonga in the South Pacific. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

i have to admit that i needed to look on a map to see exactly where Tonga is located - even though I am living in SE Asia!  my first thought was: worldspace radio.  but alas when i went to take a look at the coverage pattern, it doesn't extend down that way.  if she is located near a wifi network, then i recommend the torian wifi radio out of australia.  she can access a bunch of internet radio streams that way - and it also has fm and an mp3 player.  my suggestion though, would be to send her a wind up/solar powered am/fm/sw radio.  short wave is still popular in these parts - and she would easily be able to get radio from australia, new zealand, and the BBC (which blankets this region with SW).  she likely would also get CRI out of China - all in English language.  shortwave radios are available online - and radio shack also carries some as well.  so those are my recommendations.

Answer 2

Yes and no...

There are satellite systems in different parts of the world, those aimed at North America are not received in Hawaii at all let alone Tonga.

Basically only the US,Canada, and parts of Europe,Africa, and Asia can hear sat radio. (the US and Canada choose between XM or Sirius whereas Asia and Africa have one called Worldspace...Worldspace has temporarily gotten out of the European market)

Basically she's limited to streaming off the internet or mailing CDs to her...