As if satellite radio fans, especially longtime XM ones, didn’t have enough to worry about, there’s a juicy rumor going around right now that suggests that Sirius XM prices are going to increase across the board. Ugh.
The rumor started on the Digital Radio Central message board, from someone claiming to be an employee of Sirius XM’s Activations Department. The alleged hikes:
• Online streaming will no longer be free (unless you’re a lifetime subscriber), instead it’ll be $2.99 for most packages, perhaps as much as $8.99 for the Mostly Music and Family Packs
• Each additional radio tethered to your sub will cost $8.99 a month, up $2 from $6.99 a month
Orbitcast’s own Deepthroats have confirmed price increase, though their numbers vary slightly.
In any event, current subscribers will be able to “lock in” current prices (free online streaming, $6.99 per additional radio).
What a terrific merger, right? Unwanted channel changes (and fan reaction), people losing their jobs on the XM side of things, price raises. This is not what I’m used to.
No surprise. The channel changes to Sirius left a bad taste in my mouth, this will probably be the final straw and I will cancel after 5 years.
We’ll see what happens, just a rumor for now. I’m pretty disgusted with the changes made to Lithium. It used to just be 90’s grunge, but the other day I heard Eagle Eye Cherry on there and almost swerved off the road.
Since then, I’ve heard Alannis Morisette, The Cranberries, an ungodly amount of U2, The Goo Goo Dolls, etc. Lucy used to be a poor man’s Lithium, but Lithium has become another damned “Pulse” or 90’s at 9 or whatever its called today. I don’t know what they’re thinking but its getting harder and harder to different music on different stations – its like Clear Channel invaded Sirius and has made all the stations the same damn thing.
I have no problem with stations playing that music, but I pay for Sirius because it provided a niche channel I couldn’t find elsewhere. Now its all the same thing, and when my plan expires I will probably bring my business elsewhere. Thanks Sirius.
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I love my Sirius radio but I think that love would turn to like very quickly if the base fee went up any higher, and I could probably do without it if it ever broke the $19.99 a month barrier.
Yep – ever since the merger the programing has sucked and now knowing that XM Sirius plans to raise prices I plan not to renew my XM. I hope HD Radio will be better.
The most notable conditions of the merger include:
A cap on subscription prices for 3 years post transaction
I posted earlier today that this was not a rumor and now I can unequivocally say that it is confirmed: http://siriusbuzz.com/sirius-xm-rate-increase-for-march-11th-confirmed.php
Let’s see…you allow a duopoly to merge and form a monopoly and then, shock of shocks, they raise prices!? This is why we have antitrust legislation in the first place! Grrrrrr…
Their time is running out quick!
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Just got the e-mail notice from XM today. It’s true. And this time next year, they’ll surely be history because of it.
I’ve been an XM subscriber since 2002. Loved it! Have not listened to FM since. I’ve convinced a number of friends to get it too. I now have it in 2 cars, and a portable, and we stream it in my office. I was totally against the merger. Without competition, of course we’ll get raped. I’m already paying $27 per month, and now they want $34.
And the programming has totally sucked since the merger. When I was trying to decide between XM and Sirius, every salesperson told me Sirius was more repetitive. I did not want to hear the same old stuff. I chose XM, and have thoroughly enjoyed the breadth and variety of the programming, and the DJ’s were just right. Now if you listen to a channel, you hear the same songs every day!! Variety is way down, and the channels that are from Sirius are just FM rehashed.
This quote comes right off a press release last July, which is still posted on XM’s web site: “I am delighted to announce the completion of this exciting merger between SIRIUS and XM,” said Mel Karmazin, CEO of SIRIUS XM Radio. “We have worked diligently to close this transaction and we look forward to integrating our best-in-class management teams and operations so we can begin delivering on our promise of more choices and lower prices for subscribers.” And if you believe this, Mel will probably refer you over to Bernard Maddoff for investment advice.
And here’s a quote right off CNET’s web site: “Republican Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate cast the tie-breaking vote after the companies agreed to a three-year cap on prices…”. If there’s a three-year cap on prices, why do I have to start paying $37 next month for crappier programming? I will probably just let my subscriptions lapse. I am so disgusted with all this big business bait-and-switch. Just like the mortgage industry, no one to police them after the republicans turn them loose.
Everyone should be sending emails to the FCC and Deborah Taylor Tate to protest this dishonest price increase. They said prices would be going down. Just read their press releases and stock offerings about how much money they are going to be making in 2009 and after, due to the merger!! This is totally despicable. Sirius and the FCC have totally screwed millions of listeners.
I couldn’t agree more with the comments on this site. Looks like I’ll be letting my subscription lapse as well after 4 years. Also, I agree that the programming stinks after the merger. Can’t even listen to my old favorites as they’ve been ruined. These guys will be looking for work in another year. Good luck as they will be competing with the rest of us for a job.
Wasn’t Netflix in trouble (in the red) so they lowered prices. This is a bad move for a company in trouble. It looks like the fat cats are trying to get a quick paycheck (subscribers to lock in by paying for multiple years up front) before the company tanks.
Subscriber since the beginning, but looking at going back to over the air.
Here’s what I sent to XM RADIO. You should too. —>You’re taking away my ability to listen at home via internet when I’m a paid subscriber — UNLESS I PAY MORE?!?!?! Forget sending me a renewal notice. Once I lose access at home, I WILL NOT RENEW. I won’t pay more that I already did for my 3-year account. You need to get MORE customers, NOT Raise the Price on your LOYAL ones!!! You JUST DON’T GET IT. Goodbye.
I owned both Xm and Sirius receivers and everything was great, large choice of listening entertainment. Since the merger ( which I knew would eventually screw the customers) everything has gone from bad to much worst. The overall future here looks bad and it too bad because the idea was good. Sorry to see my radio’s go!
I too am going to leave XM with four radios on my account. It has been ruined. Lousy playlists and DJs that can’t shut thier mouth. XM is gone and so will I. At least with Pandora I don’t have to listen to the likes of that old bag “Dusty Street” and her stupid babbling.