The poster is talking about over a 50% price hike. Not gonna happen.

Most analysts see a 41 to $2 price increase if no merger happens.

If a merger happens, you can have a range of prices from $6.99 to $20. This is choice. This is the ability to buy what you want.

Further, you argued that XM raised prices in the midst of what you call “competition”, and was “minimally effected”. By what metric do you judge this? By churn? By growth curve going forward from that point? By retail sales? By brand recognition? Depending on how one looks at it, the viewpoint could change substantially.

You’re afraid you’re going to lose your favorite music channel? Then cancel, download some songs, and get on with your (apparently not busy) life. Mind your own business and I’ll do the same. I can decide what the service is worth for myself.

Both companies have previously said they believe they can raise prices. Certainly, when XM did it, their churn was affected minimally, if at all. So, there is certainly some flexibility there, and if they have no competition, it is that much easier.

The audio entertainment market goes well beyond SDARS, and people have a limit as to what they will spend on SDARS.

Already, 50% of those exposed to the service opt to NOT get it after the free trial, and that is at $12.95 per month. Do you honestly think that if the price were $20 that the percentage would remain the same?

This merger also includes a-la-carte pricing. This will allow consumers to get SDARS less expensively if they want it.

Your opinion that few will give it up @ $20 is not really substantiated anywhere. I can get great music from Slacker for free!!! SDARS has to compete with this.

I’ll answer it. When you hand a monopoly to sat radio, they can set the price wherever they choose to. Few current subscribers are going to give up sat radio as the price edges toward $20. Unless FCC imposes strict fee regulation on the sat radio industry, the resultant monopoly will OBVIOUSLY result in higher prices than otherwise would have happened. Basic economics.

Hopefully, FCC is moving nearer rejecting this anti-consumer turkey of a deal. I’m thinking maybe they are willing to stand up for consumers where Barnett refused.

This is how it works. Periodically, I sit down with my checkbook and make a decision whether or not to continue to subscribe to XM satellite radio. If I ever determine that, in MY judgement, they are not delivering value for the price of the subscription, then I will not write the check. I will not continue to subscribe, but rather, I will use an alternate audio source to provide me with the information and entertainment that I desire. I do not need the intrusive efforts of your commission, congress or other interested parties to “protect” me and, in the process, deprive me of either the choices that are available to me today or the choices that have been offered in the future from the post-merger company. I make decisions every day regarding how I choose to spend or not spend my money. That freedom of choice is mine to make and I’m doing just fine, thank you.

$20 SDARS? By what method do you arrive at this conclusion?