Longview eh? Im from about 9 hours south of you... =)
Let me hit your questions as you asked them:
As far as the car manufacturers, each one (Called an OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer) has a different agreement within the two companies, and these agreements for the most part are not public information. Basically it goes like this: Sirius subsidizes (pays for) the radio, and gives it to the OEM. The OEM then sells the car. Depending on the length of the "trial offer" built in to the price, the OEM then pays Sirius for those months. If the customer becomes a subscriber, then Sirius pays the OEM a percentage of the revenue off of that radio.
It depends on the "trial" that is built into the price of the car. If it is a one year trial, then who ever you sell it to will enjoy another 6 months. If it is a 6 month trial, then it will deactivate. If it was a 3 month trial, then it deactivated 3 months before you sold it.Originally Posted by Walkdog
If you actually paid for a subscription, then it is different. You can call Sirius, let them know that you sold your car, and that you want that radio deactivated. They will ask you for a radio ID that you want to switch the subscription to. Give them the new radio ID, and they switch over the subscription.
No. Those 20 million radios are radios that have been sold that are no longer activated. Either someone bought a car with it and then never paid for the subscription, or a retail radio that never got activated, or got canceled. A large majority of those 20 million radios are in cars. If those cars get sold, then obviously there is a potential to pick up another subscriber from the new owner. Of course, a small number of those radios are ones that are now broken, trashed, or in cars that have been junked due to wrecks, or what ever, but that would be an insignificant amount in my opinion.Originally Posted by Walkdog