Subscriptions will no longer include internet radio at no charge

[jmm232]

Just upgraded to the lifetime sub. The way I have it figured, I pay 12.95 now. I will pay $15.95 after the internet radio increase. I will have Sirius on my iPhone. StarPlayr is an app I cannot live without, since it has been the only way for me to get service in work. Beta 1 is great! Looking forward to beta 2 and the official app.

Anyway, paying 15.95 x 12mo = $191.40 + tax = $204.80/year
The $399 (minus the credit I had for this year) is like signing up for a two year sub!! After two years, it is money saved.

[just sirius]

Clueless

I agree that the timing is bad, but the company did not choose this economic enviroment. If it means possible survival of the company..then I say raise the price and let the chips fall where they may. Also, company is giving options to keep price the same. I know..not everybody has xtra cash lying around. If the $2 is that big of a hardship, then they should really evaluate whether they can afford to cont to be a sub even at current prices. That's my opinion.

[john]

clueless, people maybe canceling but ether they are coming back or new ones are coming in faster then the old ones are leaving Netfix. You really should check out the quarterly reports of companies before you say something. You see what you and Charles call facts are not. Facts come in the form of the quarterly reports. Netflix just came out with theirs a few days ago and they added 718,000 subscriber quarter over quarter and their churn rate stayed the same at 4.2%. Those are facts not conjecture taken from what people say. Once again I was proven right (about listening to people on web sites and calling them facts).


By the way, and I could be wrong here (conjecture, theory). Did anyone ever think that if subscribers are leaving in droves as you guys think that it would make sense that SIRIXM would add gas to the fire by upping the subscription rate. I think, we maybe in for a surprise on Churn or adds, that maybe they wont be assss bad as most think they maybe.

[jmm232]

Lifetimes are $399. I upgraded my sub yesterday

[jmm232]

But wait...my option is to renew now, when my subscription isnt up for 9 months, wait and pay the $3/mo (stupid), or go without. Maybe I should renew now...assuming that gives me 1 year and 9 months on my subscription.

This is wrong. You could probably go this route, but you can also renew it up to 1 year and pay the difference. You do get credit for unused time.

[tvl]

Need some help please!

Our 6 month "free" subscription for our Expedition expires 2/28/2009. Although I am not extremely confident Sirius will survive OR that they may not eventually go into bankruptcy, I am still planning on gambling they will somehow make it and plan to purchase the $399 lifetime subscription.

I've got one question for someone who has recently purchased the lifetime suscription:

1- I spoke with a Sirius rep. on the 29th of Jan. and was informed the internet online subscrition was NOT part of the Lifetime sub and that the internet online subscrition only came free with the 1, 2 or 3 year plans. The online sub would cost an additional $2.99 per month if I elected to go with the lifetime sub.

2- I spoke with a different rep on the 30th of Jan. and was told the internet online subscrition WAS included in the lifetime sub.

Which is it? I don't know which to believe and they could not send me anything in writing!

[Sworntwofun]

here read it for yourself....

On March 11, 2009, we will upgrade the online listening experience to near CD-quality digital audio. Satellite radio subscriptions will no longer include internet radio at no charge.*

If you renew your subscription now, you will continue to get online listening for FREE for the length of your subscription.

This is your chance to keep listening online at no charge. After March 11th premium online listening will cost for $2.99** per month.

[siriusbird]

Need some help please!

Our 6 month "free" subscription for our Expedition expires 2/28/2009. Although I am not extremely confident Sirius will survive OR that they may not eventually go into bankruptcy, I am still planning on gambling they will somehow make it and plan to purchase the $399 lifetime subscription.

I've got one question for someone who has recently purchased the lifetime suscription:

1- I spoke with a Sirius rep. on the 29th of Jan. and was informed the internet online subscrition was NOT part of the Lifetime sub and that the internet online subscrition only came free with the 1, 2 or 3 year plans. The online sub would cost an additional $2.99 per month if I elected to go with the lifetime sub.

2- I spoke with a different rep on the 30th of Jan. and was told the internet online subscrition WAS included in the lifetime sub.

Which is it? I don't know which to believe and they could not send me anything in writing!

As long as you get the Everything or Family Friendly subs you get internet listening. The ONLY subs that do not include the FSIR are Mostly Music, News, Talk and Sports, and A La Carte. The $399.99 price is for the Everything sub so YES you will get the FSIR.

[Newman]

It's principle more than whether or not I can afford it (in my case). 40% is just a very large increase. Just because the dollar amount is fairly small doesn't make the insane % of increase mean less. Apply a 40% increase in any other service/utility you have.

I'm not trying to convince anyone to cancel or do anything they don't want to do. I'm just voicing my opinion here, and IMHO a 40% price hike leaves a pretty foul taste in my mouth.

I'm likely going to do one of two things. Cancel one of our radios and then get the $2.99/mo internet subscription, OR I'm going to get the lifetime subscription on the radio I was going to cancel. (At least that's where I stand right now). Both extreme and both exactly opposite... I just need to think about it.

You are exactly right dmtalon, 40% is a very large increase. That is why I refused to pay it and upgraded to the lifetime sub.

But wait...my option is to renew now, when my subscription isnt up for 9 months, wait and pay the $3/mo (stupid), or go without. Maybe I should renew now...assuming that gives me 1 year and 9 months on my subscription. By that time, Howard's contract will almost be up and we'll really see if Sirius XM can hold on.

You have a couple of options Choachy. You can buy a 1, 2, or 3 year subscription. They can either add it on top of the 9 months you have remaining or they can credit those 9 months to the cost of the new subscription. They give decent discounts to the monthly fee when you get multi-year subs, but I still think the lifetime is a better deal.

If you figure 12.95 + 2.99 = 15.94.
Lifetime sub = $399.

399/15.94 = 25. If you plan on having Sirius for longer than 25 months, then it is definately better to go with the lifetime.

Think about it this way: If you ever decide you don't want it anymore, you can sell your radio WITH the lifetime sub so the buyer automatically has a lifetime sub. Not a bad value proposition.

[Choachy]

I havent checked this thread since last week, but I appreciate the discussion. I dont wanna beat a dead horse with the cable/satellite discussion, so Im moving on. I appreciate everyone's opinion.

As for the extras you are getting from cable and tring to connect them to the price increases. I only have this to say, did you pay any extra to SIRI when they added channels, did you pay any extra to SIRI when they got Stern or Martha, or Bubba, or ect., ect., ect., ect., ect., I could go on and on. I can answer that for you, NO YOU DIDN'T.

I cant speak for any past price increases when they hired Howard or Martha. I subscribed after they got Howard. However, youre talking about is programming; Im talking about signifigant hardware/infrastructure and technological improvements. Im not talking about when NBC gets a new sitcom, that Im OK with a price increase. Im talking about general improvements to my service. I.E. an increase in HD, better OnDemand, etc. (OK, so I will be on the cable horse a little more (and dont mistake this argument for being a huge Comcast fan...they have their issues as well)). Personalities come and go all the time. NO, I do not expect my rates to change because someone signed or didnt renew their contract. If that were the case, I should have gotten a refund when they lost the live deal with Bubba.

Im still pissed that I dont have the Discovery Channel on Sirius. That was one of my favorite channels.

You have a couple of options Choachy. You can buy a 1, 2, or 3 year subscription. They can either add it on top of the 9 months you have remaining or they can credit those 9 months to the cost of the new subscription. They give decent discounts to the monthly fee when you get multi-year subs, but I still think the lifetime is a better deal.

And this is probably what I will do. I give Sirius some money now for another year (which will start in September for myself), in order to lock in the free internet radio for that time. And in September 2010 I'll make this decision again when it doesnt sting so much.