Sirius XM Class Action Lawsuit Website Launched
I received e-mail notification of the settlement and website last evening. Most subscribers will receive similar notifications over the coming days. The email reads:
If You Subscribed to Sirius, XM, or Sirius XM Radio
You Could Get Benefits From a Class Action SettlementPara una notificación en Español, llamar 1-800-760-6247 o visitar www.SatelliteRadioSuit.com
Read this message carefully. Records show you subscribed to Sirius XM Radio. We are sending this e-mail to tell you about the proposed Settlement of a class action that may affect your legal rights. Go to www.SatelliteRadioSuit.com for a detailed notice about the proposed Settlement. There is a class action lawsuit against Sirius XM concerning the July 28, 2008 merger that created Sirius XM. The lawsuit claims this merger violated federal antitrust laws and that Sirius XM raised its prices as a result of the merger. Sirius XM denies it did anything wrong.
Who’s Included? You are included in the Class if you were a Sirius, XM, or Sirius XM subscriber anytime from July 29, 2008 to July 5, 2011 and you paid: (1) the U.S. Music Royalty Fee; or (2) a monthly multi-radio charge of $8.99; or (3) a $2.99 monthly Internet access charge if you previously did not pay to access Sirius XM’s content over the Internet.
What Does the Settlement Provide? Under this proposed Settlement, Sirius XM has agreed it will not raise the price of its base subscription plan and certain other prices through the end of 2011. Additionally, subscribers with long term plans (excluding lifetime subscriptions) will be permitted to restart their plan at current rates before December 31, 2011. After approval of the Settlement, former subscribers will also be permitted to either (a) reconnect their satellite radio without paying a reactivation fee and receive one month of service at no cost; or (b) receive one month of Sirius XM Internet streaming service at no cost. The estimated value of the Settlement is $180 million. The Settlement does not provide for cash payments to the Class.
How to Get Benefits? Current subscribers scheduled to renew before December 31, 2011 do not need to do anything. Current subscribers who are scheduled to renew after December 31, 2011 and who want to restart their long term plan at current rates as well as former subscribers who want to reconnect service or receive streaming service should go to www.siriusxm.com/blessingclassaction.
What Are Your Options? If you do not want to be legally bound by the Settlement, you must exclude yourself from it. The deadline to exclude yourself is July 5, 2011. If you do not exclude yourself, you will release all claims against Sirius XM concerning any conduct arising out of, based on, or relating to the merger that created Sirius XM. If you stay in the Settlement Class, you may object to it by July 11, 2011. The detailed notice, available at the website or by calling the toll-free number, tells you how to exclude yourself or object. The Court will hold a hearing on August 8, 2011, to consider whether to approve the Settlement and a request by Class Counsel for attorneys’ fees and costs up to $13 million, plus interest. You may appear at the hearing, but you don’t have to. You may also hire your own attorney, at your own expense, to appear or speak for you at the hearing, but you don’t have to.
Do not call or write to Judge Baer for information.
For more information about the Settlement: www.SatelliteRadioSuit.com1-800-760-6247
As you can see by reading the email and looking at the website, little time is being wasted in getting the Blessing suit closed.
Position – Long Sirius XM Radio
Edit: should read “January 2012”
So, I get maybe $18 and the lawyers get $13 million? This is just a money grab by assholes.
This settlement is an insult.
Sirius came with my new car. After a year it had to be billed automatically and during this time I always got the golf channel in my car which I really loved-209. Then the bill went up $2 and I no longer got the golf channel and when questioned Sirius staff told me it was a fluke of nature that the golf channel ever came in in my car. It was obvious to me that you took my access to the golf channel away and still charged more money.
Another class action scam.
I subscribed to XM for years, but got tired of the increase in commercials on The Virus channel, and the loss of streaming, and the royalty fees.
So now this piece of garbage settlement means I can resubscribe to that horrible service and really get nothing out of it? Pfffft, lawyers are scum.
I guess I will sign up to collect my portion, and hopefully it drains the lawyers’ pot just a little. I don’t know which is worse, SiriusXM or these greedy lawyers…
Oh, and besides, you can already call and subscribe for something like $77 for an entire year. That makes this settlement even more of a joke.
This settlement is BS, send your objections right away.
How do I tell the Court that I do not like the Settlement with Sirius XM?
Answer:
If you are a Class Member (and have not excluded yourself), you can object to the Settlement if you do not like any part of it. You can give reasons why you think the Court should not approve it. The Court will consider your views. To object, you must send a letter via First Class U.S. mail stating that you object to the proposed Settlement in Blessing v. Sirius XM Radio Inc., Civil Action No 09-CV-10035 HB. Be sure to include your name, address, telephone number, your signature, and the reasons you object to the Settlement (and any evidence in support of your objection). Mail the objection to each of the following:
Class Counsel
Court Clerk
James J. Sabella, Esq.
GRANT & EISENHOFER, P.A.
485 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Clerk of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
500 Pearl Street
New York, NY 10007-1312
Your objection must be postmarked no later than July 11, 2011. Do not send your objection to Judge Baer.
There was a time — it seems eons ago — that you could contact companies by telephone, have your call answered by a trained and informed human being, and have rational conversations regarding problems or questions. And voila! problems got solved, questions were answered, frustrations were ironed out and satisfied. Alas, in order to reduce employee staffing and save
a few bucks, that system no longer exists. Consequence: problems are exacerbated, questions are translated into greater frustrations and anger, issues take far longer to resolve . . . if resolution is accomplished at all. And opportunities to enhance customer service and customer good will are squandered. How sad, how sad.
If I thought it would do any good I would write, but nowhere is there the possibility of overturning the merger, the only real alternative to this monopoly.
The class action suit seeks monetary damages, which to some lesser degree will be happily paid to keep the monopoly. Once this goes away (the violation of anti-trust unpunished) services will eventually decrease and rates increase again…and again.
The only choice consumers have that SeriusXM will ‘get’ is to unsubscribe. They understand ‘no dollars in the register’. That is what I did as soon as they imposed the ‘royalty fee’ and I won’t subscribe again unless there is fair competition in the marketplace.
I got along without SeriusXM before and I’m doing fine without them now. The suit is a joke on subscribers and thwarts the anti-trust laws. Just quit!
I purchased a new Tacoma 6 months ago,The Satellite radio was free with purchase for 6 mon after that you had to renew. I choose not to due to never using it. I mostly listen to local stations. I contacted 2 months ago and told the gentleman that i didnt wish to renew my account. This last Sat i received a call that im turned into collection . This is a joke and now my credit is ruined.
IL would like to remain a member of the class Action Settlemment.
So they have cut their terrestrial service here in Albuquerque NM rendering two of my radios absolutely useless. Must have made millions off of the selling of their terrestrial band-width. Not caring much that thaey are in effect taking away service from customers who can no longer use radios inside. Shouldn’t they reduce the cost if they are not offering as much service? In effect, this is the same as raising prices. No, I can not use the internet service because I have internet band-width restrictions at work and at home, I am limited by satelite internet. This company just doesn’t care any more and I believe they are doomed to fail with their present attitude.
Thanks to Serius Xm, my perfect credit was almost messed up. The system came with my new car and when called to renew , I declined. Little did I know that my service was continued (my car was stored, for the winter months)and I had been sent a bill. After questioning, I learn that the bills they sent went to wrong address. It was only after getting a phone call from a collection agency that I learned a $36.14 bill had beeen turned over to them. Serius XM acknowledged the mistake but refused to help me clear it up, with the collection agency. My dealership, sent me a check for amount in collections and I paid it off. I would have taken this to small claims court, before I would have paid it, out of my pocket. I’m sorry my dealership,Victory Toyota in Wilkesboro, N.C., had to suffer the loss. Now, I’m getting calls to resubscribe to Serius XM. I have requested to be put on their do not call list and now I want to make sure I’m also removed from their email list.
It’s a joke alright.
I called Sirius and they tell me the redemption of the settlement options ended at the end of 2011.
No one ever told me the settlement had become final, no one ever called and said I could get my 30 days free, and now I can’t.
Well done class action lawsuit lawyers – you really helped everyone out with this settlement, didn’t you?
Not.