A la carte ordering coming to XM/Sirius
I've always chosen an iPod over ordering either of the two satellite radio providers, XM and Sirius, for one simple reason: I can listen to only what I want. With satellite radio, you pay a monthly fee, around $13/month, and get a bunch of channels, most of which I've found I'll pass right by on the dial. The thought of paying for dozens of channels I don't like just never thrilled me. Thanks to the upcoming merger between XM and Sirius, however, my biggest complaint with satellite radio might soon be gone. According to the companies, two new a la carte plans will be offered about a year after the merger goes through. The first will cost $6.95/month (very reasonable) and allow a subscriber to pick 50 channels from either XM or Sirius. Unfortunately, with this plan you can't mix and match Howard Stern on Sirius with Oprah on XM. Step up to the $14.95 a la carte plan, however, and you'll be able to choose 100 channels on either service. These are great options and in our estimation deliver a better product to the subscriber than either satellite radio provider ever did on its own.
There will be more plans revealed ahead of the merger's conclusion, and the companies say that those who own either XM or Sirius branded players right now will be able to receive some stations from the other service, but not all. No list of which stations are excluded from each service's hardware was given at this time, however. Receivers sold after the merger, we're sure, will be able to tune in the gamut of stations offered by both providers.
[Source: Kicking Tires]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Wayne 3:46PM (7/24/2007)
They damn well better make all channels available on all equipment. This was one of the big points in all of this was the fact you have all these vehicles out there with recievers that might not work as they were meant to.
Reply
Jamie M 3:52PM (7/24/2007)
The reads like this is going to happen for sure, when that is far from the case. Current regulations prevent the merger of these two companies. The a la carte pricing is being used as leverage to get the regulations modified so that the merger can take place.
Reply
Dave T. 4:01PM (7/24/2007)
You'll be able to pick select channels from the other system but not all of them. SO if you have XM you'll be able to pick any XM channel and only the "Best of" Sirius. Which hopefully will include Howard Stern etc.
Reply
Jaymez 4:21PM (7/24/2007)
Looking at XMs offerings, they don't have much that I'd be interested in. Maybe Lucy and Squizz. I'd love to reduce my Sirius subscription cost, but, only if I can select certain channels to get rid of.
Good bye OutQ, Cosmo, Howard, and Traffic & Weather. Hello History Channel Radio! (I wish.)
Reply
h8rain 4:56PM (7/24/2007)
I would like this, because I only listen to like 15 different channels on XM anyways. Make a plan for $3.50 and you can chose 25, I might change my mind on supporting the merger then. Otherwise keep them separate. When big company merge, the customer usually gets screwed (EX. Nextel, is now the red headed step child of Sprint)
Reply
Dave T. 5:05PM (7/24/2007)
If they don't merge it's likely both will go out of business.
GatorLCA 6:01PM (7/24/2007)
I know for a fact that I don't listen to 50 channels on Sirius. Maybe 20 at most. If this goes through I will definitely be taking advantage of it
Reply
Guenther 6:07PM (7/24/2007)
Cool, I could get Alt-Nation w/o having to pay Stern's salary.
Reply
Brad 9:40PM (7/24/2007)
I've only got about 8 channels preset on my Sirius radio. I would love to be able to knock out the rest if I could.
I drove an Acura with XM about a year ago and couldn't really find anything on there I liked.
Reply
Katherine 5:34PM (7/25/2007)
I wonder how consumer-friendly they'll be after the merger. Won't this virtually eliminate the need to be competitive? I just read a NewsVisual article that's got some info on the connections between their execs- probably a lot of why they want to merge in the first place. Here's the link: http://www.newsvisual.com/newsvisual/2007/07/connections-mak.html
Reply
Jaymez 12:23AM (7/25/2007)
No, it won't eliminate the need to be competitive. Remember, the other option is free.