Is Sirus really that desperate to keep subscribers?

[strangelove]

N

I canceled mine within 3 weeks of the merger. My favorite channels were gutted and it wasn't worth the (then) $9.95 a month for the same tired songs I could get for free on the abysmal radio stations here in South Florida. Sorry, 'Rock Lobster' on the so-called college channel and all U2 all the time on the classic alternative channel (formerly Fred on 44) isn't worth what I could be spending on Itunes.

How did you get a $9.95 rate? I thought it was $12.95 for the first radio.

Not sure, I just blindly signed up for the service after I bought the receiver on Amazon. Maybe it was a special that XM had at the time? But that's what they charged me for the 8 or 9 months that I had it.

 

[radioman148]

N

I canceled mine within 3 weeks of the merger. My favorite channels were gutted and it wasn't worth the (then) $9.95 a month for the same tired songs I could get for free on the abysmal radio stations here in South Florida. Sorry, 'Rock Lobster' on the so-called college channel and all U2 all the time on the classic alternative channel (formerly Fred on 44) isn't worth what I could be spending on Itunes.

How did you get a $9.95 rate? I thought it was $12.95 for the first radio.

Not sure, I just blindly signed up for the service after I bought the receiver on Amazon. Maybe it was a special that XM had at the time? But that's what they charged me for the 8 or 9 months that I had it.

OK--I was never aware of that rate.

 

[the undork]

Well, that's it. I am finally completely done with Sirius/XM.

Last week I got an email which appeared to be from them stating that they could not link my emaikl address to my account, click here and update personal info.
I reported it as phishing but they said it was legit. My next question was if the account wasn't linked then how did they even know to email me there?! They had no answer.

Today after promising me the next quarter free for their past mistakes, they charged my checking account.

I just got off the phone with them. After going through three layers of call center, it's over.

And to think just a few short years ago we were scared to death these guys were going to put us all out of business.

 

[radioman148]

Well, that's it. I am finally completely done with Sirius/XM.

Last week I got an email which appeared to be from them stating that they could not link my emaikl address to my account, click here and update personal info.
I reported it as phishing but they said it was legit. My next question was if the account wasn't linked then how did they even know to email me there?! They had no answer.

Today after promising me the next quarter free for their past mistakes, they charged my checking account.

I just got off the phone with them. After going through three layers of call center, it's over.

And to think just a few short years ago we were scared to death these guys were going to put us all out of business.

They didn't give you more free time? They must be near the end.

 

[Tony_Ramirez]

I can't even listen to the 80's channel no more than 10 minutes before I want to throw my radio out the window. Same stinking songs over and over again. Rarely played lost hit which I look forward too and even they are familar then its Tears for Fears Shout for the millionth time again.

 

[woodyrr]

It's kind of hard to figure out the precise topic of this thread and it is not my intent to hijack it.

I will see how desperate Sirius is to keep subscribers in six months. I have an XM account and two XM receivers. Yesterday, I took delivery of a new Mitsubishi Eclipse that has a Sirius receiver integrated with the audio system. I also received a six month complimentary Sirius subscription. When I called to activate the receiver, the Sirius representative asked me if I wanted to go ahead and extend the plan: I told her straight out that I am an XM subscriber already and since Sirius and XM have merged and are sharing content, when the six months are up, if I am offered the opportunity to add the Sirius radio to my XM account at the "add a radio" rate, I'll do it. I told her that I would not be interested in maintaining a separate account at full price for the orphan radio.

As expensive as maintaining a satellite radio account is, I consider it an expendable luxury. I don't want "free" service extensions at the end of my trial period. I expect them as a business in pursuit of a return on investment, to recognize that it is cheaper to retain a subscriber that is willing to pay a reasonable fee than recruit a new one. I will not, however, be holding my breath.

 

[tommygraser]

I called them up and told them to cancel me and he offered me 1 free month I said no and then he said 2 free months.I was thinking of trying to hold out for 3 free months but I did not want to press my luck so I took the 2 free months.

 

[KB1OKL]

[
This has gotten me to think. People talk about the problems of HD radio but Sirius/XM have been having a lot problems. If Sirius/XM is really desperate for subscribers you would think they would try to fix the channels. Since the channel changes late last year people have been complaining about the channels not being the same.

There had been talks about them going Bankrupt and possibly going out business but what about HD radio. I don't see how you can say HD radio going out of business. If Sirius is still here I don't see how HD radio will go away either. The big question is do you still want to keep your subscription to Sirius or XM? Do you want to go back to listening to FM?

Among the many differences between Satrad and HD there is one big difference: Satrad actually works without dropping out every two minutes and you can drive all over the country and continue to receive Satrad. HD? Drive 10 miles and you'll extremely lucky to still be receiving the station.
All HD is is a supposed improvement in sound of the station complete with the same programming. It does sound a little better but the range is cut way down. I have a very good system and a very good HD tuner (waste of money) and can barely hear a difference over analog FM in fact some stations' analog signals sound better than their HD signals, and of course they're playing the SOS anyway, you think the selection is bad on satrad? Try FM again. You don't even want to hear what's on the secondary channels. I'll continue to pay for XM unless they continue to cut the playlists down. XM would have to be pretty bad to be worse than HD which is dead as a door nail anyway.

 

[tommygraser]

I may have to cancel my Sirius account and go to XM.The music is the same but I think XM might have better talk programing I listen overnight and Sirius is all rebroadcast I want live programing.

 

[tommygraser]

I just Canceled my Sirius Subscription and got me a JVC PLUG-N-PLAY CAR HD RADIO TUNER it has a transmitter in it just like Sirius did.for only 49 dollars off eBay(NEW).

 

[4dude]

XM and SIRIUS are complete garbage now.......

Im suprised there are any idiots left paying for this crap!

Playlists suck,horrible content.......

The only GOOD stuff might by the talking networks (Dr Laura,etc) even they though are bombarded with ads and crap you wouldnt think would be there!

 

[d21ofnj]

The only reason I still have my subscription is because I lived in Binghamton, NY, but yes, the playlist did change and sounds more like a terrestrial radio playlist. Since I now moved back to the Jersey Shore and my subscription expires this month, I have decided to use Radiotime more than ever. Even though I do not have an iPhone or iPod touch, I'm using it to record broadcasts and online streams and pop it on the iPod nano.

 

[livingfruitvirus]

I may have to cancel my Sirius account and go to XM.The music is the same but I think XM might have better talk programing I listen overnight and Sirius is all rebroadcast I want live programing.

Other than Coast to Coast AM, Jonesy's All Night Truck Stop, America's Trucking Network, and the shows on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio, there isn't much live programming overnight. They recently dropped the overnight show on Mad Dog Radio for a rerun of Mad Dog's show.

 

[JohnnyElectron]

Sirius/XM has to offer what you CAN'T get elsewhere on the radio (like Escape, or Cinemagic, etc...) people WILL pay for that. Now they're getting stupid and chopping-down American Top 40 shows - why can't they just leave it alone? I hear that the 80's AT40 will completely go off air too! WTF. Now they're stripping away the 40's channel and Escape for use during Christmas/Hanukkah instead of one of the overbloaded rock stations that mimic FM radio!
Are there anybody with brains still left at Sirius/XM? I think Marlin Taylor is the only true-blue programmer that might still be there (I hope he is at least).

 

[rwells2265]

Sirius/XM has to offer what you CAN'T get elsewhere on the radio (like Escape, or Cinemagic, etc...) people WILL pay for that. Now they're getting stupid and chopping-down American Top 40 shows - why can't they just leave it alone? I hear that the 80's AT40 will completely go off air too! WTF.

AT40 has been off the '80s channel for at least a month now. And it's a big reason why we're not reupping when both our subscriptions expire (December and March). As others have pointed out, "80s on 8" has been dumbed down and pared down to the same 20 damned songs ("Shout" repeated 30 times a day). I wonder if they're aiming for the "34-year-old soccer mom" group, just like most all the commercial stations. The '70s channel still runs AT40 .... but for how long???

I suspect the reason behind their axing AT40 is all of the "unfamiliar" songs, mainly in the first half of the show, you know the ones - great records, but only peaked at #32 so they're all forgotten by today's radio (yes, there are some that SHOULD be forgotten, but that's another tangent). But: The small brain of Tiffany in her Grand Caravan can't process hearing what she's not familiar with, so it's been replaced by "year in review countdowns" hosted by MTV VJs with - you guessed it - the same @#$%ing songs.

I thought folks subscribed to satrad mainly for the love of music .... those who like the same moth-eaten songs have plenty of good homes on the FM band!

/rant

--Russell

 

[JohnnyOhJohnny]

Last week I called to cancel my service. The reasons: more repitition on some channels than we get on local terrestrial radio, the bottom feeder ads (you know, "thicker and wider" for one example) that we get more than enough of on radio here and a recurring technical issue that Sirius support blames on my car and , well it had just become a luxury I could no longer justify in the budget.

They offered 3 months for the price of one, $12.95. OK, for that price I'll give it another chance. The payment was supposed to be due Monday June 15th.

On Monday I went online to make the payment and found a CREDIT. To my surprise they had REBATED half of the previous quarter balance. I thought "dang! they must be really desperate to keep subscribers. OK, I'll take it.

Today I went online to check programs scheduling and logged into my account to find it posted past due. I was really confused, and decided this was really more trouble than it's worth. I called again to cancel.

The nice customer service rep looked into the system and found that indeed there had been a rebate. She didn't know why it had been done that way but said they would respect it. In fact, she gave me the next TWO quarters. To the end of the year!

Are they really that desperate?

Instead of giving free service. why don't they put XM the way it was before the merger.

 

[JohnnyOhJohnny]

mainly 60s on 6 should put all the songs back. Keep Cousin Brucie! that's the only change they made that was good. and put all the songs back on 80s on 8. they are subscription no commercials they should play everything.