Specifically I'd like to keep XM after the trial subscription the car comes with expires (how long is this BTW, as I haven't picked up my car yet?).

Here's the situation. I want to keep my Sirius subscription for home, but I want to keep the XM in the car for the weather/traffic stuff (and for all the other channels as well). Do I get a break because I'm already a Sirius subscriber? And does the car's 'trial subscription' come with the ability to listen to Howard Stern? This is a must for me! Are there two different rates to continue the XM subscription -- one for "regular XM" and one for XM with access to Howard Stern?

 

They are the same company now. I have Lifetime Sirius and pay 5x.xx a year for the best of XM. Contact whoever you have a contract with and see what you need to do.

 

Are you sure? I called XM and was told that my existing subscription to Sirius really had no bearing on XM -- that I really had to activate XM as a new subscriber. The best deal was $499 for A lifetime XM subscription that included the "Best of Sirius." The 3 year price was $448.92 so it would make no sense not to go for the lifetime for $50 more.

BTW, do you know how long the car coems with XM for free? And to get Howard ("Best of Sirius") do you need to "upgrade" the subscription that comes with the car or does it come with that also? I think the "Best of Sirius" upgrade alone is $4.04/month if that's necessary.

 

I really don't know about the car's free subscription, I know on my Sirius S2 (radio) I was able to add the best of XM to the existing Sirius subscription with no problem.

I suggest you call Sirius Executive customer service at 888-635-5142 explain the issue and see what they say.

I was able (after alot of head banging) to get XM nav added to my Garmin based Kenwood without having to buy another subscription. (to XM) which is what XM wanted me to do, it would have been 9.xx a month just for nav. Bear in mind it was a major pita to get them to do it.

I plan on letting the best of XM go after this year and just using my iPhone and Pandora as Sirius has really become a hassle.

I would not buy the lifetime if I had it to do over fwiw.

http://www.digitalradiocentral.com/

That's a good resource for Sat radio.

 

Watch their lifetime subscription, it used to have a limit on the number of radio swaps you could do, I want to say it used to be 5.

 

I am in the same boat... I have a Jeep and now the 09 TL. Sirius and XM are not the same company! They are two companies that merged and that is about it. You can not share between the companies, and they don't seem to care about customer service at this point. I am past the point of arguing with them anymore. I canceled.

 

In a merger what happens? Companies become one. I was able with difficulty to get what I wanted by calling the number I posted.

XM does the NAV, first line XM & Sirius support told me to buy an XM sub, I did not want to I called that number and got the XM subscriber price.

Quitting was an option, but it's not in my nature.

 

XM does the NAV? You mean weather, traffic and radio? If so you're correct. The Nav will work without XM for basic road mapping etc. Who ever is considering a renewal, I'd suggest you read some of the posts regarding XM/Sirius filing for bankruptcy. I think it was CRXB who posted it.

 

On my Garmin NAV it adds warnings about delays, I guess there is also weather & radio, I don't use them.

 

I just bought my first Acura TL. The XM radio is currently working. I want to keep the subscription going, but I have no idea how long it will last. I tried to contact the previous owner, but the dealer where the guy traded it in told me they signed a privacy statement asking the dealer to not give out the guy's phone number.

I am wondering if there is a way to look up the subscription on XM by just using the VIN. I saw on there website that you can activate the radio by using the 8 digit number on the radio. Does anybody know where that is located?

I am hoping the previous owner paid for a lifetime subscription and then bought a new car without XM so he is just letting me have it for free.

Any help is appreciated!

 

Channel zero, (0) is the XM subscription code. Once you have this call XM, and let them know you have taken possession of the car. Give them your info, and then you can use a computer to access the account online. I would suggest stating to XM that you were are going to cancel the account anyway as it's too expensive right now, plus they filed for bankruptcy so things are not stable at XM/Sirius. This might open up a few discounts? Good luck.

 

True for me also... BUT, read all the BS below... And you will see why quitting was a better option.


------ Forwarded Message
From: Matthew XXXXX <matthew.XXXXX@me.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:01:50 -0500
To: <xmcrt@xmradio.com>, "esc, esc" <esc@siriusxm.com>
Cc: <patrick.reilly@siriusxm.com>
Conversation: Matthew XXXXX [T200903100299S010Z2268780]
Subject: Re: Matthew XXXXX [T200903100299S010Z2268780]

SirusXM -

After reading this message thread it gives me a great insight as to why things are not going to smoothly there. I DO NOT HAVE A XM SUBSCRIPTION. As my email clearly states I have a subscription on the Sirius side, for (2) radios and just purchased an 2009 Acura TL which has XM embedded. Since the person looking for my account details is on the XM side according to their email signature, there is no way they would find me, which is the point of my initial email.

Sirus and XM are not the same company and they operate independently.

After the phone call I received this afternoon which offered nothing more than me basically answering questions so that a .xls spreadsheet could be forwarded on, I am now going to line out what the issues are, in my eyes:

As a high level technology professional I am an early adapter to almost all new technologies. This is also part of the reason I purchased the ‘09 Acura TL which arguably has the best technology in a vehicle.

Issues:
1. Sirius and XM have merged but they are not operating as one. They are in essence two separate companies that share the books. The computer systems are separate, the satellites are separate, and the programming is separate.
2. The consumers are the ones who are getting screwed. We are not informed that if you buy a Sirius enabled vehicle you don’t get all of the XM radio offerings, and if you purchase a XM enabled vehicle you don’t get all of the Sirius options. Also, there is no support for the “Family add-on” in terms of mixing and matching the radios, as they are totally separate.
3. In my case, which has to be happing to others, I hear SiriusXM is one company, merged. I purchase a car which has an XM branded radio, assuming I will get the same offerings as I have currently in my 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, which has a Sirius branded radio. I find out that, the company is separate, I can’t “share” between accounts, and If I want Howard Stern, I have to pay a fee for the “Best of Sirius”
4. Services that I am accustomed to are being removed. Perfect example is online listening. Now, I have to pay an additional fee to hear the web stream at my office. I don’t want a better quality codec, or better sound, I want the same thing I have had. Instead of a grandfathering process, lets just remove it from them and tell them they have to pay now, is the attitude received.

The attitude and the way that this company is treating consumers is WRONG!

How to fix the issues:
1. The Sirius/XM systems need to be one in their own. A new channel line-up should be created which matches all of the channels to the same numbers on both “systems.” The branding of XM and Sirius need to be replaced with SirusXM. This makes sense in terms of money saved, and cross promotion between the brands.
2. The “Best of” packages need to be eliminated immediately. The whole point of the merger was to get a larger audience and a better, stable, future. The fact that you are charging for certain channels across the (2) providers is screwing your customers and destroying loyalty to the product. The “Best of” both providers should be offered to subscribers for FREE!
3. Assuming that you will not eliminate the “Best of” when a person purchases a new vehicle they should be give the option if they want Sirius or XM. Regardless of the type of radio installed in the vehicle. I would chose Sirius programming on my XM radio and be done with it. I much prefer NFL, Stern to MLB, and XM’s offerings.
4. The web-stream should remain free! If you chose to upgrade the “quality” then that would be great, but charging for this service is ridiculous.

Since I live in a large city, Chicago, I have many options for media. The cost of SirusXM continues to rise. Initially it was $9.99, now $12.95, and I have seen some posts going even higher. Additionally, raising the rates on existing “family” add-on units is ludicrous. There is no loyalty to the consumer who already bought into the system. The company needs to remove all of the “flash” and keep it simple. The target audience does not want increased commercials. They want music, talk, and sports. I understand that with more programming comes more costs, but the costs need to be reduced. Yes, acquiring Howard Stern brought over millions of subscribers, but you are not going to have that same reaction with “Mad Dog sports show.” Paying outrageous money to hosts like that with limited fan bases are what are keeping things in the RED.

It is not often that I would take this much time to write a company and express my issues. Things need to be corrected if you want to keep subscribers and retain new subscribers.

There is not much more I can say in this email that you don’t already know. Yes, you are company and your focus is to generate revenue. However you have to keep in mind the best alternative. At this point, you are competing with iPhones, HDD’s in vehicles, and HD radio. The point at which SirusXM is at is over the hump in my opinion and not worth it any longer. ~$13.00 a month is about the max I am willing to pay for non-video based entertainment. Past that I would prefer to pay for another movie channel or a NetFlix account. Keep in mind most people spend about 2 hours a day in the vehicle, M-F, so the cost is too high for consumer.

If someone wants to call me to discuss you can, but make sure it is someone who has authority and is willing to listen. The representatives in Virginia and other call centers don’t have any authority and are more of a waist of time then they are a help!

Matthew XXXXX


I AM A SIRIUS SUBSCRIBER!



On 3/10/09 4:56 PM, "xmcrt@xmradio.com" <xmcrt@xmradio.com> wrote:

Dear Matthew,




Thank you for contacting XM. We appreciate all of our subscriber's comments and suggestions. We understand your concern in this matter. We have forwarded your suggestion onto our Programming Department. However, at the current time no updates are planned. In the future you can contact XM‚s Programming Department directly at programming@xmradio.com. Thank you for being a loyal listener and we look forward to many more years of providing you with our service.





If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to send an additional email or you may contact us at the following number.


Best Regards


Doloris Chinn


Corporate Customer Relations


Sirius XM Satellite Radio


M-F: 8am -10pm EST Sat: 10am -10pm


Phone: 1-877-967-4672 ext 39009


Email: Doloris.Chinn@sitel.com

















Rep Name










On March 10, 2009 at 4:38 PM, "esc, esc" wrote:





In cases like these, please email the customer using the email address listed in their email and ask them to call you.





Thanks,





Vanessa Rey-Fischel


Customer Relations Coordinator


SIRIUS XM RADIO


5 Penn Plaza, 11th Floor


New York, NY 10001


Phone: 212-901-6778


Fax: 646-313-2181






From: xmcrt@xmradio.com [mailto:xmcrt@xmradio.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 4:19 PM
To: esc, esc
Subject: RE: FW: Matthew XXXXX [T200903100299S010Z2267970]







I have tried to get account by name, phone number, address and e-mail. Account not showing for any of the above.


Best Regards,


Debra Alltop


Corporate Customer Relations


XM Radio Inc.


M-F: 8am -10pm EST


Sat: 10am -10pm


Phone: 1-877-967-4672 ext 36828


Email:xmcrt@xmradio.com








On March 10, 2009 at 2:47 PM, "esc, esc" wrote:




















Noema Avila


SIRIUS XM RADIO


5 Penn Plaza, 11th Floor


New York, NY 10001


Phone: 212-901-6796











From: Reilly, Patrick
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 2:32 PM
To: esc, esc; ESC
Subject: Matthew XXXXX














Patrick Reilly


Senior Vice President, Communications


SIRIUS XM Radio





1221 Ave. of the Americas, 37th Fl.


New York, NY 10020


(212) 901-6646-tel


patrick.reilly@siriusxm.com


www.sirius.com











From: Matthew XXXXX [mailto:matthew.XXXXX@me.com]
Sent: Monday, March 02, 2009 10:57 PM
To: sternshow@howardstern.com; Blalock, Paul; Stevens, Hooper
Cc: Reilly, Patrick
Subject: XM Sirius Radio - Unreal!







Stern Show/Sirius -

As a listener for over 10 years I have come to feel like you are part of the family. However I am truly disgusted at this point. This weekend I purchased a brand new 2009 Acura TL with the Technology Package. One of the things that was a requirement in my new car was the Satellite Radio. I didn’t really care which one, as I was under the impression that Sirius and XM were one company. Now, it is Monday night and I learned that Sirius and XM are not the same and not even close to operating as the same company... My 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee has Sirius built in, my new Acura has XM built in. So, I called to do a LIFETIME subscription on the new Acura and I find out that for XM channels it is $399.00 and for XM, and with “The Best of Sirius” it is $499.00. Now keep in mind the “Best of Sirius” is basically Howard Stern and some BS channels that I would never listen to. So I think ok, $500.00 for the lifetime doesn’t sound too bad, but then I get the details. My subscription on the Jeep is not allowed to be a “family add-on” as it is a Sirius radio and that is a different computer system according to the representative. Bottom line, If I want both of my cars to have satellite radio, I have to pay (2) full subscriptions.

On the Acura I have to pay additional money to get Howard Stern which is basically one of 3 channels I listen to. Additionally, I am told that if I want to listen online like I have for some time, I need to buy it by March 10th or I will have to pay another fee to listen to it via the web stream...

Howard you and you staff are the first people to call BULLSHIT, and that is what I am calling out on Sirius/XM! This entire situation is horseshit and you are losing me as a customer, not because I am not willing to pay, but because I am not going to be screwed by the company and it’s design.

You and your staff will say that you don’t run Sirius and whatnot, I understand that, but you have voice that is much stronger than me calling a Call Center and speaking to a representative who is most likely paid hourly and is outsourced.

If you can’t mix and match Sirius and XM then they need to stop advertising like you are one in the same and that everything is good to go. Charging XM subscribers an extra fee for a couple of channels is ridiculous and designed to screw the consumer. We don’t decide which radio is installed in the car, it is built in. If the “Best of Sirius” included all of the NFL and the major differences between the providers, then fine, it is worth the money. However Playboy, and Nascar are not worth it.

As soon as my free trial runs out on the new car, I am using my iPhone and HD Radio for music, and when the Sirius subscription expires it is done for good. I guess that I am going to have to resort to downloading .torrent files of the Stern show if I want to listen anymore, but that seems like a waist of time to me.

Sorry it has come to this, but I am no longer going to pay out the ass for a couple of channels and be disrespected by the company taking away features and increasing the costs.

Take that to Mel, and tell him you want to know when the CHUM rate is high, it is because of this situation. I am cc’ing your IR team so they can put out a press release telling people you better think twice especially if both your vehicles are equipped with different Satellite radios.

Matthew XXXXX





------ End of Forwarded Message

 

I went through much of that, I am as I type going through another Sirius issue, defective S2 radios. This is the fourth in a year.

I moved in November and updated my address yet they sent the replacement to my old address.

I called executive at 4pm PST and was told warranty closed at 5:30 EST and that only they can deal with the error.

I have my iPhone wired into my system and will be using it in the future. It sounds better and Pandora is as good as Sirius.

 

Trial subscription is good for 3 months and I do not believe Howard is included!