On Dec. 17, 2013 ths online article said: "So far, since the merger between XM Radio and Sirius in 2008, the combined company has raised subscription rates twice. The first time, the basic package rate was raised from $12.95 to $14.49." [1]
"While the increase isn’t exactly wallet-draining, it’s just another straw on the camel’s back for those Sirius XM who told Rolling Stone in November that they were upset with the company since their respective stations merged into one entity in November 2008. Many listeners’ favorite channels and genres were causalities of the station-merge, and customers complained of too much song repetition and DJ bantering."[2]
and then there's this from June 2023:
"Sirius XM Radio Inc. advertises its music plans at deceptively low prices by hiding an invented “U.S. Music Royalty Fee” that increases a plan’s true cost “by a whopping 21.4% above the advertised and promised price,” a new proposed class action alleges.
All the while, Sirius XM silently and automatically renews their subscriptions month after month and year after year,” the complaint says.
And when a promotional rate expires—for example, a $5 monthly charge jumps to $17.99—the royalty fee increases accordingly, according to the filing.
The company also fails to disclose that the fee is “a profit center for Sirius XM,” the suit alleges, intentionally calling it a “U.S.” fee to trick consumers into thinking it’s a government-related charge."[3]
Yeah- what could go wrong for consumers with mergers. *sarcasm*
[1]
https://seekingalpha.com/article/1902691-sirius-xm-will-soar-as-it-dramatically-increases-prices
[2]
[3]
