XM Radio Bill..........YIKES!

[slapnpop]

I wonder if you could buy a cell signal booster, stuff it on the bike somewhere, and use streaming services like Last.FM, Pandora, or even Iheartradio for "free" (of course you have to pay for an unlimited data plan too, but I have one anyhow so I didn't count it).

I do this without the cell signal booster in the car sometimes. Works fairly well for "around town" use. But if you start traveling, it doesn't like jumping between cell towers without having to re-connect.

 

[bikerskier]

You have to use a little 'push back'. For the third year now, I have called to cancel my subscription before it expires (and rolls to the high rate) They put you to a 'cancellation rep' who tries to keep you on board, offering various special deals. I simply tell them that the product is only worth $6 /mon to me and if I can't get that rate, I'm out. So they eventually fold and give me that rate for another year, but then still want to charge the new royalty fee, which I say no to and they argue, but will again fold and waive the fee.

So I am still at $6/mon. and no royalty.

 

[doctorJ]

I live fine without it. Never had it, probably never will.

You and me too. I had it on one car when I got it as introductory offer but stopped it when 3 mo. was up. I used to have all the stuff on a couple of gold wings in past, but now I have no wires into helmet but just my thoughts, praying and singing when I want. No charge for any of that, .

doctorj

 

[FatNakedGuy]

that company is the absolute WORST EVER. I could go on and on about how they screwed me six ways to sunday but will spare y'all.

mp3 here. shoutcast rocks!

 

[Aasland]

Dumped XM
Replaced it with this.

Monthly subscription + royalty fees buys a lot of Cd's

Get your's today for $30: https://woot.com/

Wife had Sirius two years ago - liked the idea of radio w/o commercials. But when we listened to the syndicated shows she likes ... commercials! So we cancelled. It just wasn't worth the price.

On a side note .. if it's too expensive don't complain to the FCC or the gov't or try to make it illegal. Just don't buy the product. If enough people follow suit, XM will lower prices and it will create an incentive for alternative businesses to enter the marketplace.

 

[fjrchooser]

Moved to its own thread..

-Chooser

 

[S76]

Wow!

This all scares me because I paid for my $77 subscription (because I was going to cancel) with my credit card so they now have the number. I called the credit card people and asked to put a block on XM.

"We can't do that. "

Hmmmm. OK, then cancel the card and give me a new one.

"That we can do."

Thanks

 

[RsvlFeej]

I called back in December and asked to suspend my service for 6 months, they have a plan for that. My billing will restart in June automatically. Unfortunately for XM my service is still active :blink: I guess I'm getting a discount. I like the XM service in the summer when I'm traveling a lot. I listen to more of the talk and entertainment channels rather than just the music so the ipod /mps player route doesn't do the trick for me I've also got the weather service.

If the customer "service" (servicing is more like it) hasn't improved since my experiences, if I were you, I'd be keeping a close eye on my credit card bills - unless you were smart enough to never give them a cc#.

 

[Checkswrecks]

The Sat radio was great when I got it. Kind of like the feeling with a new girl friend. (Well, what I remember of that.)

When my subscription came up a few weeks before renewal, I called to try telling them to hold the price or I'd drop service like I'd heard others do. The person on the other end couldn't care less.

I got a call back a couple of days later from somebody who was pushy about how good the service was for me and worth the increased price. "Not at the price" I said. She started getting really pushy about how I ought to give the service to my wife or kids, as THEY would appreciate it. I had enough and said as much.

Got more calls and they got progressively pushier. Finally told them where they could orbit their satellite and the calls stopped after I sold my radio.

I've gone back to a AM/FM with recorded music for where the radio doesn't have reception - couldn't be happier.

 

[SnowAviation]

You have to use a little 'push back'. For the third year now, I have called to cancelmy subscription before it expires (and rolls to the high rate) They put you to a

'cancellation rep' who tries to keep you on board, offering various special deals. I

simply tell them that the product is only worth $6 /mon to me and if I can't get that

rate, I'm out. So they eventually fold and give me that rate for another year, but

then still want to charge the new royalty fee, which I say no to and they argue, but

will again fold and waive the fee.

So I am still at $6/mon. and no royalty.

Yeah, I've read lots of those stories and frankly I'd rather not do business with

a company with whom you have to threaten and cajole into giving your a fair

rate. I actually tried that when my subscription came up last November, they

simply told me to take it or leave it.

So I left.

 

[Jer]

The Sat radio was great when I got it. Kind of like the feeling with a new girl friend. (Well, what I remember of that.)
When my subscription came up a few weeks before renewal, I called to try telling them to hold the price or I'd drop service like I'd heard others do. The person on the other end couldn't care less.

I got a call back a couple of days later from somebody who was pushy about how good the service was for me and worth the increased price. "Not at the price" I said. She started getting really pushy about how I ought to give the service to my wife or kids, as THEY would appreciate it. I had enough and said as much.

Got more calls and they got progressively pushier. Finally told them where they could orbit their satellite and the calls stopped after I sold my radio.

I've gone back to a AM/FM with recorded music for where the radio doesn't have reception - couldn't be happier.

What kind of system are you using? I am thinking of adding some sound to my bike this summer.

 

[Stephen]

For you MP3 guys:

Cheap

 

[Charlie Hoss]

You have to use a little 'push back'. For the third year now, I have called to cancel my subscription before it expires (and rolls to the high rate) They put you to a 'cancellation rep' who tries to keep you on board, offering various special deals. I simply tell them that the product is only worth $6 /mon to me and if I can't get that rate, I'm out. So they eventually fold and give me that rate for another year, but then still want to charge the new royalty fee, which I say no to and they argue, but will again fold and waive the fee.So I am still at $6/mon. and no royalty.

Same here! I called to cancel, said I only use it on my MC since retiring from a sales job, reminded them that Maine has a rather short riding season, like the service but could no longer justify the price. They offered me the one-time-only deal of $77 a year. I'm now on my 3rd year at $77. Told them to bill me so I could send them a check.

 

[Checkswrecks]

...I've gone back to a AM/FM with recorded music for where the radio doesn't have reception - couldn't be happier.

What kind of system are you using? I am thinking of adding some sound to my bike this summer.

This is mine: https://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-rad...n-jhd910-radio/

I put a new antenna mount on the right mirror base last year and have been running a rubber duckie antenna on that. Visible here:

The aux port will take MP3 or a radar detector input. Having the weather radio in the summer has been a bonus.

For output to the helmet, I run regular earbuds/speakers on a wire to leave at 6am for commuting, just because it's simple, fast, & I'm usually half asleep still. We also have a set of Chatterbox XBi2 sets, so if with a passenger, riding with my son on the KLR, or if I may need to use the Blackberry (phone & recorded music), I can plug a BT dongle into the radio to export it in stereo.

 

[Aasland]

What kind of system are you using? I am thinking of adding some sound to my bike this summer.

Wife used a JMCB2003 with her sat radio. I use the JMCB2003 with my Zumo (which supports XM Radio).

 

[Zorlac]

For you MP3 guys:
Cheap

It's not real clear what those "specials" actually cost?

Only 128Kbs MP3 files?

 

[RadioHowie]

For you MP3 guys:
Cheap

It's not real clear what those "specials" actually cost?

Only 128Kbs MP3 files?

You want MP3 downloads???

Easynews $14.95 per month for 30 GIGABYTES of downloads per month. That's a LOT of mp3s!

 

[Deacon51]

Don't like the royalty fee, write congress. Current Copyright law is not able keep up with current technology.

Also, remember that the rate you pay IS negotiable.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Voices in my head....FREE!! B)

:lol:

 

[jmdaniel]

Don't like the royalty fee, write congress. Current Copyright law is not able keep up with current technology.

Exactly. That isn't XM's fault. Commercial radio pays that when they play Miley Cyrus for the millionth time, and recoups the money by running commercials until your freakin' ears bleed.