Satellite radio prices increase
Great, just after we get used to XM on one of our cars! :) At least we can think about getting XM online at work or home for free now...that is, if we can find a decent looking and not too expensive XM home receiver. According to this WSJ story (subscription required):
In the midst of a heated battle for subscribers, XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. [with 3.2M subscribers] said it would raise prices for its subscription radio service to $12.95 a month, matching the price of rival Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. [with 1.2M subscribers but some high profile deals including one with Howard Stern].
XM, which has charged $9.99 a month since it launched at the end of 2001, said it was raising prices to have more money available for developing future technology, including less expensive satellite radios, and to spend on programming.
To compensate for the higher price, XM said it would offer free to subscribers some services for which it had been charging. Opie & Anthony, a daily talk show that had cost $1.99 a month extra, now will be free. XM Radio Online, which now costs $3.99 a month for listening to the service over the Internet, also will be free, as is Sirius's online offering.