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XM and Sirius to Offer More Satellite Radio Choice if Merger is Approved

7:00 am on July 24, 2007 | Category: Business, Corporate

U.S.-based satellite radio providers, XM and Sirius, promised yesterday that they would offer more choice and flexibility to consumers if their pending merger is approved by government regulators.

In an effort to counter criticism of their plan, the companies have unveiled several new packages, allowing customers to choose which satellite radio channels they receive. One option would allow each user to pick 50 XM/Sirius channels, at a cost of $6.99/month, and add additional channels on an a la carte basis, starting at just $0.25 each.

Existing XM and Sirius subscribers pay a flat fee of around $13/month for over 100 stations from their respective provider.

“We said we would provide more choice than ever before and that’s what we will do,” said Sirius CEO, Mel Karmazin, about the new plan.

The XM-Sirius merger, which would unite America’s only two providers of satellite radio service, is currently under intense scrutiny from the FCC, as well as antitrust regulators at the U.S. Department of Justice.

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