Sirius XM enhances "Lifetime" subscription offer

Either satellite radio as we know it is in trouble, or there is a revenue push toward the end of the calendar year. Or both.

Sirius Satellite has made a "lifetime subscription" available over the past 3 years for a one-time fee of $500, although they have kept that option rather quiet over the past 18 months or so. Today (Dec. 5th), they e-mailed their monthly and annual subscribers a special offer to "Save up to $150" on a lifetime membership. It appears that they are allowing an "upgrade" for the original Sirius subscribers to ADD "The Best of XM".

And, they are trying to get their annual and monthly subscribers to up the ante and go for a lifetime subscription.

With speculation about the future of the combined entity now known as Sirius XM, there have been several comments appearing lately about how lifetime subscriptions are now considered risky based on rising uncertainty.

But I digress. We supposedly have a merger of these 2 companies, one which took more than 18 months to finally complete. That's more than a year longer than the Exxon/Mobil merger took years ago. Now, since the "merger", subscribers to one part of the "merged" service are now being asked to pony up ADDITIONAL funds for only a "Best of" package. (????)

Looks like it is time to stand up and be counted. Why should consumers have to pay more for what they are supposed to get at no additional cost? If XM and Sirius aren't ready yet with the technology to present all of the channels for both at the same monthly cost, shouldn't the cost for a PARTIAL plan be reduced?

I was all for the merger thinking I would get everything both services have to offer at no additional cost. After months and months, the merger was approved. Now I am getting a request for more money for an additional "Best Of".

If this is how this supposed combined company is going to operate, it won't be long before they are called "Ex-M".