Dyna
02-10-2005, 02:18 AM
"Casper Milquetoast" <CasperMilquetoast@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:uThod.134453$R05.107587@attbi_s53:
> I'm planning on getting set up with a Sirius system sometime in the
> near
> future, and while on their web page looking at pricing plans, I note
> that you can pay them $500 up front, and never have to pay them
> anything else, for as long as you continue to use that same radio.
>
> It wouldn't exactly break my bank to shell out the $500 now,
> knowing that
> I'd come out even after a little under 4 years.
>
> Of course I'd buy the receiver unit that offers the most
> flexibility --
> one that I could easily use in the car, home, and boom-box.
My two bits might work here, I actually used to work for the callcenter
Sirius uses, was one of their supes. I handled all sorts of calls
regarding these plans, and have been in meetings with their execs. Don't
work their anymore, however I have some thoughts on some of these
matters.
>
> So then here are a couple questions that I'd love to get some
> opinions on:
>
> 1. Sirius has this $499.99 plan available until the end of the year.
> Is this actually a rare offer, or is it a fairly regular promotion for
> them, maybe even something I could tell them I wanted to sign up for,
> even after the current promo ends & before a new one starts?
>
It was supposed to be a rare offer, at the $399.99 price. We had a bit of
a hulabaloo when it went to $499.99. They normally won't let you change
or modify the lifetime plan once its started. They also normally won't
let you "reserve" one. Either you sign up for it when you call, or not.
Also, the plan being attached to the receiver is all well and good, until
something happens to it. Best bet is to make sure that you have the
extended warrantee on the unit you are activating. If it breaks, and the
replacement unit is covered under warrantee, they will transfer the plan
to the new unit. Terms and conditions state that they may charge for
this, but it is unlikely. If anybody has this happen, I can give you
names for people to talk to to get it fixed.
> 2. Is Sirius even starting to make $$ yet? I'm sure sales will
> increase once Stern starts up on their air, but if they're shelling
> out half a billion $ for him & his team... I wouldn't want to shell
> out the $500, and then have them go bankrupt & shut down on me!
>
When I started working there I beleive the stock prices were in the
$0.80- $0.90 cent range. Now they are $5.77 as of the time of writing.
Ticker symbol is SIRI if anybody wants to check it out.
> 3. I realize that for this $500 deal to actually be worthwhile, I will
> need to use whatever Sirius receiver I buy soon for over 4 years.
> What sort of technological advancements for Sirius receivers are
> predicted to come out in the next 1, 2, 3 & 4 years? I can envision
> better preamps, better selectivity, smaller circuitry, et al. but
> those aren't going to be a big selling point to cause me to give up
> the receiver I'll buy in the next couple months & upgrade to a new
> one, thus having to start shelling out monthly $$ to Sirius. But if
> a year or two from now they increase channel capacity & the new
> channels use a new CODEC, requiring people to buy a new receiver...
>
There are no plans for new codecs. As far as what the execs say, the
current technology advances will be constrained to the format that is
already in existance. If a technology change renders your unit unusable,
there are other avenues you could persue to get that situation changed as
well.
> 4. Any ideas on or experience with warranties or insurance? Seems
> like if I'm going to shell out the $500, I should also shell out a
> little $$ to get insurance on the receiver, so that if it gets stolen,
> dropped by me, or just goes DOA on it's own in a year or two from now,
> it's replacement would be grandfathered into the $500 plan I'd already
> paid for.
>
Insurance won't make any difference except to pay the hardware cost of
the new unit. What Sirius will do however is take a faxed copy of the
police report when the unit is stolen and transfer your subscription to
the new unit, if you get one.
>
> I will be talking directly with Sirius about these concerns, but I
> thought I'd ask here, to get opinions, plus hopefully hear from others
> who have already taken advantage of the $500 plan.
>
>
I can give you names of more knowledgeable staff if you would like.
news:uThod.134453$R05.107587@attbi_s53:
> I'm planning on getting set up with a Sirius system sometime in the
> near
> future, and while on their web page looking at pricing plans, I note
> that you can pay them $500 up front, and never have to pay them
> anything else, for as long as you continue to use that same radio.
>
> It wouldn't exactly break my bank to shell out the $500 now,
> knowing that
> I'd come out even after a little under 4 years.
>
> Of course I'd buy the receiver unit that offers the most
> flexibility --
> one that I could easily use in the car, home, and boom-box.
My two bits might work here, I actually used to work for the callcenter
Sirius uses, was one of their supes. I handled all sorts of calls
regarding these plans, and have been in meetings with their execs. Don't
work their anymore, however I have some thoughts on some of these
matters.
>
> So then here are a couple questions that I'd love to get some
> opinions on:
>
> 1. Sirius has this $499.99 plan available until the end of the year.
> Is this actually a rare offer, or is it a fairly regular promotion for
> them, maybe even something I could tell them I wanted to sign up for,
> even after the current promo ends & before a new one starts?
>
It was supposed to be a rare offer, at the $399.99 price. We had a bit of
a hulabaloo when it went to $499.99. They normally won't let you change
or modify the lifetime plan once its started. They also normally won't
let you "reserve" one. Either you sign up for it when you call, or not.
Also, the plan being attached to the receiver is all well and good, until
something happens to it. Best bet is to make sure that you have the
extended warrantee on the unit you are activating. If it breaks, and the
replacement unit is covered under warrantee, they will transfer the plan
to the new unit. Terms and conditions state that they may charge for
this, but it is unlikely. If anybody has this happen, I can give you
names for people to talk to to get it fixed.
> 2. Is Sirius even starting to make $$ yet? I'm sure sales will
> increase once Stern starts up on their air, but if they're shelling
> out half a billion $ for him & his team... I wouldn't want to shell
> out the $500, and then have them go bankrupt & shut down on me!
>
When I started working there I beleive the stock prices were in the
$0.80- $0.90 cent range. Now they are $5.77 as of the time of writing.
Ticker symbol is SIRI if anybody wants to check it out.
> 3. I realize that for this $500 deal to actually be worthwhile, I will
> need to use whatever Sirius receiver I buy soon for over 4 years.
> What sort of technological advancements for Sirius receivers are
> predicted to come out in the next 1, 2, 3 & 4 years? I can envision
> better preamps, better selectivity, smaller circuitry, et al. but
> those aren't going to be a big selling point to cause me to give up
> the receiver I'll buy in the next couple months & upgrade to a new
> one, thus having to start shelling out monthly $$ to Sirius. But if
> a year or two from now they increase channel capacity & the new
> channels use a new CODEC, requiring people to buy a new receiver...
>
There are no plans for new codecs. As far as what the execs say, the
current technology advances will be constrained to the format that is
already in existance. If a technology change renders your unit unusable,
there are other avenues you could persue to get that situation changed as
well.
> 4. Any ideas on or experience with warranties or insurance? Seems
> like if I'm going to shell out the $500, I should also shell out a
> little $$ to get insurance on the receiver, so that if it gets stolen,
> dropped by me, or just goes DOA on it's own in a year or two from now,
> it's replacement would be grandfathered into the $500 plan I'd already
> paid for.
>
Insurance won't make any difference except to pay the hardware cost of
the new unit. What Sirius will do however is take a faxed copy of the
police report when the unit is stolen and transfer your subscription to
the new unit, if you get one.
>
> I will be talking directly with Sirius about these concerns, but I
> thought I'd ask here, to get opinions, plus hopefully hear from others
> who have already taken advantage of the $500 plan.
>
>
I can give you names of more knowledgeable staff if you would like.