New XM, Sirius Service Will Offer A La Carte Programming

If the FCC allows the XM and Sirius satellite radio companies to merge as planned, the company will offer a new array of plans, including an a la carte option. There will be two a la carte plans at launch; one will cost $6.99 a month and allow users to choose 50 channels (from one service only), with each additional channel costing $.25. The current rate for either service is a flat $12.95 fee. The bad news is these a la carte plans won’t be available for a full year after the merger goes through.

The other a la carte plan is for 100 channels at $14.99 a month, and the customer can choose select channels from either Sirius or XM’s lineup. There will be more plans within six months of the merger, including family-friendly packages that don’t include adult-themed stations and “mostly music” packages.

The company also says that branded Sirius and XM radios will be able to receive certain stations from the other, but not all channels will be available. Presumably, new hardware launched after the merger will allow for full lineups.

Source: Sirius Satellite Radio, XM Satellite Radio

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