XM Satellite Radio Increases Rate To $12.95

Well, we had a little birdie that told us this would be happening. Beginning April 2nd, XM Satellite will increase their price from $9.99/mo to $12.95/mo.

XM Satellite Radio recently announced that it is expanding its basic service package, and that the monthly subscription price for XM’s basic service will increase to $12.95 beginning April 2, 2005. XM is also offering existing customers the opportunity to lock in the current $9.99 monthly rate with a one-year prepaid plan and deeper discounts with a two, three, four, or five-year prepaid plan until April 2.

The price change will not affect XM’s Family Plan, which allows XM subscribers to add up to four additional subscriptions for $6.99 a month per radio. Beginning April 2, XM’s expanded basic service will include the Internet service XM Radio Online, which offers 70+ channels of XM music and talk programming (previously $3.99 per month), and the High Voltage channel, featuring the talk radio duo Opie & Anthony (previously $1.99 per month).

Since the national launch of XM Radio in November 2001, XM has expanded its channel lineup from 100 channels to 151 channels. XM has converted all of its music channels to a commercial-free format and invested heavily to add 21 traffic & weather channels, 16 channels dedicated to Major League Baseball, nine college sports channels, and XM Public Radio, among other channel additions. This is the only price change since XM’s 2001 launch.

Read: XM Radio Launches New Satellite