Got a Droid...do I still need Satrad?
- Thread starter atlwxman
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What you can do first is threaten to cancel, and they'll probably offer you a discounted rate. Ask to put a hold on all your radios except one.
If you end up fully canceling, and find out you're missing the radio, you could end up paying the activation fees again. It's usually better to go out slowly. I've also heard that some of the data plans, even though they may say "unlimited" aren't truly unlimited and you could end up getting zinged.
If you end up fully canceling, and find out you're missing the radio, you could end up paying the activation fees again. It's usually better to go out slowly. I've also heard that some of the data plans, even though they may say "unlimited" aren't truly unlimited and you could end up getting zinged.
Correct Verizon to my knowledge truly does not have an unlimited plan there is a 5gb cap, unlike AT&T with the iPhone which has no such cap. Though they are considering it on heavy users that go over that cap by large margins. These folks must live on these phones because as much as I use mine I've never even gotten close to 5gb.
Also having lots of apps that give you some of the programming on Sat Radio simply will never replace sat radio in my mind. I have access to so much music and so many podcast and programs via my iPhone. There is no way it would replace my sat radio though, which fortunately I also get on my iPhone streaming and live with the Skydock.
Also having lots of apps that give you some of the programming on Sat Radio simply will never replace sat radio in my mind. I have access to so much music and so many podcast and programs via my iPhone. There is no way it would replace my sat radio though, which fortunately I also get on my iPhone streaming and live with the Skydock.
In my case it has, ESPN Radio has an iPhone app. MLB At Bat, NBA Game Time are good for sports. Still waiting on the NHL to get an app, and I'm less of a football fan than I've ever been, so no biggie there. Slacker, Pandora cover the music, AOL Radio, Flycast and other apps cover the talk side (even BBC World Service is available on Flycast.) And podcasts from NPR and Tony Kornheiser cover what I missed on XM. Plus I can listen to Tony on the ESPN Radio app live if I'm so inclined, since it includes ESPN 980 from D.C. plus a host of others.
I'm cutting costs big time, so there's no sense in paying $13 (or more) a month for a service I'd barely use when there is so much more out there for less money, or free.
I'm cutting costs big time, so there's no sense in paying $13 (or more) a month for a service I'd barely use when there is so much more out there for less money, or free.
I used the Droid to listen to ESPN radio today, and was very happy with the sound quality. There is a good classical music station here in DC that normally meets my needs for that kind of music. Good classical music to be had for free with apps that I have downloaded to the phone.
Have researched Verizon's supposed cap and people who use up to twice the cap are not having any issues with Verizon...not even a warning letter.
I'll keep everyone updated on whether I unsubscribe and how things go with using the Droid. I appreciate everyone's input.
Have researched Verizon's supposed cap and people who use up to twice the cap are not having any issues with Verizon...not even a warning letter.
I'll keep everyone updated on whether I unsubscribe and how things go with using the Droid. I appreciate everyone's input.
The $13 savings is really all it has going for it. There is still enough specialised programming on sat radio that in my opinion it is worth the $13. I enjoy count down shows, I also liked the special holiday programming like Bing Crosby on recently. You won't find any of that type programming available to you. Not to mention that the specialty music shows and concerts that various channels have, which are very enjoyable.
However with all that said that is the beauty of these new multi-purpose devices over say a Stiletto or XMp3. You have a whole world open to you and aren't just limited to sat radio only. Choice is King and I can't see myself every going back to a single purpose device like Stiletto or XMp3 EVER again!
If they had something along the lines of a Slacker Plus type subscription ($48 a year) and I could use my own device with the XM app and get everything, that would be more palatable. As it is, they only have the iphone app and can't get anything else off the ground, while Slacker is already on iPhone, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Android and are working on a Palm Pre app.
Too much copyright protected content for them to be able to open up all the programming. If you think about Slacker and Pandora, they only do music for a reason. They have agreements with the record labels and that covers it. I don't think folks appreciate or understand when you have programming as deverse as sat radio there are so, so many agreements and most of them don't allow for streaming. I think going forward Sirius will likely move to get more into streaming and their agreements will give them rights to do so.
I do think Sirius XM needs to visit their current streaming plan and make it more affordable. They could actually do a couple of packages, one which is just music only, another which includes all their currently able to offer via streaming. Right now $12.95 for just a streaming account is crazy. If I didn't have my Skydock to make use of the live programming I'd never do sat radio as a streaming only account. Which is what you seem to be looking at. I still think it has a value as a satellite service though because of all the live programming and speciality shows not available anywhere else. I also don't know anyone unless they stay in a small area have 3G all the time for streaming via cell towers. If I had to rely on that I'd be screwed as would most folks that are on AT&T. You may make out a little better on Verizon, but their maps lie almost as much as AT&T's does.
I disagree because Sirius is a satellite service. I think you've totally lost perspective on that! They aren't ever going to be just a streaming service and to do so would be total suidcide. They day they do that can you imagine how many would pull the plug. Wifi and Cell Streaming isn't anywhere near ready for the big time! You are dreaming Jon! LOL
How many of those are paid subs Jon? How many of those are anything other than just login accounts that tried it once and never logged in again? Pandora counts logins, how many have created logins. That number is bogus at best! Sure it looks good to announce it, but what does it really mean in terms of income for them? I don't even think advertisers would buy that number as being legit for actual listerners.
When you can clarify that information for me, then we'll talk!
Wifi and 3G networks aren't anything that Sirius XM need to be that concerned about at this point. Which is what we are talking about. Sirius XM will likely announce 4th quarter numbers of almost 20 million paying subscribers. Pandora and Slacker can only wish they had that income! Granted Sirius XM has a lot of debt, but their claim to fame is as a Satellite Service, not a streaming service. It will be that way for a long time. Granted they can tap into both and I think they already have started that process with the $2.99 streaming fee. Which aren't reflected as separate subscribers.
Make sure of that, because the local store here says it does! If that is true that is good news.
I think eventually AT&T and Verizon are both going to cap these things or do some sort of tiered service for those that go over that 5GB cap constantly each month.
By the way atl sorry Jon and I stole your thread!
I don't think you stole the thread...I enjoyed your discussions about the pros and cons of other services.
I called Verizon and the 5gb cap only applies to broadband cards and devices like mifi cards. The Droid plan is unlimited. There is no language about caps in the agreement.
I called Verizon and the 5gb cap only applies to broadband cards and devices like mifi cards. The Droid plan is unlimited. There is no language about caps in the agreement.
It's the same question with Sirius. How many of the 18.5 million are actual subscribers vs. How many are sitting on a car lot unactivated. Frankly Sirius has no more room to talk. I do know this, I know more people who listen to Pandora on a regular basis than I do who subscribe to satellite radio. 40 million listeners plus the addition of 300k per week is damn good no matter how you spin it. We'll just have to wait until the end of the next quarter before we can determine how many subscribers Sirius has lost.
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That is good news and it only makes sense to compete head to head with the iPhone on AT&T. Thanks for the info!
Long as the OEM has paid for the subscription on a 1 year deal it is fair to say it is a subscription rather that car is sitting on a lot or not!
The one point you can try to argue all you want and you can't win is the fact that Pandora counts login vs actual subscribers who pay!
Just because you know more people who listen to Pandora doesn't mean squat. 40 million is just the number of people who have registered accounts and doesn't mean there are actual 40 million listening. That would be like Sirius counting everyone who ever setup an account and even though they don't listen anymore it still counts as a sub. That 40 million is a totally bogus number. I'd say that is a pretty damn good spin and I bet you advertisers aren't buying it, which is why their ad revenue is so low. In fact I would venture to say their ad revenue is probably less than Sirius with half the subscribers if you want to buy that bogus 40 million number. I do not!
I do think they have likely had 40 million accounts setup, but that doesn't mean anything and they have no way to track it beyond that unlike Sirius XM which can track it by REAL dollars that subscribers pay.
Like I said, you are dreaming if you believe that there are actual 40 million listeners on Pandora.
So how many subscribers/logins actually quit listening to Pandora and never logged into these account that were setup? You think Pandora is going to release that info Jon? Sirius will show what their churn is and it will likely be 2% as it was last quarter or less, which also ended up in net adds, just as this quarter will.
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The 5GB cap exists for data cards and tethering only. There is no 5GB cap for use on any smartphone. Droid, Blackberry or whatever else VZW has. If you read the TOS for phones and then for data cards you will see the cap mentioned everywhere but phones.
That said, I have tried like holy hell to hit 5GB on my Curve and my Droid on a number of occasions. Non stop music streaming(10+ hours of Slacker a day), watching YouTube videos for hours on end multiple days each week, uploading photos to Picasa, buying MP3's from Amazon and on and on and on. I can't do it. I came within a hair of hitting 4GB but got no closer.
Aside from that, at home and work my Droid switches from 3G to WiFi. Much faster than 3G and my 3G usage hangs around 500MB per month.
To the OP, yes, in my opinion you still need Sirius or XM. You will not get the breadth or depth of content centralized in one app on the Droid like you will on XM. Just MHO.