The XM Radio Customer Service Twilight Zone

My first EV · Jul 12, 2019

PriusRos said: ↑

Sorry for the long post - but I had to rant!

Since letting my trial XM Radio subscription expire, I had been receiving all sorts of promotional rates in the mail. I hadnâ€™t been particularly tempted to subscribe because I usually listen to audio books while driving, but on a recent long trip I thought having satellite radio would be a nice alternative to my books. So I pulled over to a rest area and gave them a call.

It took me several minutes to get to speak to a person. The first thing the automated menu asks is to enter your zip code, which it didnâ€™t recognize (and still doesnâ€™t). Then it makes you go through a series of choices and several minutes on hold. When I finally got to talk to someone, my first problem was not having my radio ID -- I was calling through the Bluetooth on the car display and was unable to switch on the radio to get the radio ID. However, the representative said she would be able to set me up with other information I provided her (my name, my car make and model, etc.). We agreed to a subscription at the 1-year promo rate of $77. Then when it came to paying, it became about $90 â€“ this included some sort of fees that they hadnâ€™t told me about to begin with. She also told me that after my one-year promotional period, it would be automatically renewed at whatever the prevailing rate is. I told her I didnâ€™t want it to be automatically renewed, and she said, thatâ€™s all right if I pay up front. She told me I was all set up and ready to go and it would be activated within two or three minutes after I hang up. So, I hung up, turned on the sat radio, and proceeded on my way.

After 20 minutes or so it still hadnâ€™t come on so I pulled over again and called them back. Again, it didnâ€™t recognize my zip code and I had a bit of wait getting to someone. I explained that I had signed up with someone 20 minutes ago but my radio had not been activated. This person could find absolutely NO record of my previous call and I had to start all over again. However, I wasnâ€™t using the Bluetooth this time so was able to get to the radio and give her the radio ID. But then she refused to honor the promotional rates because I didnâ€™t have a promo code with me â€“ she first tried to sell me the one-year subscription at the regular rate and then the lifetime subscription! When I asked to speak to her supervisor, we somehow managed to get cut off.

So then I called back a third time. This time, while the representative had no record of my previous two calls, he did honor the promotional rate and managed to get my radio activated.

When I received my credit card bill a few weeks later â€“ guess what? They had charged me twice. Once on May 17, which was when I had made all the calls, and the second time on May 18. I called them back (and they still donâ€™t recognize my zip code), and the representative had absolutely no record of the first charge. He advised me to fax my bill to them so they can make a determination. I decided it would be easier to call my credit card and get the charge reversed, which I did.

A few weeks following that, I get two welcome packages from XM in the mail, with two different radio IDs. One was correct, and the other was some other ID. Foreseeing that I down the road I would be billed for two accounts, I emailed their customer service with all the details and told them to delete the erroneous account. I got a reply saying that in order to confirm that I really want to â€œdeactivate the radioâ€ I have to call them. Oh joy.

Has anybody else had these type of problems with XM customer service? This has to be one of the worst I've dealt with since MCI Worldcom! I'm dreading when it comes to renewing. If I don't want to renew at whatever rate they're charging them, I'll probably not be able to cancel. They'll probably still be charging for both accounts (or they'll deactivate the radio I'm using and have paid for).
Click to expand...

this is 2019 and it didn’t get any better!
I received a mail that they offer me free trials for 2 months and I gave it a try. The phone calls to customer service was similar stupid, when I signed up 2 days before and they didn’t “recognize” my phone number nor postal code, after put me on hold for a while then they realized I’m from Canada, and the call I made to their hotline was US!
Finally got the signal and had it worked but I’m gonna disconnect/ cancel it: because in order to make this XM radio work through Bluetooth, my phone’s Bluetooth connection to my Prime PHEV was deactivated! I need my phone to work wirelessly and hands free as now the penalty for using phone while driving was hefty in BC, Canada！

PriusRos · Jul 12, 2019

My first EV said: ↑

this is 2019 and it didn’t get any better!
I received a mail that they offer me free trials for 2 months and I gave it a try. The phone calls to customer service was similar stupid, when I signed up 2 days before and they didn’t “recognize” my phone number nor postal code, after put me on hold for a while then they realized I’m from Canada, and the call I made to their hotline was US!
Finally got the signal and had it worked but I’m gonna disconnect/ cancel it: because in order to make this XM radio work through Bluetooth, my phone’s Bluetooth connection to my Prime PHEV was deactivated! I need my phone to work wirelessly and hands free as now the penalty for using phone while driving was hefty in BC, Canada！
Click to expand...

I don't understand why you are listening to the radio through bluetooth.

PriusRos · Jul 12, 2019

My first EV said: ↑

this is 2019 and it didn’t get any better!
I received a mail that they offer me free trials for 2 months and I gave it a try. The phone calls to customer service was similar stupid, when I signed up 2 days before and they didn’t “recognize” my phone number nor postal code, after put me on hold for a while then they realized I’m from Canada, and the call I made to their hotline was US!
Finally got the signal and had it worked but I’m gonna disconnect/ cancel it: because in order to make this XM radio work through Bluetooth, my phone’s Bluetooth connection to my Prime PHEV was deactivated! I need my phone to work wirelessly and hands free as now the penalty for using phone while driving was hefty in BC, Canada！
Click to expand...

PriusRos said: ↑

I don't understand why you are listening to the radio through bluetooth.
Click to expand...

I don't know if your audio system is different, but on mine, when you pair your phone with Bluetooth, there are two different connections, one for the phone and one for Bluetooth audio (to play music etc. from your phone). You can switch your radio between AM/FM, XM, Bluetooth audio, and CD. It does not have to be on Bluetooth audio in order for your phone to remain connected. Regardless of what you are listening to, the phone will ring through separately (and pause the audio).

The XM Radio Customer Service Twilight Zone

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The XM Radio Customer Service Twilight Zone

My first EV Junior Member

PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner