Alvarez v. Sirius XM Settlement (2024)

A Settlement has been approved in a class action lawsuit against Sirius XM Radio Inc. (“Sirius XM”), arising out of Sirius XM’s marketing and sale of “Lifetime Plans” or “Lifetime Subscriptions” to its satellite radio service (referred to herein as “Lifetime Subscriptions”). The Plaintiffs alleged that Sirius XM breached its subscription agreement by refusing to honor paid subscriptions which were sold as a “Lifetime Plan” or a “Lifetime Subscription.” Sirius XM asserts that its Lifetime Subscriptions were limited to the life of the radio originally used for the subscription (as opposed to the life of the subscriber) and that its Lifetime Subscriptions were subject to a limited number of radio transfers, subject to a $75 transfer fee for each such transfer.

You are a Class Member and are affected by this Settlement if you purchased a paid subscription account from Sirius XM that was marketed or sold as a “lifetime plan” or a “lifetime subscription.” Please read this website, the Long Form Notice and/or the Settlement Agreement for more important information.

The Settlement benefits available to Class Members will depend on whether you hold an “active” or “inactive” Lifetime Subscription as of June 5, 2020. If the Lifetime Subscription you purchased is associated with a satellite radio that, as of June 5, 2020 was activated to receive Sirius XM’s satellite radio service, and continues to be authorized to receive service, according to Sirius XM’s records, then you have an “active” Lifetime Subscription (whether or not such radio remains in use by you). If the Lifetime Subscription you purchased is, according to Sirius XM’s records, as of June 5, 2020, no longer associated with a satellite radio that was activated to receive service from Sirius XM according to Sirius XM’s records, then you have an “inactive” Lifetime Subscription. To determine whether your Lifetime Subscription is active or inactive as of June 5, 2020, please visit the account verification tool.

Under the Settlement, Class Members with Lifetime Subscriptions that are active as of June 5, 2020 (“Active Lifetime Subscriptions”) will be able to transfer their Lifetime Subscriptions from one satellite radio to another radio capable of receiving Sirius XM’s satellite radio service (either pursuant to a paid or trial subscription to satellite radio and/or data services) for an unlimited number of times provided that they pay a transfer fee to Sirius XM of $35 for each transfer. The Settlement reduces the transfer fee from $75 to $35. If you hold an Active Lifetime Subscription you automatically qualify to receive the benefits provided by the Settlement assuming the Settlement is approved by the Court.

Under the Settlement, Class Members with Lifetime Subscriptions that are inactive as of June 5, 2020 (“Inactive Lifetime Subscriptions”) could have chosen either to (i) reactivate their Lifetime Subscriptions on a satellite radio that is not currently receiving Sirius XM’s service (including paid and trial subscriptions to satellite radio and/or data services) and thereafter transfer their subscriptions from one satellite radio to another radio capable of receiving Sirius XM’s satellite radio service, at their option, for an unlimited number of times provided that they pay a transfer fee to Sirius XM of $35 per transfer, or (ii) receive a payment of $100 in cash and have their Inactive Lifetime Subscription be forever canceled. Inactive Lifetime Subscription holders could have elected to cancel another paid Sirius XM subscription they may have on their account when they reactivate their Lifetime Subscription and receive a pro rata refund of any amounts paid for future service unless such paid subscription purchase included bundled equipment. Inactive Lifetime Subscription holders who elected to reactivate their Lifetime Subscriptions may also obtain Internet streaming access to the Sirius XM radio service for no additional fee to Sirius XM (a feature that is already available to Active Lifetime Subscribers).

If you hold an Inactive Lifetime Subscription you must have submitted a Claim Form to receive any benefit so that it is received on or before January 12, 2021 (the “Claim Deadline”) per the instructions in FAQ 15.

Your legal rights were affected whether you acted or did not act. Read this website, the Long Form Notice and the Settlement Agreement carefully as it advises you of the benefits that may be available to you under the Settlement and your rights and options as a Settlement Class Member.


Your Legal Rights and Options in This Settlement
Do Nothing

If you hold an Active Lifetime Subscription, you will automatically qualify to receive benefits from the Settlement. If you did nothing, you will remain in the Settlement and receive Settlement benefits, which are described in more detail in FAQ 8. However, you will give up your rights to be part of any other lawsuit or legal proceeding against Sirius XM or any Released Parties about the claims made in this case and released by the Settlement.

If you hold an Inactive Lifetime Subscription, and you did not file a Claim that was received by the Settlement Administrator on or before January 12, 2021, you will not receive either of the forms of benefit provided by this Settlement and you have given up your rights to sue Sirius XM or any Released Parties for the claims made in this case and released by the Settlement.

Submit a Claim Form

If you hold an Inactive Lifetime Subscription, submitting a Claim Form was the only way that you could have received either of the forms of benefit provided by this Settlement, that is, either the reactivation option or the cash option summarized above, for each Inactive Lifetime Subscription that you hold.

If you submitted a Claim Form, you gave up the right to sue Sirius XM or any Released Parties in a separate lawsuit about the claims made in this case and released by the Settlement. You must have submitted a Claim Form so that it was received on or before January 12, 2021.

Exclude Yourself

The deadline to exclude yourself from this Settlement was November 30, 2020.

This was the only option that allowed you to sue, continue to sue, or be part of another lawsuit against Sirius XM or any Released Parties for the claims made in this case and released by this Settlement.If you excluded yourself, you gave up the right to receive any benefits from this Settlement.

Object

The deadline to object to this Settlement was November 30, 2020.

If you objected, and you are an Active Lifetime Subscriber, you automatically qualify to receive benefits from the Settlement.

If you objected, and are an Inactive Lifetime Subscriber, you must have also still filed a Claim Form to receive either of the forms of benefit provided by this Settlement.

In either case, you gave up the right to sue Sirius XM or any Released Parties in a separate lawsuit about the claims made in this case and released by the Settlement.

Go to the Final Approval Hearing The Court held a Final Approval Hearing via video conference on January 25, 2021, which was continued on February 8, 2021. You were not required to attend the Final Approval Hearing. See FAQ 25 for more details.

These rights and options—and the deadlines to exercise them—are explained further on the Frequently Asked Questions page of this website.

Current Status

Depending on award option selected, Class Members that filed timely and complete claims will be mailed settlement award checks on May 11, 2021 and Inactive Lifetime Subscriptions were reactivated April 12, 2021 if they supplied a valid Radio ID. The Settlement Administrator will be contacting Class Members with inactive subscriptions who selected reactivation, but who did not provide valid Radio IDs. They will be asked to provide an updated Radio ID for reactivation.


Important Dates
  • November 30, 2020
    Deadline to Exclude Yourself from the Settlement
  • November 30, 2020
    Deadline to Object to the Settlement
  • January 12, 2021
    Deadline for Settlement Administrator to Receive the Claim Form from Inactive Lifetime Subscribers
  • January 25, 2021 at 1:30 p.m.
    Final Approval Hearing
  • February 8, 2021 at 1:30 p.m.
    Final Approval Hearing, Continued
Alvarez v. Sirius XM Settlement (2024)

FAQs

What is the Alvarez vs SiriusXM settlement? ›

The Settlement will provide Class Members with the following benefits: Unlimited transfers of Active Lifetime Subscriptions from one satellite radio to another satellite radio. A transfer fee of $35 per transfer.

How much is the SiriusXM settlement? ›

Nearly 1 Million People Will Get Lifetime Subscriptions In SiriusXM Settlement. Three law firms will receive $3.47 million in attorney fees in a class action settlement with SiriusXM over how the satcaster handled the terms of lifetime subscriptions.

Is there a class action lawsuit against SiriusXM? ›

Update: Sirius XM has been hit with another class action lawsuit alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), three years after the company agreed to a class action settlement worth $32.4 million arising from claims that the satellite radio service violated the TCPA.

Is XM Radio losing customers? ›

In the year-ago period, it had added 616,000 self-pay customers and lost 828,000 paid promotional users. The total gain of 138,000 subscribers in the latest period compared with a loss of 212,000 in the year-ago period.

Is Grant random leaving SiriusXM? ›

Grant Random checks in to let us know that he has stepped down from morning drive on SiriusXM's Octane to launch a podcast. Random had done mornings on Octane since December 2012 and had been with the channel since the famous Sirius & XM merger back in November 2008.

Can I get a lifetime subscription to XM Radio? ›

Yes! Active lifetime subscriptions (excluding Lifetime subscriptions included with the purchase of certain luxury vehicles) are now transferrable an unlimited number of times to a new radio on your account. A $35 fee per transfer applies.

How much money do SiriusXM DJS make? ›

The estimated total pay for a On-Air Personality at SiriusXM is $79,436 per year. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated base pay is $56,686 per year.

Is Sirius a buy or sell? ›

Sirius XM Holdings's analyst rating consensus is a Hold. This is based on the ratings of 12 Wall Streets Analysts.

How many SiriusXM customers are there? ›

In the third quarter of 2022, Sirius XM had approximately 34.17 million subscribers, down from 34.27 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Until now subscriptions have peaked with 34.91 million in the final quarter of 2019.
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CharacteristicNumber of subscribers in millions
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Nov 24, 2022

What happens to leftover money from a class action lawsuit? ›

What If Money Is Leftover After a Class Action? If a common fund isn't used up after a certain amount of time, the remaining money might be returned to the defendant. Sometimes, leftover money might be distributed among class members or donated as a cy-pres award.

Should I claim class action lawsuit? ›

Even in cases with minor damages, it may be worth your time, money, and resources to join a class action lawsuit. If you have minor injuries or other damages from a large company's negligence, these issues can affect many other people, too.

Is there a risk for class action lawsuit? ›

The risk of a class-action lawsuit is that if you lose, you will not receive any compensation for your injuries. If you win, however, you will receive a financial or other non-monetary award.

How high will SiriusXM stock go? ›

Stock Price Forecast

The 15 analysts offering 12-month price forecasts for Sirius XM Holdings Inc have a median target of 5.40, with a high estimate of 7.00 and a low estimate of 4.50. The median estimate represents a +23.01% increase from the last price of 4.39.

What is the most listened to SiriusXM channel? ›

1. Top 40 Hits (Ch. 2) From pop to hip-hop and rock to R&B, SiriusXM Hits 1 plays The Most Hit Music!

Has SiriusXM ever made a profit? ›

Sirius XM Holdings gross profit for the twelve months ending December 31, 2022 was $4.873B, a 3.07% increase year-over-year. Sirius XM Holdings annual gross profit for 2022 was $4.873B, a 3.07% increase from 2021. Sirius XM Holdings annual gross profit for 2021 was $4.728B, a 5.99% increase from 2020.

What happened to the 50s and 60s channel on SiriusXM? ›

In October 2021, SiriusXM announced that the station would move to channel 73 on the SiriusXM service on November 3, and that the station's name would simultaneously change to '60s Gold.

What happened to kids on SiriusXM? ›

The company sold its stake in SiriusXM in 2013 and kept only “Z-100” and KIIS-FM on the satellite broadcaster. In the years since, “Z-100” was removed from SiriusXM's channel lineup but remained on the streaming app and KIIS-FM switched its channel position in November.

Why did Sirius lose channels? ›

This could be due to a couple of reasons: Your subscription may no longer be active. Log in to the Online Account Center to check the status of your account, view and pay your bill, and manage or reactivate your subscription.

How do I get Sirius to lower my bill? ›

Contact the SiriusXM retention department and ask to speak to someone about re-assessing your plan. Mention how much you are enjoying the service, but explain that you feel your rates are too high and want a better deal.

Can I get SiriusXM for $5 a month? ›

OFFER DETAILS: Activate a new Music & Entertainment subscription Plan and pay $4.99 each month for your first 12 months, plus get free activation (a $15 savings).

How to get a discount on SiriusXM? ›

SiriusXM is always willing to negotiate a better deal to keep you on their service. The deals can be as good as half off the list price for an All Access subscription. The only way to get those deals is to call and cancel, though.

Who is the highest paid radio talk show host? ›

Howard Stern – $90 million

He has been on the air for over 30 years and currently has a contract worth $500 million with SiriusXM. In addition to his work on satellite radio, Stern also makes money from his book deals and investments.

What is the highest salary for a DJ? ›

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $105,000 and as low as $17,000, the majority of Professional DJ salaries currently range between $39,000 (25th percentile) to $62,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $83,500 annually across the United States.

Is it hard to get a job at SiriusXM? ›

Is it hard to get a job at SiriusXM? People have reported that the interview at SiriusXM is medium. The interview process takes about a day or two. People have rated the overall interview experience as favorable.

How often is Sirius dividend? ›

Dividend Summary

The next Sirius XM Holdings Inc dividend is expected to go ex in 2 months and to be paid in 3 months. The previous Sirius XM Holdings Inc dividend was 2.42c and it went ex 17 days ago and it was paid yesterday. There are typically 4 dividends per year (excluding specials).

Does SiriusXM pay a dividend? ›

There are no future dividends presently declared for SIRI as of Feb 27th, 2023. The declaration and payment of dividends are at the discretion of the Company.

Who are Sirius competitors? ›

SiriusXM competitors include SoundCloud, Amazon, Spotify, Apple and iHeartMedia. SiriusXM ranks 4th in Gender Score on Comparably vs its competitors.

Who is SiriusXM target audience? ›

Since SiriusXM is a satellite radio provider, its target audience is busy working adults.

Does Warren Buffett Own Sirius? ›

Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

Berkshire Hathaway bought 5.3 million class A shares of Liberty SiriusXM Group , one of the three tracking stocks for John Malone's Liberty Media , raising its stake in the tracker to 20.2 million shares.

Who owns SiriusXM? ›

How long does it take to get a payout from a class action lawsuit? ›

Since class actions are usually brought against large corporations and involve complex legal issues, they can take several years. Although each case is different, a typical class action will take at least 1-3 years.

What is the downside of joining a class action lawsuit? ›

One of the dangers of joining a class action lawsuit is that you lose the right to file an individual lawsuit if the class action case fails. In addition, you cannot reject a settlement offer to which the class representatives have agreed.

Should I cash a settlement check? ›

A personal injury settlement check should be cashed right away, so a plaintiff can receive their damages and start using them.

What happens if I do nothing in a class action lawsuit? ›

If you do nothing, you will not receive any money. You will still be deemed part of the Class Action, and you will be releasing all claims you may have related to the allegations in the case.

How is money divided in a class action lawsuit? ›

Class action lawsuit settlements are not divided evenly. Some plaintiffs will be awarded a larger percent while others receive smaller settlements. There are legitimate reasons for class members receiving smaller payouts.

Do filing class action settlements have a downside? ›

Some of the common disadvantages of class action lawsuits include: Lack of decision making control. Class action lawsuits are, by definition, representative rather than group litigation. That means that representatives of the affected class make the important litigation decisions – including when to settle.

Should I exclude myself from class action lawsuit? ›

The result may be that someone brings a class action lawsuit. But if you've suffered a significant financial loss, you should be wary of participating in a class action. You'll almost always be far better off if you “opt out” of the class and pursue your own individual case.

Are class action settlements taxable? ›

The general rule regarding taxability of amounts received from settlement of lawsuits and other legal remedies is Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 61. This section states all income is taxable from whatever source derived, unless exempted by another section of the code.

Who has the biggest class action lawsuit? ›

Number 1: The 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement

There is no doubt about the biggest-ever class action settlement. The 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement is also the biggest civil litigation settlement in US history.

What is the best satellite stock? ›

5 satellite stocks to watch
  • Iridium Communications (IRDM)
  • ViaSat (VSAT)
  • EchoStar Corporation (SATS)
  • Maxar Technologies (MAXR)
  • Gilat Satellite Networks (GILT)

Is Sirius a good stock? ›

Stocks receive better grades (higher scores) for having higher scores for the quality subcomponents and worse grades (lower scores) for lower scores for the subcomponents. Sirius XM Holdings Inc has a Quality Score of 92, which is Very Strong.

Why is SiriusXM a good stock? ›

With profit expected to grow by 44% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for Sirius XM Holdings. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation.

Is Sirius radio losing customers? ›

In the year-ago period, it had added 616,000 self-pay customers and lost 828,000 paid promotional users. The total gain of 138,000 subscribers in the latest period compared with a loss of 212,000 in the year-ago period.

What is the biggest radio show in America? ›

Popular radio shows in the United States
ProgramFormatWeekly listeners (in millions)
All Things ConsideredNewsmagazine14.7
The Sean Hannity ShowConservative talk14.5
Morning EditionNewsmagazine13.1
The Mark Levin ShowConservative talk12
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Is SiriusXM free with Amazon? ›

A: No. If you have an existing SiriusXM account you have to pay $5/month for internet streaming.

What's the best deal you can get on Sirius radio? ›

Full Sirius XM Subscription for Just $1 | SiriusXM Coupons

Pay only $1 for your first 3 months and get a FULL subscription to Sirius XM. After that pay only $10.99 for 425+ channels, Ad-free music, and much more.

How much is the SiriusXM family discount? ›

SiriusXM Platinum Family Friendly $21.99/mo

Fees and taxes apply.

What are Sdars royalties? ›

What are SDARS royalties? SDARS royalties are generated when your songs spin on SiriusXM's satellite radio stream. They pay between $47 and $49 per spin.

How do I get a better deal on SiriusXM renewal? ›

SiriusXM is always willing to negotiate a better deal to keep you on their service. The deals can be as good as half off the list price for an All Access subscription. The only way to get those deals is to call and cancel, though.

Can I have SiriusXM in 2 cars? ›

What if I want SiriusXM in more than one vehicle? There are lots of ways to get SiriusXM in another vehicle. You can even add that radio to your existing account, which may qualify you for our Family Discount. If your other vehicle doesn't already have a SiriusXM radio installed, you can purchase another radio.

Can 2 cars share SiriusXM? ›

Your other vehicle may already be equipped with satellite radio--in which case you just need to turn it on. You can even add that radio to your existing account (and receive a multi-subscription discount!).

How much do radio royalties pay? ›

In the US, those are split 50/50, which means that a songwriter that doesn't have a publisher will only earn 50% of potential royalties. When the songwriter signs with a publisher, they are able to unlock the other 50%, but they generally have to transfer a part of their publisher's share to their publisher.

Why do radio stations not pay royalties? ›

Radio airplay is considered a public performance. Public performances generate performance royalties for songwriters, which are collected by the PROs (ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC). In the US, terrestrial broadcasters (AM or FM stations) do not pay performers or sound recording copyright owners; they only pay the songwriters.

How much is the royalties per CD? ›

Under the traditional recording agreement, recording artist royalties usually range from 10% to 25% of the suggested retail price for top-line albums (although many record companies have begun to compute royalties on the wholesale price).

How much is Sirius radio per month for your car? ›

SiriusXM Prices
PackageMonthly FeeMonthly Fee
SiriusXM All Access$21.99$3.99
SiriusXM Mostly Music$10.99$5.98
$7
$8.99
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Jan 10, 2023

Why is my SiriusXM bill so high? ›

The technology of the radios and the costs of the satellites drive up the prices we pay for the subscriptions and the radio costs. Getting commercial free radio means that sirius radio can not make any ad revenue to offset some of the cos so all the costs are put onto the subscriber.

How much is SiriusXM renewal? ›

How much is a SiriusXM subscription? SiriusXM basic plan for your car costs $5 per month for 140 channels for first 6 months. After that, it increases to $15.99/month.

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