Tivo Introduces New Pricing Plans, Lifetime Service Option for New Users Goes Away

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pvrwire.com/2006/03/08/tivo-introduces-new-pricing-plans-eliminates-lifetime-service-p/' target='_blank'>http://www.pvrwire.com/2006/03/08/tivo-introduces-new-pricing-plans-eliminates-lifetime-service-p/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"TiVo is introducing three new pricing plans that include an 80-hour PVR box and monthly service, while eliminating the lifetime service plan. The lifetime plan was an economical way of purchasing service upfront if a user planned to keep TiVo for more than two years. The new plans now require users to make a one-, two- or three-year commitment...The new pricing plans, which will not affect current customers, will launch next week. There's an early cancellation fee if service is terminated before the chosen service period ends. And no refunds will be given to customers who cancel prepaid subscriptions. Users who purchase their TiVo boxes at a retail store will be given the option to pre-pay for service for one, two or three years."</i><br /><br />Being in Canada, I've never had the option to buy a Tivo, but I know many of our readers have Tivos. The new pricing will only affect new users, or, I imagine, current users who's subscription expires and they re-up (and get a new Tivo presumably). The big deal here is that you get the Tivo as part of the monthly fee, so it's more like what some cable companies offer (though I had to drop $500 for my HD decoder + PVR). How do these prices compare with what you have in your contract?

[Damion Chaplin]

It's all ridiculously expensive if you ask me. I'm not interested in any type of contract or subscription. I rent a generic Scientific Atlanta HD DVR I get from my cable company. They call it $6.95 for the HD Cable Box and $9.95 for the DVR Service. Way too much if you ask me, but no contract and my provider deals with everything, including replacing the DVR if it dies (or I want a newer model).

[Chris Gohlke]

Not to mention, something like this that I found on Amazon-

Toshiba RD-XS34 DVD Recorder with 160-GB Hard Drive- Toshiba
$384.99

No HD, but you can also burn your shows out to DVD. Pay $384 and it is yours to keep with no monthly service. I have a similar Panasonic device I have been using for years and love it.

[ShinKen]

As a owner of two tivos (one with lifetime other monthly) I am not to sure that this move will work out best for tivo in the long run as it may drive customers away. They are trying to emulate the cell phone industry with one exception. That exception is that fact that tivo ties the subscription to the unit itself. From what I have read so far, If the unit dies you still are on the hook for your remaining time on your contract, which is fine. However with tivo you cannot swap in a new box and continue using the service, you end up paying for another service contract for the new unit in addition to paying for your dead unit until your contract is over or pay the cancellation fee. If this was a cellular service you could simply replace your phone and continue to operate under you current contract. Not so with Tivo.

I do not own a cable provided dvr, but I would assume that if something happened to the unit, they would replace it. Tivo needs to offer something like this or especially for people who would sign up for a 2 or 3 year contract.

In addition they are killing the multi-tivo discount as well. Since the SA units do not have dual tuners, I purchased another unit and pay 6.95 for the monthly. Under this new plan there are no discounts so one could possibly be spending up to $40/month.

All of this makes tivo a little less attractive. I was looking forward to the new Series 3 HD unit, but after this announcement but oh well. Hopefully the comcast/tivo dvr will be out by out soon, cause that is the only way I see myself getting a new tivo.