TiVo product lifetime is back for $399* - and new service pricing for the holidays
*With the caveat that it is only available to existing customers.
Yes, that’s right, if you have an existing TiVo user account you can purchase a new TiVo unit on the same account and get product lifetime for it for $399. These are promotional prices good through February 2, 2008.
| Service Plan | Standard | Promotional |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Year Monthly | $16.95/month | $12.95/month |
| 2-Year Monthly | $14.95/month | Not Available |
| 3-Year Monthly | $12.95/month | Not Available |
| 1-Year Prepay | $179 | $129 |
| 2-Year Prepay | $279 | $249 |
| 3-Year Prepay | $299 | $299 |
| Product Lifetime* | Not Available | $399 |
*Only available for existing TiVo customers added a new box to their existing account.
These are all temporary promotional prices good only through February 2, 2008, but TiVo is also making some permanent changes to the Multi-Service Discount pricing. MSD pricing is now $9.95/month or $99 pre-paid with a one year commitment - no more 2-year or 3-year plans.
| MSD Service Plan | Old | New |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Year | $10.95/month | $9.95/month or $99 Prepay ($8.25/month equivalent) |
| 2-Year | $8.95/month | Not Available |
| 3-Year | $6.95/month | Not Available |
The pre-paid option is nice, but it doesn’t hide that this is effectively a price increase for MSD for anyone willing to commit to three years, or who would prefer paying monthly for 2-years. (Pre-paying for 2 years does come out ahead.)
There is something I have to wonder about. Since lifetime is available to current customers, and the promos run through February 2, 2008, could someone buy a TiVo now with a standard plan, say one year for $12.95/month, then before February 2 buy a second box and, as a then ‘current customer’, buy an additional box with lifetime? (Which would make the first box eligible for MSD I’d expect.) And then when the year is up you could drop service on the first box, leaving you with a box with lifetime. Going by the wording of the information I was sent, that would seem to work. I’ve asked TiVo, we’ll see what they say.
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November 8th, 2007 at 07:58
I’m sure glad I added my new TiVo to MSD last month. I’m in for 3 years at $6.95.
However, now that they are offering Lifetime again I might have to consider a TiVo HD…
November 8th, 2007 at 16:39
Though this strikes me as a good deal, I’m still a little mad about the Series 2 DT Tivo I bought in February with the 3 year prepay and now they want $299 for the HD box and $300 for the lifetime service… total out of pocket to me for year ending 2007 would be $300 for 3 year prepay, $299 for HD box, $399 for lifetime subscription - $998 (with rebate for DT box)…
November 9th, 2007 at 08:01
A good point was made in Dave Zatz blog (but using the $6.95/month average for MSD). At $400, it would take 4 years to break even for $8.25/month average. What will the technology look like after 4 years? Will CableCards still be around in the same form or even supported? Something to consider when opting for a service plan (as I am).
This also assumes that the $99 1-year prepay plan won’t go up in price in the future. We know this won’t be the case, as it effectively has been raised with this new pricing plan.
November 13th, 2007 at 12:37
I don’t know if you got an answer from TiVo, but your $12.95 would not drop because you are commited for that 1yr. Thereafter, you probably could drop that box to $9.95.*
It is a lot of money to spend just to get Lifetime service on one TiVo box. I suppose using the Amazon $99 DT+$100 Service certificate is the bext way to get there. I’d buy the boxes, sub the DT for 1yr $129, then sub the LT box, then cancel the DT box (within 30 days) and then try to sub it for $99 with the $100 Cert.
* TiVo has not made it clear whether LT subs are going to be Qualifying subs.