*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.
