Just over a year ago Windstream announced a partnership with TiVo to offer the DVR to their rural broadband customers. But it seems that the partnership hasn’t been a very successful one, at least according to a new article in Telephony Online.
Though TiVo seemed like a good fit with the carrier’s broadband and Dish Networks video bundle, Windstream’s sales reps have been unsure about “when to pitch it,” Brent Whittington, Windstream’s chief financial officer, said at a UBS investor conference Tuesday. “The upfront price requirements and the ongoing monthly obligation have been an impediment to that product really being successful for us. People are very price-sensitive. You’re looking to potentially get a customer to buy broadband and pay the monthly recurring fee on that on top of TiVo’s monthly recurring fee, plus the equipment, generally with the modem.”
TiVo sets customers back just over $100 for the set-top box and $15 to $20 per month for the service, Whittington said. “It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s an impediment for many consumers, trust me.”
It sounds like TiVo’s pricing structure has been an problem for Windstream in pitching TiVo to their customers. And the statement about not being sure when to pitch it sounds like there is some lack of product education for the sales reps.
