Called Tivo customer support @ 877-367-8486 to cancel my $12.95 monthly service. Here is a link Text
Told them I was going to switch to a competitor. Many diffent reasons work as you will see if you read the posts below. "Too expensive".. "Can't afford it"..etc.etc. YMMV depnding on how serious you sound.
The guy asked me if price was the issue and I said YES. He offered me 6.95/Month for life. I naturally took it!
They dont officially call it a "retention" program ...but that is basiclly what it is.
Applies to Tivo monthly standalone customers.
Probaly will not work if your DVR is from Direct TV, Comcast, etc..etc cause I think they already come w/ a lower monthly fee.
Just for the record, you don't need a phone line to use TiVo under any circumstances. Eventually it will pop up and say they will stop sending you updates in a month, but last time I checked it said it had been disconnected for 400 some days. D4mn the man.
ShaneM said: Just for the record, you don't need a phone line to use TiVo under any circumstances. Eventually it will pop up and say they will stop sending you updates in a month, but last time I checked it said it had been disconnected for 400 some days. D4mn the man.
If you don't let a tivo call in, you will not get the guide data... Note that OP is about a STANDALONE TiVo, not a DirecTiVo which gets the guide data via sat, and hence no need to call home...
If you don't call home, it becomes a plain dumb DVR...
My .02...
tumbleweed
Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 7:06a
Wow! Can anyone else confirm this? If so, it would be a huge savings for those of us on monthly subscriptions.
Renegade
Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 7:30a
You also get the the 6.95 rate on your second subscription.
tumbleweed
Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 7:51a
Since earlier this year, you automatically got your second subscription for $6.95/month. But this is the first I've heard of $6.95/month on your first/primary subscription.
tumbleweed said: Since earlier this year, you automatically got your second subscription for $6.95/month. But this is the first I've heard of $6.95/month on your first/primary subscription.
I picked up one of those Toshiba DVD/Tivo combo's ($99 AR) and of course had to have the "plus" service while the rebate was processing. (I'm STILL waiting at the approved stage.)
I called Tivo to change back to free "basic" and the Csr offered me the $6.95 deal. (It was my primary receiver) He said that it was a one time offer but when I refused he gave me a $12.95 credit for the next month and asked me to think about it.
When that deal was up I called Tivo again and was given the same offer but refused. I already have Directivo's and Ultimate tv's all over the house now.
maveric said: Tivo's business model is failing. Cable box PVRs will eventually lead to Tivo's demise.
What is your basis for this comment. Can you provide more facts please. Is there a news story or something that you could point us too? Just because a company is being competitive does not mean that they are struggling. If that were the case then I could assume that Wal-Mart is on track to it's "demise".
D
Tazznum1
Ancient Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 10:55a
maveric said: Tivo's business model is failing. Cable box PVRs will eventually lead to Tivo's demise.
Tell that to people in NYC that have it and it jams up and freezes, then returns them to the menu...to start all over.
kewl
Senior Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 11:30a
maveric said: Tivo's business model is failing. Cable box PVRs will eventually lead to Tivo's demise.
TiVo will be ported to existing cable DVRs.
KrustyVT
Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 11:33a
maveric said: Tivo's business model is failing. Cable box PVRs will eventually lead to Tivo's demise.
There is not one DVR that is better then TiVo, currently. Offerings from Dish Network, Comcast, Time Warner, Cablevision, you name it ... the interface and options pale in comparison.
rsuaver said: ShaneM said: Just for the record, you don't need a phone line to use TiVo under any circumstances. Eventually it will pop up and say they will stop sending you updates in a month, but last time I checked it said it had been disconnected for 400 some days. D4mn the man.
If you don't let a tivo call in, you will not get the guide data... Note that OP is about a STANDALONE TiVo, not a DirecTiVo which gets the guide data via sat, and hence no need to call home...
If you don't call home, it becomes a plain dumb DVR...
My .02...
Actually he's right, you DO NOT need a landline for a standalone Tivo. You basically go through your computer to download the guide, I currently have it setup through a serial cable. Works out well
MotherGoose1
New Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 11:41a
Just called on this deal. Went to cancel my service with a one unit Toshiba SD-H400 with the "plus" service. Instally offered the to drop the price to $6.95 as soon as I mentioned that I thought the monthly fee was to much. Goes into effect immediately.
Considering that sites like TitanTV.com offer a similar TV recording/programming service for free for PC based DVRs.. its just a matter of time until we see really cheap linux based boxes that let you do Tivo-esq things without the monthly fee.. I just heard an advertisement this morning about a Panasonic DVR with a huge hard drive that lets you record TV and burn the programs easily if you want.. remember anything you DONT LIKE about TIVO becomes the basis for competing products.. (ie high price... monthly service fees... small storage.. difficult DVD burning.. ) and the first sign of a failing business model/increased competition is the appearance of RETENTION deals...
JustAnotherPoorSlob
Addicted Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 11:53a
Derffie said: Considering that sites like TitanTV.com offer a similar TV recording/programming service for free for PC based DVRs.. its just a matter of time until we see really cheap linux based boxes that let you do Tivo-esq things without the monthly fee.. I just heard an advertisement this morning about a Panasonic DVR with a huge hard drive that lets you record TV and burn the programs easily if you want.. remember anything you DONT LIKE about TIVO becomes the basis for competing products.. (ie high price... monthly service fees... small storage.. difficult DVD burning.. ) and the first sign of a failing business model/increased competition is the appearance of RETENTION deals...
Maybe so, but some of these shortcomings might be mitigated by Tivo2Go. I wouldn't count Tivo out yet.
Renegade
Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 12:16p
Derffie said: and the first sign of a failing business model/increased competition is the appearance of RETENTION deals...
So Sprint and Time Warner should be shutting down any day now then...
Thanks OP! Just called and told them that the cost for 3 tivos was too much, and asked for a better price. They offered to lower the cost on my first tivo to 6.95, so now they are all 6.95/month.
JustAnotherPoorSlob
Addicted Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 12:55p
I'm finding this interesting. While I understand the retention deals for those with boxes with Free Standard Tivo (like the Toshiba I have), doesn't a normal Series 2 become a paperweight without service? And if so, how can you credibly threaten to leave since your box will be useless?
Said local cable company offers cheaper DVR (which is true -- TimeWarner has theirs for $9.95 a month) so lady put me on hold and then said "I can do a price reduction for you". And she did.
Thanks OP!
TB99
Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 6:36p
so this WILL work with a standard Series2 DVR (not the Toshiba that offers basic service)? What if my tivo already connects using the USB ethernet... will the CS people know?
Rooter
New Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 6:44p
No go for me.
I told them that Comcast was offering a free DVR with $8.95 a month service charge. The CSR rep didnt bite at all. After putting me on hold and speaking to the manager, she said that I should try the cable DVR and Tivo side-by-side for a month, but could not offer me any discount.
TB99
Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 7:09p
xxx: "cable company is offering DVR for $5 xxx: "girlfriend wants me to get that, she doesn't know how good tivo is" xxx: "the only way I can convince her to keep tivo is with a lower price" xxx: "is there anything you can do for me"? xxx: haha xxx: CS: we'll give you $6.95 a month for the life of the service xxx: done
ojpimpson
Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 8:15p
TB99 said: xxx: "cable company is offering DVR for $5 xxx: "girlfriend wants me to get that, she doesn't know how good tivo is" xxx: "the only way I can convince her to keep tivo is with a lower price" xxx: "is there anything you can do for me"? xxx: haha xxx: CS: we'll give you $6.95 a month for the life of the service xxx: done
called tivo customer support @ 877-367-8486 and the customer representative said i had to speak to a retention plan representative and he transferred me. i pleaded my case and basically told the retention plan representative the above scenario in verbatim and i received the $6.95 a month for the life of my tivo series2 dvr as well. thanks fatwallet.
KrustyVT said: maveric said: Tivo's business model is failing. Cable box PVRs will eventually lead to Tivo's demise.
There is not one DVR that is better then TiVo, currently. Offerings from Dish Network, Comcast, Time Warner, Cablevision, you name it ... the interface and options pale in comparison.
-=K=-
I always wanted to be a part of the Tivo craze, especially in past years. But I TW offered me a package that would give me double the channels of basic cable and HBO AND DVR for $10 more on top of my road runner/cable charges. I took it and never looked back. DVR is great, and the newest software update from TW makes the somewhat flawed interface bearable.
ANYHOO, Tivo must be awesome if you can honestly compare it like that. I wish I had the $$ to try it, but I would tend to agree with maveric. The majority of ppl will lose interest in Tivo as DVR becomes more commonly included in cable service. It would be the same thing if TW gave me a DVD player to use. Even if it didn't have TONS of features, I would probably never buy another DVD player.
TB99
Member
posted: Nov. 4, 2004 @ 9:49p
I've had TiVo for almost 4 years now. it ... how do you kids say... 0wNz mE...
I called TiVo and it worked flawlessly. I didn't have to ask very hard, as soon as I mentioned that I thought the cost was too much, he offered to give me the multi service discount on my primary TiVo. Thanks OP! 46% savings is better than nothing!
Thoreau said: TiVo now offers a $9.95 per month Multi-Service Discount rate. The $6.95/month rate is not offered anymore. Ummm, yea... did you happen to catch the post right before yours?
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