TiVoPhish
01-08-2006, 03:07 AM
This isn't TiVo's fault AT ALL. I think it was a promotion meant to increase market awareness for TiVo, to prove it's a viable product for Cable to "resell" or "offer", and to hopefully get TiVo into more homes. Maybe it did that a little... but the problem was all on the Cable-"Partner". I read in a news report that this was to be a "test market" for TiVo...
Cablevision to Market TiVo
Cablevision Systems, which serves 3 million households in the New York metro area, will test market TiVo and a wireless router as part of its triple play offerings. Under the agreement, Cablevision will trial a TiVo DVR with wireless router offer, enabling a broadband return without need for a telephone line, to current satellite customers who sign up for the Optimum Triple Play, for the best performance and value in digital television, high speed Internet and voice.
source:http://www.convergedigest.com/Bandwidth/newnetworksarticle.asp?ID=15758
2nd source: http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/66769
The promotion was this: People on Satelite could switch to Digital Cable and get the "triple-pack" (TV, Internet, Phone) for one "low monthly cost" AND get a free TiVo. (reference (http://cablevision.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/cablevision.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1765&p_created=1133215249&p_sid=lWDil4Zh&p_lva=391&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ 9MyZwX3Byb2RzPTcsMCZwX2NhdHM9JnBfcHY9MS43OzIudTAmcF9jdj0mcF9 wYWdlPTEmcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD10aXZv&p_li=&p_topview=1))
Just as a prelude, I stayed completely polite and friendly on the phone with everyone I dealt with at Cable. Get more bees with honey is always my motto.
December 29: I called Cable. Told the saleman I'm interested, and how do I get the free TiVo. He didn't know what I was talking about -- on hold -- came back and said it was expired -- I read the dates from the website to him with the web address (promotion extended - see above) -- on hold -- he came back and proceded to tell me how their DVR was much better. We talked about that and I still wanted the TiVO -- on hold longer. Finally came back and got an agreement I was entitled to the promotion (this is after about 1/2 an hour). We set up the installation appointment. He tells me I'll have 30 days to cash my TiVo coupon in.
Thursday (I think): I call TiVo, explain I'm going to be a Cablevision customer and will be getting a coupon for a box... which box is it? The nice rep tells me Series 2 80 hour. I tell her my little story from above as a FYI and she agrees it's like TiVo being stabbed in the back.
Friday: Cable guy gets here and starts the install. I'm friendly and we're all set up for him with the TV's pulled out, wires labeled, etc. He is very nice. After he's done with the new modem we look over some paperwork and I ask him about the free TiVo coupon. "oh no, I don't have that... you're going to have to call the office... I don't know why they do this to us" -- I tell him that I have my latest Satelite statement -- he says something like: "that's silly... I don't need that... I don't know why the sales reps say to give that to us... you're going to have to call them..."
He finishes the install and it's all very light and friendly. I tip him at the end and tell him I'm going to write on the receipt (where I sign) that I expected a free TiVo coupon and will call or visit the local office. He says that's fine.
Saturday: I go down to the local cable center. Let's talk TiVo. Front office manager (not her exact title) has no idea what I'm talking about... then looks at the computer and says it's expired... I relive the above with her (very happily, smile on my face) and she tells me I really don't need TiVo... that THEIR DVR is much better. I smile and say I've already experienced TiVo and would really like to get the promotion I'm entitled to because I enjoy the TiVo system -- she researches more on her computer and we exchange small talk (I get to see cute pictures of her pets) -- She tells me to wait and goes and talks to her manager... for like 15 minutes. Comes back and says that the manager will have to call me because they are still "investigating" how the promotion works and what they need to do (!!??!!)
So as of right now, I still haven't gotten the coupon. Haven't heard from them via phone yet either.
I don't think my experience was unique. I really do not believe they WANTED to give these boxes away, and my husband thinks they were instructed to make it difficult (not uncommon sales technique to favor one product over another -- and they want to favor their own!) -- How is that a fair "test market"?
Again... this is not a complaint about TiVo!
This is just to highlight how the current environment is making it very difficult for TiVo to get into people's homes. Even the companies they seem to "partner" with don't make it easy. I would like to think (and WANT to think) that it's totally possible for TiVo to enter households through existing cable boxes (like Comcast) and DO hope for it to happen. The Cable companies though... they throw sand in the sandbox even when they agree to play nice, announce they'll play nice, and make everyone think they'll play nice (not really news to anyone).
Feel free to share your thoughts.
Cablevision to Market TiVo
Cablevision Systems, which serves 3 million households in the New York metro area, will test market TiVo and a wireless router as part of its triple play offerings. Under the agreement, Cablevision will trial a TiVo DVR with wireless router offer, enabling a broadband return without need for a telephone line, to current satellite customers who sign up for the Optimum Triple Play, for the best performance and value in digital television, high speed Internet and voice.
source:http://www.convergedigest.com/Bandwidth/newnetworksarticle.asp?ID=15758
2nd source: http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/66769
The promotion was this: People on Satelite could switch to Digital Cable and get the "triple-pack" (TV, Internet, Phone) for one "low monthly cost" AND get a free TiVo. (reference (http://cablevision.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/cablevision.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1765&p_created=1133215249&p_sid=lWDil4Zh&p_lva=391&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ 9MyZwX3Byb2RzPTcsMCZwX2NhdHM9JnBfcHY9MS43OzIudTAmcF9jdj0mcF9 wYWdlPTEmcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD10aXZv&p_li=&p_topview=1))
Just as a prelude, I stayed completely polite and friendly on the phone with everyone I dealt with at Cable. Get more bees with honey is always my motto.
December 29: I called Cable. Told the saleman I'm interested, and how do I get the free TiVo. He didn't know what I was talking about -- on hold -- came back and said it was expired -- I read the dates from the website to him with the web address (promotion extended - see above) -- on hold -- he came back and proceded to tell me how their DVR was much better. We talked about that and I still wanted the TiVO -- on hold longer. Finally came back and got an agreement I was entitled to the promotion (this is after about 1/2 an hour). We set up the installation appointment. He tells me I'll have 30 days to cash my TiVo coupon in.
Thursday (I think): I call TiVo, explain I'm going to be a Cablevision customer and will be getting a coupon for a box... which box is it? The nice rep tells me Series 2 80 hour. I tell her my little story from above as a FYI and she agrees it's like TiVo being stabbed in the back.
Friday: Cable guy gets here and starts the install. I'm friendly and we're all set up for him with the TV's pulled out, wires labeled, etc. He is very nice. After he's done with the new modem we look over some paperwork and I ask him about the free TiVo coupon. "oh no, I don't have that... you're going to have to call the office... I don't know why they do this to us" -- I tell him that I have my latest Satelite statement -- he says something like: "that's silly... I don't need that... I don't know why the sales reps say to give that to us... you're going to have to call them..."
He finishes the install and it's all very light and friendly. I tip him at the end and tell him I'm going to write on the receipt (where I sign) that I expected a free TiVo coupon and will call or visit the local office. He says that's fine.
Saturday: I go down to the local cable center. Let's talk TiVo. Front office manager (not her exact title) has no idea what I'm talking about... then looks at the computer and says it's expired... I relive the above with her (very happily, smile on my face) and she tells me I really don't need TiVo... that THEIR DVR is much better. I smile and say I've already experienced TiVo and would really like to get the promotion I'm entitled to because I enjoy the TiVo system -- she researches more on her computer and we exchange small talk (I get to see cute pictures of her pets) -- She tells me to wait and goes and talks to her manager... for like 15 minutes. Comes back and says that the manager will have to call me because they are still "investigating" how the promotion works and what they need to do (!!??!!)
So as of right now, I still haven't gotten the coupon. Haven't heard from them via phone yet either.
I don't think my experience was unique. I really do not believe they WANTED to give these boxes away, and my husband thinks they were instructed to make it difficult (not uncommon sales technique to favor one product over another -- and they want to favor their own!) -- How is that a fair "test market"?
Again... this is not a complaint about TiVo!
This is just to highlight how the current environment is making it very difficult for TiVo to get into people's homes. Even the companies they seem to "partner" with don't make it easy. I would like to think (and WANT to think) that it's totally possible for TiVo to enter households through existing cable boxes (like Comcast) and DO hope for it to happen. The Cable companies though... they throw sand in the sandbox even when they agree to play nice, announce they'll play nice, and make everyone think they'll play nice (not really news to anyone).
Feel free to share your thoughts.