New Service Only Prepay question

[Sirshagg]

In the summary of Tivos new pricing announcements...

Service-only prepay options: We also announced that there are going to be service-only prepay options (available once Product Lifetime goes away, later this week). These prepay options let you avoid a monthly fee by pre-paying a lump sum. There are options for one, two and three years of service. Here are the details:


For one-year of service, you can prepay $155.
For two years of service, you prepay $299.
For three years of service, you can prepay $399.

For service-only prepay packages, no early termination fee applies, but there is no refund given after the 30-day money back guarantee period.

Prepay packages are subject to our 30-day money back guarantee. Anytime within the first 30 days you can call us for a refund of the amount prepaid and cancel your service.

How will these serice only prepay plans work if you already have a full price unit - for example a lifetime series2? Would a three year plan get you six years of MSD? Are there plans transferable to a series3?

[MighTiVo]

In the summary of Tivos new pricing announcements...


How will these serice only prepay plans work if you already have a full price unit - for example a lifetime series2? Would a three year plan get you six years of MSD? Are there plans transferable to a series3?

I believe this was covered and MSD doesn't apply to these pricing plans, just retail box only purchases.

[jlb]

IIRC, after reading 20,000+ posts, MSD only kicks in on a bundled-purchased box after the committment period ends. So, what you may want to do is just get a one year bundled box and pay the 19.95 for only one year. Then remember to call after your year is up so that you can have that box converted to service-only, and it would then be a $6.95 box. Now, if your other box wasn't lifetime, and was monthly, that box would shift to $6.95 right away after buying the bundled box, but you would still need to remember to call after the year so the bundled box could be shifted to $12.95.

[Sirshagg]

I'm not talking about a box/service bundle. I'm referring to the service only prepay plans. I know that a box which is part of a bundle can't get MSD itself.

[jlb]

Ooops, sorry. My guess is that it may work out as your say.....Pre-pay seems similar to when you get a gift sub, which does apply in this manner.........I got a free TiVo with the Levis Dockers/JC Penny deal, which included 3 free months. But I got more than that since it was my second box.

[TiVoStephen]

Read the Summary post carefully. I state in the MSD section how MSD interacts with service-only prepay options.

* The new bundle options and prepaid service-only options are not eligible for MSD -- that means if you have an existing unit you CANNOT get a new bundle and pay $6.95 for that bundle instead of the fees listed above.
* However, the new bundles described above (as well as the service-only prepay options) ARE considered to be full-priced, so they DO qualify any other monthly service-only contracts for MSD.

[Sirshagg]

Just so I'm clear on this...

There is no way to prepay for service on a box which is eligible for the MSD rate. It must be paid monthly?

[ZeoTiVo]

Read the Summary post carefully. I state in the MSD section how MSD interacts with service-only prepay options.

OK, but I think the question is -
with the way reabtes work now
I go to a store and pay 200$ for a TiVo and get the rebate form for 150$
of I go to www.tivo.com and just buy a box for 50 or 74 dollars or whatever
to qualify I get a one year of service for 155.40$

assuming the box I bought qualified for MSD would it still come out as 6.95 automatically ?

do the one year plans still work as before ?

sorry if this in your FAQ Stephen, just trying to clarify the question as I thought the poster meant it

[jfh3]

In the summary of Tivos new pricing announcements...


How will these serice only prepay plans work if you already have a full price unit - for example a lifetime series2? Would a three year plan get you six years of MSD? Are there plans transferable to a series3?

Why would you WANT a service prepay plan if you have a full-price unit?

If you already have a full-price unit, the next unit added is $6.95 under MSD. If you have a 3 month or 1 year gift card applied to the account, it will actually last longer (since the value of the card is 3x$12.95 or 12*$12.95, but only deducted at $6.95 per month).

Stephen would have to answer your exact question, but I'm guessing:

(a) the system won't allow a pre-paid service sub on such an account OR

(b) the prepaid service sub works the same way as 3/12 month gift cards work today

[megazone]

Why would you WANT a service prepay plan if you have a full-price unit?Simply not to have to deal with a monthly bill.

[HDTiVo]

Simply not to have to deal with a monthly bill.
Do many TiVo subscribers actually "deal" with a monthly bill? It comes on your credit card which you've got 73 other charges for the month on anyway.

Even if you did "deal" with it, how dopey to spend an extra $6/mo to avoid it - not that there's anything wrong with that.

[rx7eric]

I would love an annual option to prepay for units qualifying for MSD because I don't use a credit card for anything and don't want to mess with sending in another bill every month to pay for the service.

That's why I have lifetime on the units that I do own. :)

[classicsat]

Do many TiVo subscribers actually "deal" with a monthly bill? It comes on your credit card which you've got 73 other charges for the month on anyway.

Even if you did "deal" with it, how dopey to spend an extra $6/mo to avoid it - not that there's anything wrong with that.

Yes. Indirectly through their credit card company, which sends them a bill each month, ir in my case, I have a stored value card I need to ensure is "charged" with enough funds to cover my TiVo payment and other things.

[TiVoStephen]

Sorry, there's no way to prepay for MSD annually (or longer).

MSD eligibility has to be verified each month, so there is no prepay option.

This is covered quite clearly in the summary.