Moving...DTV "mover's plan" or new service?

[Robin]

I've just moved and need DTV service at the new house. I have not yet deactivated service at the old house and am on a month-to-month contract, no multi-year commitment.

Thoughts on which is better, the "mover's plan" or setting up new service?

I have a DTiVo and do not need any additional receivers. I want installation with lines for both tuners.

I called for info on the mover's plan and there were no incentives aside from the installation & dish. I have a valpack coupon (which I can't find ATM) for a new customer at $30 a month (as opposed to $50) for the first year or so.

Can I just sign up as a new customer and use my old receiver? Obviously I can't do anything that commits me to activating a tuner.

Thoughts?

[JimSpence]

I suspect that setting up a new account would commit you to a 2 yr contract. I'd go with the mover's plan. I could be wrong.

[Frylock]

The movers plan now also requires a commitment. If you want the commitment, then go for a new plan. Otherwise, just hire someone to put up a dish and keep yourself commitment free.

[Arcady]

Get a series3 and drop D*.

Unless you like over-compressed crap.

[tonypitt]

I learned today (because I'm doing the Movers' Connection) that it currently is a 1 year committment. Oddly, it doesn't add an extra year onto the end of your current committment, it appears to supercede the old date. It also appears to be based on when you order the move and not when it's installed.

My old expire date was 4/2008. With Mover's Connection it is now 6/2008.

[Robin]

Thanks for the info, Tony.

Arcady, thanks for the...succinct response. According to the ad at the top of my screen, a s3 is $600, a year's worth of programing with DTV. Seeing as I just moved, have two mortgages, and all the other new-house costs (stamped pears on the dining room walls? Really?) I'm not looking to sign up for another major expense.

That said, if you (or anyone) would like to give me a primer on the latest TiVo options w/ Comcast, I'd be all ears. I've been out of the loop on TiVo hardware for years.

[tonypitt]

Robin, you mentioned Comcast. I'm in almost the exact situation as you it sounds (right down to the two mortgages as the moment). I'm moving from an area that has Bright House into an area that has Comcast. I've been debating the whole DTV vs. Comcast. I do feel strongly about wanting to stay with a Tivo setup. (I currently have 2 hacked DTivos.)

Here's the way things shake out for me. According to DirecTV I still have 9 months left on my committment from my initial install. In my new residence I am concerned about DirecTV's contractor's ability to do a good install. It will be a pole mount and have some very tricky attic work. I want it done right or not at all.

I've done a lot of reading here about Comcast's upcoming Tivo offering. It sounds really promising, but I know that it's several months off (best case, it seems). In the market where I'm moving (Tennessee), I can see it being even further off.

In my situation, if I didn't have any commitment left, I'd probably consider going with Comcast, suffering with their DVR for a few months, and then moving to their Tivo product when it comes out. Since I do have commitment left, going with the Mover's Connection just changes the timeframe a bit. My current plan is to do the DirecTV install, stay with them for a year, and then evaluate the Comcast Tivo offering at that time.

The Tivo Series 3 seems very nice, but it is very pricey. To me, to buy one to use with Comcast right now seems like a bad move since Comcast's Tivo may actually be a better product for working with their service. I could live with their "junky" DVRs for a little while.

Hope this is in some way helpful.

[Robin]

Follow up:

I looked into Comcast but the similarly priced package was half as many channels, analog, and I'd have to acquire a standalone TiVo.

I tried calling DTV (actually I had my husband call since the current account's in my name, technically making him a new subscriber) to try and get the deal I mentioned above, $20 off for the first ten months.

He had no luck, our phone numbers identified us as an existing customer and it looked like activating the old receiver as a "new account" would be a problem.

I called again about the mover's plan and this point emphasized that I was considering dropping DTV in favor of Comcast, landing me in the much-lauded retention department.

There I got an offer for $10/month off my base package, plus they'll waive the $6 TiVo fee for a year.

End result? $4 more for the year. Deal. After the -two week- wait on DSL installation (a whole 'nother rant) I was pleasantly surprised for them to schedule the install for the next day, today.

The installer showed up right at the beginning of the 8-12 window and was great. He even understood why we didn't want the DTV DVR they'd sent him with (despite my repeated insistence to the woman on the phone that I didn't want one).

The only catch? Now my DTiVo's busted (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=5318210). http://forums.snapstream.com/vb/images/smilies/mur.gif

Parts should be here tomorrow and hopefully I'll be up and running by the weekend!

[wolflord11]

Get a series3 and drop D*.

Unless you like over-compressed crap.

So then the OP would have the cost of a Series 3 Tivo ($399 to $599), would have to get Cable with the local Company (A New Commitment) and Tivo Service (Another Commitment).

And depending on the Cable Company may end up paying alot more for the same programming.....

Great advice!!! :D

The OP did the right thing using the Movers Connection. There is no extra commitment, as tonypitt pointed out. All your equipment gets professionally installed.

[Robin]

Where would I see on my account if there were a commitment? The woman on the phone said nothing about it, but I expected there to be a one year which I'd have no problem with.

I've looked at my account online and don't see a mention of an equipment, but am unfamiliar with their site so it may be there and I'm missing it.

[tonypitt]

I've found DTV to be very cavalier about extending commitment dates without notice. I've looked online extensively for access to this information and have never found it.

[Robin]

Are you saying you've looked for information about what activates an extension, or looked at your account to see when your subscription is up?

That's what I'm trying to find, whether I have a current commitment or not.

[wolflord11]

Look on the Paperwork that the movers Connection guy would of given you. There should be something like: Dish Installed, etc.

Or wait until your next Bill comes in. If theres a New commitment, it should be on there.

[magnus]

Yep, I would just do the install myself. It's not that hard and would save you from getting any new commitments from D*.

The movers plan now also requires a commitment. If you want the commitment, then go for a new plan. Otherwise, just hire someone to put up a dish and keep yourself commitment free.

[Robin]

I didn't want to do it myself since if I take off the old dish I'd have to repair the siding on the old house!

There's nothing on the invoice from the installer about a commitment, and I can't find anything online. I don't really care since the odds of me switching within a year are just about nil, but I'm curious.

[eburg]

I am moving from one side of the state to the other. I would rather keep see the locals for my old address. If you use the moving option can you still keep your old address to get the locals??

[CharlieB]

I am moving from one side of the state to the other. I would rather keep see the locals for my old address. If you use the moving option can you still keep your old address to get the locals??


A little less than 2 years ago, I moved from the LA area to Sacramento. I still have my LA locals. Apparently even though I used the mover connection for the install, my service address was never changed, though of course my billing address changed.
Whether my service address not changing was a stroke of luck, or business as usual if you don't specifically request that it be changed, I don't know.

[or270]

I am moving from one side of the state to the other. I would rather keep see the locals for my old address. If you use the moving option can you still keep your old address to get the locals??


When I used the movers connection about 2 years ago, after everything was setup I was still getting locals from my old address, had to call and get it changed for my new location. My old address is still in there system they were going to ship a replacement receiver there. I asked about it, they have both service addresses listed.