As signaled two weeks ago by TiVo’s CEO Tom Rogers, the company will change its pricing structure so that it gives away its TiVo box but charges users on a monthly or yearly basis with a contract structure similar to cellphone plans. An 80-hour TiVo is bundled with the following payment plans beginning next week:
One-year commitment, TiVo box and service: $19.95 a month or $224 prepaid
Two-year commitment, TiVo box and service: $18.95 a month or $369 prepaid
Three-year commitment, TiVo box and service: $16.95 a month or $469 prepaid
Stephen Mack, TiVo s Director of Service Operations, wrote on the company s Web site:
Existing subsciptions are not affected, so if you currently pay $6.95 a month, you will continue to pay that for that contract, until you cancel (or until you no longer have a qualifying unit on your account).
Mack also said that lifetime service agreements are still available, and it’s still possible to “get in under the wire” and buy a lifetime subscription now. He added that a lifetime contract will still be available on Wednesday, March 15, but will probably go away sometime the next week after that. You’ll also still be able to get monthly service for $12.95 with a one-year subscription just as you can do today if you already own a TiVo box.
TiVo s New Pricing Plans [Zatz Not Funny]
