TiVo yesterday said they were eliminating their lifetime service option as they switched to more monthly and prepaid options plans for people who buy new DVRs as part of a bundle deal. The lifetime service option will be formally dropped as of next week.
TiVo said that three new bundles, which combine the DVR and service into one package, will include a one-year of commitment at $19.95 per month or $224 prepaid, a two-year commitment at $18.95 per month or $369 prepaid and a three-year commitment at $16.95 per month or $469 prepaid. This change comes about after research conducted by TiVo showed favorable indications among consumers for bundled deals.
As is the case with subscribing to the TiVo service today, added TiVo, an early cancellation fee will apply if service is terminated prior to the end of the chosen period. In the case of prepaid subscriptions, no refund will be made upon early termination.
“Over the past several months, we have done extensive research on our pricing strategy and distribution model with a focus on finding the simplest and most efficient way to increase sales and drive penetration of the TiVo service among consumers,” said Tom Rogers, CEO of TiVo, in a statement. “After extensive testing and evaluation of various pricing and packaging approaches, we will launch a subscription option that combines the sale of the TiVo service together with the TiVo box. This is great for TiVo subscribers who will now have the ability to get TiVo service with no upfront hardware costs.”
