# Offer Speculation?



## Muttley1900 (Dec 23, 2008)

Im surprised not to have seen in the Forum any speculation or wishes on what the offer maybe coming from VM.

So what do you think it could be? 

My money is on a free box, but still having to pay the install fee and normal monthly subscriptions.


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## qwiki (Feb 28, 2002)

That sounds good to me.

:up:


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## abuelbanat (Jan 8, 2011)

I'd be surprised if it's free - best I'm hoping for is perhaps £99 instead of £199 with similar subs


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

Would be even more fun to speculate on the _difference_ between the offer to existing Tivo users and the general public offering - you can bet the latter will be heavily discounted initially, so the important thing is the _extra_ bit that VM will offer existing Tivo subscribers.


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## Muttley1900 (Dec 23, 2008)

spitfires said:


> Would be even more fun to speculate on the _difference_ between the offer to existing Tivo users and the general public offering


And yet you don't do it


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## staffie2001uk (Apr 1, 2004)

From LJ's sticky:


> Virgin Press release 01/12 giving pricing details - here
> Standard price £199 plus £40 installation.
> Monthly cost £26.50 with a Virgin phone line or £32.50 without.


I wouldn't like to bet that the "special" offer for S1 owners will be that much, if any better than what the general public will get. 
Sorry to be a cynic, but hey must know that most of us are gagging to get the S4 and would probably open our wallets and say "help yourself". 
OK, bit of an exaggeration.

Most of the VM offers, if not all, appear to be six months at half price if you take a bundle. So my best bet is:

Free installation and half price (£16.25) for six months.


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

Muttley1900 said:


> spitfires said:
> 
> 
> > Would be even more fun to speculate on the difference between the offer to existing Tivo users and the general public offering
> ...



The money's in the monthly subs so the usual route is to discount the setup. Hence:

< begin speculation>

Public offering
£99 for the box + £40 installation
£20 per month for 3 months (then normal £32.50)

Upgrade offering for existing VM customers (valid 3 months initially then "specially extended" for another 6)
£149 for the box + £40 installation
no discount on sub

Upgrade offering for Tivo customers (valid 1 month)
- as per existing VM customers

I can't se them offering a discount on monthly sub to Tivo upgraders since I expect the majority of Tivoers to already subscribe to a Sky package (unless you're a tight arfe like me who only gets 'free' Sky  )


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## Furball (Dec 6, 2001)

So if we pay for the box who does it belong too ???

The normal cable boxes have always belonged to NTL/Telewest/Cable and Wireless etc etc unlike Sky boxes which you bought or got given and then after 12mths if it went poof it was up to you to get another one i.e pay for another one 

I'm on my 5th or 6th cable box now and have never needed to pay for it to be replaced, if goes down, I phone up, man comes and replaces it 

Unlike my mates with Sky which when there STB's go bang after 12mths they get charged for replacements or have to find e-bay units.

So who will actually own the new box, me or BeardyTivo 

Furball


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## Muttley1900 (Dec 23, 2008)

Furball said:


> So if we pay for the box who does it belong too ???
> 
> <snip>
> 
> So who will actually own the new box, me or BeardyTivo


Others in the know will correct me, but my understanding is that you would be paying £199 for the privilege of being an early taker to use the box, not own it (much speculation about how long this price will hold and if this privilege becomes £0). So if the box then goes goes bang, VM should then replace it.

Carl had suggested, in another thread, at looking at this price as the cost of lifetime extended warranty 



cwaring said:


> I agree it's a lot, but I ihink of it as an unlimited, lifetime (of your subscription!) warranty'


Which would work with my "justify the expense" reflex whenever wanting a new gadget.

J.


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## deshepherd (Nov 30, 2000)

They don't call it "paying for the box" ... it will be installation fee or activation fee etc. N.b. you'll still, though, have the benefit that since you don't own the box if it malfunctions then VM will swap it for one that works.

Also, on the offer speculation - for existing VM customers I can't see them offering a discount on the monthly subs since they are already paying that. Perhaps it will be a discount on the extra TiVo fee ... but while VM offer this to new subscribers for existing people for the equivalent V+ offer the waiving of the extra fee was only available if you retained your exisitng Vbox for £5/month.

I'd think the best we'd hope for would be a discounted install/acquisition fee ... they have run £49 offers for the V+ box every so often for exisiting VM customers to upgrade so perhaps a £99 offer for the V-Tivo is the best we can expect


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## hokkers999 (Jan 5, 2006)

deshepherd said:


> They don't call it "paying for the box" ... it will be installation fee or activation fee etc. N.b. you'll still, though, have the benefit that since you don't own the box if it malfunctions then VM will swap it for one that works.
> 
> ...


Except my 10 year old S1 unit is still "just working" fine. What's with the expectation nowadays that the box will die within 18 months or so and need replacement?

Hard drive wears out, simply put in a new one. They will still be broadcasting Sd signals in 15 or 20 years time, let alone HD ones so what exactly in the box will EVER (realistically) need to be upgraded?


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

hokkers999 said:


> Except my 10 year old S1 unit is still "just working" fine. What's with the expectation nowadays that the box will die within 18 months or so and need replacement?


There is, of course, no expectations of anything. These things do happen though and it is an advantage of VM that, _should_ it happen, you won't need to shell out again.



> They will still be broadcasting Sd signals in 15 or 20 years time, let alone HD ones....


Now there's some wild speculation if ever I heard any


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## deesee (Nov 4, 2002)

Carl, do you never sleep?


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## hokkers999 (Jan 5, 2006)

cwaring said:


> There is, of course, no expectations of anything. These things do happen though and it is an advantage of VM that, _should_ it happen, you won't need to shell out again.
> 
> Now there's some wild speculation if ever I heard any


Well analogue broadcasting lasted over 75 years


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## deesee (Nov 4, 2002)

Sorry Carl, your last post time was either wrong, or i read it wrong, most likely the latter, sorry.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

^ LOL! I did wonder what you meant


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## deesee (Nov 4, 2002)

Carl, i have just looked at the time of your post, the one i referred to, it was timed at 04-27am, and my reply was clocked at 07-10am, i was fast asleep then, so i am not as daft as i thought, thank god.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Yeah; your forum time-zone is set incorrectly, or something like that


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## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

The forum reverts to a US time zone when you aren't logged in.... (EST I think)


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