# Lifetime Service



## Soapm (May 9, 2007)

My Premier has been on an old $6.95 month to month plan since about 2012. I think I've lost the value there and want to convert it to lifetime. The guys said it would be $549 to do so.

Any deals for long time customers? Is there another way to get this converted for less?

Whooops... Meant to put this in the Premier section but looks like I hit the wrong one, can a mod please move this thread?


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Just a question and a thought, apart from your calling TiVo back and trying with another call rep.:

Are you on OTA or cable? If the former, you could pick up a _new_ Roamio OTA at Amazon.com, including lifetime service, for around $350. Get lifetime plus a few steps up in the tech.


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## Soapm (May 9, 2007)

Cable...


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

I just saw this post here: a reactivated Premiere owner offered $99 for Lifetime. Something to follow up on . . . .

Reactivated my Tivo Premier and was offered $99 for lifetime.


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## arneycl (Dec 10, 2004)

Keep calling. I made 6 calls before I finally got one to give me lifetime for $199.


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## Soapm (May 9, 2007)

3 calls and no love... I guess I'll keep trying...


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## TivoJD (Feb 8, 2005)

At the beginning of November I found a brand new Premiere XL in sealed box on ebay and grabbed it. I called to activate and was told no way any discount on lifetime and it would be $549. After 3 tries of the same thing all saying $549 I just activated on monthly. Not even 3 weeks later they came out with the Roamio OTA refurbs for $199, so I decided to get that and just cancel the premiere since I was only going to use it for OTA. When I called to cancel the Premiere XL after activating about 3 weeks earlier I was offered $99.99 lifetime so I said oh, okay, sure not expecting it at all since they wouldn't budge less than 3 weeks earlier. Not only did they give me the $99.99 lifetime, they credited me the original $14.99 and only billed me $85. The fact that I was going to cancel was the key to getting the $99.99 offer.


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## jodell (Jul 10, 2002)

Agreed, call to cancel your service and you will be asked what are you going to do with it. I said "eBay or give to a friend". I was offered $99 lifetime on my wife's premier.


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## arneycl (Dec 10, 2004)

Yes...keep calling. Try the cancel CS.


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## Soapm (May 9, 2007)

The guys said, "Ok, I wished we could keep you as a customer..." So I said, "too bad there isn't a cheaper lifetime promotion because $549 is too high and the monthly is killing me..." He said, "Yup, that would be good, anything else I can do for you today...?" So I said, "hold on, let me get my shows off the Tivo before I deactivate it", he said, "ok, I reactivated it, anything else I can do?"

Am I just the unluckiest guy or what, I guess I'll keep trying...


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

I've often wondered (and feared) if the phone TiVo rep. annotates one's account file, noting that a call was made in and for what purpose.


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## arneycl (Dec 10, 2004)

Maybe they do but it didn't affect me. I wish I could remember which number I pushed to get to the guy I did. I "think" it was the activation folks. But again, it took several calls. I don't know if it will make a difference but I called at 5:00 ET.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Maybe we should start a list here of the names of the "friendly" reps., their numbers and their work hours.  (I did find in the past at Amazon.com that if I called customer service after "regular" U.S. business hours and was sent to off-shore support, I received more generous assistance, including price breaks.)


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## arneycl (Dec 10, 2004)

Have any luck?


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## Soapm (May 9, 2007)

Didn't get a chance to call today, we busy fixing the heat in my car before this arctic blast comes through. I will try again tomorrow...


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## HeadsUp7Up (Oct 28, 2014)

I called earlier today and put lifetime on a roamio plus and roamio for $199 each. First call and only had to ask once. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## eherberg (Feb 17, 2011)

Soapm said:


> Didn't get a chance to call today, we busy fixing the heat in my car before this arctic blast comes through. I will try again tomorrow...


I would bet the notes on your account show exactly what you're trying to do. The fact that they called you on your bluff and you backed down is probably also on there as somebody who wasn't really going to cancel. I remember with my Premiere, I called and was fully committed to follow through with what I said on the 1st call. Once it became apparent that I was not bluffing - the $99 offer came through. I was very friendly - so there was no added incentive for the rep to drop me, but I also wasn't going to have a note on my account that I called to do it but didn't follow through. It may be different now with so many customer's having issues with guide data -- or perhaps the new owners don't feel the same way about retail retention when it's such a small part of the overall TiVo revenue. I know that we are having a serious discussion in our house about dropping TiVo completely end-of-year and if that decision is made - no incentive the rep can think of is going to change that.


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## Soapm (May 9, 2007)

Could be, they called my bluff again today. Perhaps you have the secret, I may just have to cancel the Premier since I don't like the idea of endless monthly payments.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

Is there a "Retention" department?


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

gweempose said:


> Is there a "Retention" department?


Yes, the acronym for it is A.N.A.L.


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## toricred (Mar 9, 2004)

I tried to call today to get All In on my Roamio Pro now that the first year free is over. Since I haven't been a customer for two years they told me there would be no help they could give on the pricing. Does that sound right or should I try CSR Roulette?


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## eherberg (Feb 17, 2011)

With only one year of service (and not even paid service) ... there's no deal coming for you.


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## larry5601 (Jul 15, 2015)

I just called in to try and get lifetime for my roamio OTA. I just told them the $15 per month was to expensive. The guy I talked to was very friendly and said he would put me in for a cancellation and then he could give me the discounted price. The price for OTA was $149 and for the regular Roamio was $199. The only thing he said that was required is that I had paid for my 1 year commitment . Since I was at fifteen months he gave me the $149 lifetime.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Cool beans!


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## wish_bgr (Jul 19, 2014)

Picked up a Roamio Pro refurb from the TiVo online store 2 years ago, 11/2014. I reviewed my account options online, as the monthly price was 19.99/2 yr-committment to get the refurb Pro unit pricing. Figured online chat could help with options; directed to call in. Mike, phone rep sounding U.S-based, was very friendly and helpful, even apologizing as he had to go through a series of menus on his side to check for possible lower rates, found the all-in $199.99 rate for me. It'll go in effect after this final $19.99 monthly rate; ugh, just thinking the 24 months I paid at that monthly is depressing 

Offer made at first call, phone tree navigated to billing dept of TiVo.


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## Nelson2009 (Mar 21, 2009)

hi 
I going to pick up Tivo Roamio which is new box never been open. I'm curious it there any chance to get get lower price on All in one ? I have own 3 tivo with lifetime HD, premiere and Romain and gave 1 Tivo away. I haven on Tivo since 2009
Let's me know what your thought or experience. Wish you all Happy Holidays! 
thanks


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

Nelson2009 said:


> hi
> I going to pick up Tivo Roamio which is new box never been open. I'm curious it there any chance to get get lower price on All in one ? I have own 3 tivo with lifetime HD, premiere and Romain and gave 1 Tivo away. I haven on Tivo since 2009
> Let's me know what your thought or experience. Wish you all Happy Holidays!
> thanks


Very unlikely. If you subscribe monthly for a year, you might although 18 months to 2 years currently seems to be the point at which they'll discount it.

Scott


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

A possibility: are you buying it to use OTA or with cable? If OTA, consider buying a Roamio OTA that has lifetime bundled into it--available from Amazon.com for around $350 and Amazon sellers (including Amazon Warehouse) for around $300-$325 for damaged packaging items or refurbs. In the end, much less than buying a separate lifetime subscription (assuming no deals).


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## Nelson2009 (Mar 21, 2009)

Mikeguy said:


> A possibility: are you buying it to use OTA or with cable? If OTA, consider buying a Roamio OTA that has lifetime bundled into it--available from Amazon.com for around $350 and Amazon sellers (including Amazon Warehouse) for around $300-$325 for damaged packaging items or refurbs. In the end, much less than buying a separate lifetime subscription (assuming no deals).


will use cable. $50 for brand new Roamio Basic in box that never been open original seller was asking for $100.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Nelson2009 said:


> will use cable. $50 for brand new Roamio Basic in box that never been open original seller was asking for $100.


Not that I'm recommending it, but the difference between the Roamio Basic and OTA is the cable card bracket--they can be purchased separately and with some mods, added to the OTA. There is a thread here on the topic, including users selling extra brackets for around $20 or less. Just to mention this to you--


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

And, the cable card bracket thread: Roamio OTA cable card slot?


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## Nelson2009 (Mar 21, 2009)

Cool I checked linked about card slot. how easy install ? (I have low vision) How well does it work after install Cablecard ?


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Nelson2009 said:


> Cool I checked linked about card slot. how easy install ? (I have low vision) How well does it work after install Cablecard ?


You might want to check/ask in that thread. From what I read, some minimal bending of pins, and some filing away of some plastic bits; and then it can work just fine.


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## Nelson2009 (Mar 21, 2009)

ok I called Tivo just to see if offer discount lifetime that i plan to pick up New tivo Roamio tmw. but as looked in my house see there is no deal for existing customer. since they told me sold out holiday sale. So I see amazon $314 today Roamio OTA 1TB hmm then purchase bracket it is worth it. I see a lot people got it work


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## tampa8 (Jan 26, 2016)

Nelson2009 said:


> ok I called Tivo just to see if offer discount lifetime that i plan to pick up New tivo Roamio tmw. but as looked in my house see there is no deal for existing customer. since they told me sold out holiday sale. So I see amazon $314 today Roamio OTA 1TB hmm then purchase bracket it is worth it. I see a lot people got it work


I consider that a good deal for lifetime 1TB. I have no experience with installing the bracket or how well it works, judging from posts it does work.


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## dmbfan36_23 (Feb 15, 2003)

Nelson2009 said:


> hi
> I going to pick up Tivo Roamio which is new box never been open. I'm curious it there any chance to get get lower price on All in one ? I have own 3 tivo with lifetime HD, premiere and Romain and gave 1 Tivo away. I haven on Tivo since 2009
> Let's me know what your thought or experience. Wish you all Happy Holidays!
> thanks


Are "multi-service discounts" (MSD) gone now? You used to be able to get lifetime for $399 w/MSD vs $499 without it. Same price as using the old PLSR discount code.

EDIT: I guess MSDs are gone Multi Sevice Discount


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

Yep, gone.


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## ajwees41 (May 7, 2006)

dmbfan36_23 said:


> Are "multi-service discounts" (MSD) gone now? You used to be able to get lifetime for $399 w/MSD vs $499 without it. Same price as using the old PLSR discount code.
> 
> EDIT: I guess MSDs are gone Multi Sevice Discount


it's been gone for awhile since they switched to allinone pricing


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## delgadobb (Mar 6, 2004)

Nelson2009 said:


> hi
> I going to pick up Tivo Roamio which is new box never been open. I'm curious it there any chance to get get lower price on All in one ? I have own 3 tivo with lifetime HD, premiere and Romain and gave 1 Tivo away. I haven on Tivo since 2009
> Let's me know what your thought or experience. Wish you all Happy Holidays!
> thanks


I'd say very unlikely. It can be done, yet unlikely.

I know it can be done because I once talked Tivo into giving me $199 lifetime on a Roamio Base that had never been opened or activated - I was keeping it around as a spare & it was just sitting in its box. Caveat: I have bought a lot of stuff from Tivo over the years (having hit the 12 device limit) & passed along devices to family, obviously being a word of mouth salesperson. Given my history & that I was just in the process of spending $$ on other stuff, it likely helped my argument. My guess is if you go in 'cold' just on the basis of having some other Tivo equipment they'll say no. Having LOTS of devices on your account and/or spending new $$ on other stuff would likely help your case IMHO.

That said, you don't ask, you don't get. That philosophy has helped me a lot over the years. Just don't become 'that guy' who becomes belligerent & gets his account flagged (like Elaine on Seinfeld). Polite yet firm, there is a balance to be found.

Give it a try with 2 or 3 salespeople, maybe going as far as asking if anything else would help make it happen. Always be polite & respectful. If you don't get what you want, move on ... if it doesn't happen after several tries, you've got your answer.


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## Soapm (May 9, 2007)

I got the no hassle guy today, he said, "wow, you've been paying monthly for several years. We'd be glad to put you on a lifetime plan for $150." I took it without hesitation since it's been a lot of tries to get this guy to answer the phone.


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## dlfl (Jul 6, 2006)

Soapm said:


> I got the no hassle guy today, he said, "wow, you've been paying monthly for several years. We'd be glad to put you on a lifetime plan for $150." I took it without hesitation since it's been a lot of tries to get this guy to answer the phone.


Congratulations! Six weeks of effort finally paid off! Given the recent issues with blue-spinning-circle delays and the crappy Rovi guide data, I sure wouldn't recommend spending any more than that for lifetime.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Soapm said:


> I got the no hassle guy today, he said, "wow, you've been paying monthly for several years. We'd be glad to put you on a lifetime plan for $150." I took it without hesitation since it's been a lot of tries to get this guy to answer the phone.


I'm just curious: when you referred to "the no hassle guy," were you just referring colloquially or to an actual guy? And how had you tried reaching him?

And congratulations, btw!


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