Methods and systems for enabling users visiting a friend or family member
to subscribe to a TV programming package that the friend or family member
currently subscribes to. In one embodiment, the method includes
generating a user-interface (UI) via the friend's set-top box to enable
entry of visitor user identification information. This information, along
with programming identification information is then sent to the service
provider for the programming package. The service provider retrieves or
generates information by which a UI may be generated to easily enable the
visitor to setup and activate the programming package and sends it to the
visitor's home set-top box. In another embodiment, programming package
identification information is stored on a portable storage medium and
carried to the visitor's home set-top box, where it is read to retrieve
the identification information. The information is then sent to the
service provider, which sends back appropriate data to generate the UI.