Shaw launches trial WiFi

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by woob

Please, god of the Internetz, let them blanket the Saddledome with this wonderful Wi-Fi goodness. Having reliable, fast speeds for Flames games would be worth the small cost increase down the road (if any) as opposed to the horrible 3G speeds when there.

You actually get the internet inside the dome?

Lucky.

My phone barely functions. Text, calling or internet is very sporadic.

[Superflyer]

If this really takes off like they suggest I can see guys like Telus, Bell and Rogers getting pretty upset since people will not be using their cell network nearly as much. I am OK with that.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

Doesn't T-Mobile have Wi-Fi coverage across 90% of San Francisco right now? I think my sister said something along those lines. Seems to be a pretty good selling feature for them.

[j_j]

I've been following this for a while. At first it didn't make a lot of sense, but as details roll-out it is actually a much better strategy than I thought.

What Shaw needed was a competitive advantage over Telus, Rogers as a TV/Internet provider. So they have made this is a "FREE" add on exclusive to their existing internet/TV subscribers. The only cost is in potential overages.

This is enough of a benefit that it might draw customers from Telus, Bell etc TV/Internet/Landline services AND it takes away some of the Telus, Bell, Rogers, etc. Cellular profits as at least some people will downsize their data packages as a result of having ready access to the wifi.

Given the choice between too pretty similar cable prices and options, I'm would opt for the one that also offers me free wifi at the saddledome, mcmahon, downtown, at the mall, etc--basically all the places where 3G currently sucks.

Picking up wifi at the office is also very convenient. With it you can circumvent restrictive corporate internet blocking/tracking policies by using your tablet, phone or whatever in the office.

[Azure]

I also think it is a great idea.

I have Wifi 90% of the places I am during the day, and I never have issues with download speed or my connection. No limits either. So streaming music, movies, tv shows is not a problem at all over my phone.

Shaw is starting something pretty good here. I sense the big 3 will probably follow suit in some form. Especially Telus, since they already compete with Shaw on the TV/internet side of things.

[PsnaP]

Sure I can see the plus', but its only going to benefit people in the major centers.

[MaDMaN_26]

Originally Posted by woob

Please, god of the Internetz, let them blanket the Saddledome with this wonderful Wi-Fi goodness. Having reliable, fast speeds for Flames games would be worth the small cost increase down the road (if any) as opposed to the horrible 3G speeds when there.

even if they have wireless it would have to be some crazy ass'ed bandwidth to not be as dead or just as slow as 3g with all those peeps

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by PsnaP

Sure I can see the plus', but its only going to benefit people in the major centers.

and? that's where 90% of any customer base is. now go ahead and tell me how many small towns Optik TV and Internet is available in

[psicodude]

Originally Posted by PsnaP

Sure I can see the plus', but its only going to benefit people in the major centers.

And that is 100% their target market. I have had the opportunity to speak to some corporate sales reps from Shaw about this, and their goal is to raise their current ~70% market share up to as close to 100% as they can. At this point, it is their intention to offer this service as a free value add, making the choice between Shaw and their competition pretty close to a no brainer. Once Shaw has customers addicted to their internet service, they will lure them into phone and TV with bundle deals, etc.

One thing to note here, is that you need to be using wifi from one of their new routers. I don't see that as a big issue though.

Expect to hear deals made with the City, Schools, and hospitals in the coming months about this as well.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by psicodude

At this point, it is their intention to offer this service as a free value add, making the choice between Shaw and their competition pretty close to a no brainer.

Yep, something like this might be enough to make me switch back from Telus. As it stands the service is pretty much the same. I get lower speed than with Shaw but I really don't need anything faster than what I have.

[CubicleGeek]

Originally Posted by psicodude

Expect to hear deals made with the City, Schools, and hospitals in the coming months about this as well.

I think getting Wi-Fi on transit will be the biggest win next to busy centers such as malls and schools. If you think of majority of the professional demographic and students that would use wi-fi the most would be the time they are on the bus or train getting to and from work. And for alot of that demographic, the commute is really the time they can read a book or stream the latest episode of some TV show. By the time they get to where they are, such as home or work or campus, they already have access to their local wi-fi networks.

They have had wi-fi on busses in centers like Hong Kong for a long time and it is great. I recently facetimed with a friend taking a bus in HK and the connection speed is very respectable.

[PsnaP]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

and? that's where 90% of any customer base is. now go ahead and tell me how many small towns Optik TV and Internet is available in

What I meant was, its only available in small bubbles around the city. If youre not in this bubble... then youre back using your data plan on your cell. Will you be able to walk across downtown and never lose a Wifi signal? Or is this geared more for people who are in the same spot for a while?

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by PsnaP

What I meant was, its only available in small bubbles around the city. If youre not in this bubble... then youre back using your data plan on your cell. Will you be able to walk across downtown and never lose a Wifi signal? Or is this geared more for people who are in the same spot for a while?

the goal is to have the entire city in that bubble, this trial is only the first step

[SinceDay1]

^^^
Not sure that's 100% accurate. I can't recall where, but I read that Shaw intends to eventually have 100's of hotspots that will handoff seamlessly from one to another covering the core, major public gathering places like parks and malls, and major transportation corridors like LRT lines.

[Vulcan]

One of the hotspots is in Horeshoe Bay, cool I can use it while waiting for my ferry.

[woob]

I'm curious as to what kind of technology/hardware they're using for this? Anyone know what the radius is for the hotspots? Any links to tech pages would be appreciated!

[sclitheroe]

I can confirm that once authenticated (once) via the web browser, your mobile device will happily hop on the network automatically anywhere the hotspots are in operation. I joined at Canada Place downtown, and went across the street to Bow Valley Square, and the device connected at Canada Place, dropped to 3G through the +15, and back onto wifi as I entered BVS.

Very happy with how this is shaping up.

[Barnes]

^Run Speedtest.net app?

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Barnes

^Run Speedtest.net app?

I'll use my laptop next time I'm around one - I find the speedtest.net app for iOS devices to be notoriously inaccurate (that or the wifi on iOS devices sucks hard, but either way, it's not indicative of what Shaw is providing, basing it on a test run on iOS)

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by woob

I'm curious as to what kind of technology/hardware they're using for this? Anyone know what the radius is for the hotspots? Any links to tech pages would be appreciated!

Today coming to work, I turned on my wifi as I approached the crossroads market, and it connected probably 1/3 of a block away from the market and was about that distance away when it lost signal.