Shaw phone service - couple questions if anyone here uses it - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

sclitheroe · 07-09-2011, 10:42 AM

Contemplating switching to Shaw phone service now that I'm also on the broadband 100 plan.

With the Shaw phone service, do you need to be using their router in order for it to work? I've got the SMC modem in bridge mode, which is exactly the config I want, so if the phone service requires use of their routing to do QoS its a bit of a non-starter for me.

Anyone here use Shaw phone and nerdy enough to know if I can continue to run in bridge mode and use my own router, but still get Shaw phone?

Thanks!
Scott

MrMastodonFarm · 07-09-2011, 11:47 AM

Home... phone?

photon · 07-09-2011, 12:11 PM

Their phone stuff works completely independently of your Internet stuff. They'll split the cable and put on the home phone router and connect that to the house phone lines.

It's a different network entirely I think it runs on since there's been times my Internet has been down but the phone line has been up fine.

I have home phone and am running my SMC modem in bridge mode currently, no issues.

zamler · 07-09-2011, 02:50 PM

photon is right, Shaw phone is a separate network/system, including a separate modem. And they put a higher priority on the phone network, so you'll see occasional downtime with the Internet, but rarely with the phone service.

keratosis · 07-09-2011, 07:45 PM

You will not notice any difference from Telus.
Crisp , clear, no matter what you
are downloading.

sclitheroe · 07-09-2011, 08:10 PM

And it uses your existing handsets right?

ma-skis.com · 07-09-2011, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

And it uses your existing handsets right?

yes, they hook it up to your telephone jacks in your house, so you'll barely even notice.

Bigtime · 07-13-2011, 08:49 AM

I've had the Shaw phone since 2005 and have had zero problems with it. Very nice to have no long distance charges for North America calls.

WilsonFourTwo · 07-13-2011, 12:49 PM

I've never had a problem. Not once.

That said, with so many solid Cell Phone plans available (and they keep getting better), I'm having a REALLY hard time justifying a home phone. It's borderline foolish.

photon · 07-13-2011, 01:29 PM

I think the only reason I still have one now is because the number is well established and would be a royal pita to change, and we both already have established cell #'s as well, so we'd have to do some kind of forwarding or something, and I still use faxes quite a bit and the online solutions I know of wouldn't save us any money.

Esoteric · 07-13-2011, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keratosis

You will not notice any difference from Telus.
Crisp , clear, no matter what you
are downloading.

The best part about using Shaw phone is you don't have to deal with Telus.

flamesrule_kipper34 · 07-15-2011, 01:34 PM

Personally,

As far as quality issues I've always preferred Telus to Shaw. And I have this weird ghetto thing going that when I'm on my laptop connected wirelessly on Shaw whenever I get a phone call and I'm by a landline phone my internet disconnects for the duration of the call, what's up with that?

Lithium · 07-15-2011, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flamesrule_kipper34

Personally,

As far as quality issues I've always preferred Telus to Shaw. And I have this weird ghetto thing going that when I'm on my laptop connected wirelessly on Shaw whenever I get a phone call and I'm by a landline phone my internet disconnects for the duration of the call, what's up with that?

I used to have this problem too, adjust the frequency on your router until it works or go buy a new phone. I use a 6.0ghz phone now, never had the problem happen again.

photon · 07-15-2011, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flamesrule_kipper34

Personally,

As far as quality issues I've always preferred Telus to Shaw. And I have this weird ghetto thing going that when I'm on my laptop connected wirelessly on Shaw whenever I get a phone call and I'm by a landline phone my internet disconnects for the duration of the call, what's up with that?

Yeah, that's not a problem with Shaw and your Internet connection, it's your actual wireless handset interfering with your wifi.

I used to get this except, and same as Lithium I upgraded to a higher frequency handset.

I also used to get it when my microwave was between my laptop and my router. No Internet while waiting for lunch

keratosis · 07-19-2011, 04:47 PM

Almost forgot. No collect calls accepted by Shaw.
If you don't get or accept any? No probs.

sclitheroe · 07-19-2011, 04:50 PM

Thanks for the replies everyone. Shaw is coming out on Friday to do the install.

OilKiller · 07-20-2011, 10:24 AM

Wish all my friends and family were using Shaw for phones as well because Shaw to Shaw calls are free.

sclitheroe · 07-20-2011, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OilKiller

Wish all my friends and family were using Shaw for phones as well because Shaw to Shaw calls are free.

I don't know any Shaw's, so thats a moot point

OilKiller · 07-21-2011, 06:18 AM

Booooooooo

RedHot25 · 07-23-2011, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keratosis

Almost forgot. No collect calls accepted by Shaw.
If you don't get or accept any? No probs.

This used to be, but is not the case anymore - you can accept collect calls. We are contemplating getting shaw phone so we recently inquired about this. They have done something to fix it / allow it.

Yup here's the link - http://www.shaw.ca/Home-Phone/Long-Distance/

Can I accept collect calls? Yes, you can accept collect calls in the usual way. As an alternative to traditional collect-call services, Shaw also provides a Prepaid Calling Plan.