Shaw Rates Increasing & Speeds Decreasing

[Krovikan]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

No, that leaked statement is spin. Existing customers have the same packages at an increased price. New customers get new packages at new pricing.

Starting to think that some people here work for Shaw... If you change anything on your account you will lose you grandfathered package. For example, I signed up for the Shomi trail, I am not stuck with. Also I plan to buy my first house in the next two years so when I move I will lose my grandfathered Broadband 100... So no the leaked statement was not spin, the responses from Shaw was spin. Eventually most people will be effect by the change.

[oilyfan]

The questions are - how long will existing customers be allowed to keep the old plans? What constitutes a change in account? Will removing the Shomi promotion from the account force you into a new plan?

I called Teksavvy to find out if they provide service in my neck of the woods (deep SE) and unfortunately no...

[oilyfan]

Originally Posted by cdutka

Starting to think that some people here work for Shaw... If you change anything on your account you will lose you grandfathered package. For example, I signed up for the Shomi trail, I am not stuck with. Also I plan to buy my first house in the next two years so when I move I will lose my grandfathered Broadband 100... So no the leaked statement was not spin, the responses from Shaw was spin. Eventually most people will be effect by the change.

Have you confirmed with Shaw that removing the Shomi trial will trigger the change?

[MrCallahan]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Can ISPs make streaming with their "own" service (Shomi for Shaw/Rogers) exempt from bandwidth caps? That could be one incentive to clamp down on bandwidth because it would make it more difficult for a competitor like Netflix to operate.

It is anti-competitive and probably illegal, but we are talking about the Canadian telecom/cable/wireless vertically-integrated conglomerates here...

They already offer this with Shomi, but only when you're using one of their digital cable boxes.

Stupid thing is, you actually need to have a cable subscription before you can even activate Shomi on a cable box. I'm a recent cable cutter, and tried to use my cable box to access Shomi, they said I couldn't do that until I subscribed to a cable package.

I love the idea of Shomi, but they have some catching up do to, but I'm not a fan of how it's been launched so far.

[Krovikan]

Originally Posted by oilyfan

Have you confirmed with Shaw that removing the Shomi trial will trigger the change?

This is standard Shaw policy for all service.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by cdutka

This is standard Shaw policy for all service.

False.

Shomi is an add-on. You can change add-ons all you want. If you change your base plan, that's what triggers the snowball effect.

For example, movie central or super channel are add-ons. You can remove them and add them back to whatever plan you have and it won't change anything. However, if you went from the old Basic Cable package to the new Personal TV to save a few bucks and get rid of some channels, you would also be forced to change your internet as you cannot package old internet with new TV.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by cdutka

Starting to think that some people here work for Shaw... If you change anything on your account you will lose you grandfathered package. For example, I signed up for the Shomi trail, I am not stuck with. Also I plan to buy my first house in the next two years so when I move I will lose my grandfathered Broadband 100... So no the leaked statement was not spin, the responses from Shaw was spin. Eventually most people will be effect by the change.

Don't change your account. Easy! And eventually, you can sign up for BB120 if you want higher speed. So your speed won't be reduced. Easy!

I don't work for Shaw, I'm just counterspinning the leaked spin.

Originally Posted by cdutka

This is standard Shaw policy for all service.

Originally Posted by FireFly

False.

Shomi is an add-on. You can change add-ons all you want. If you change your base plan, that's what triggers the snowball effect.

For example, movie central or super channel are add-ons. You can remove them and add them back to whatever plan you have and it won't change anything. However, if you went from the old Basic Cable package to the new Personal TV to save a few bucks and get rid of some channels, you would also be forced to change your internet as you cannot package old internet with new TV.

This has also been my experience, as I never had to change internet packages when adding or removing TV add-ons.

[Krovikan]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Don't change your account. Easy! And eventually, you can sign up for BB120 if you want higher speed. So your speed won't be reduced. Easy!

I don't work for Shaw, I'm just counterspinning the leaked spin.



This has also been my experience, as I never had to change internet packages when adding or removing TV add-ons.

I have opened up a Live chat 3 questions ahead of me, but as I posted on reddit "the 120 package is just another empty promise that Shaw will do everything to stay barely on the right side of false advertising. Just like Broadband 250 and Gigabit Fiber." I have little faith in Shaw's promises of faster speed to me until they happen.

[Finger Cookin]

I had BB250 for over a year before I chose to downgrade in November, so I guess I have more faith than you. I also don't complain two years in advance about lifestyle changes I may or may not make, but I'm crazy like that.

[Krovikan]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

I had BB250 for over a year before I chose to downgrade in November, so I guess I have more faith than you. I also don't complain two years in advance about lifestyle changes I may or may not make, but I'm crazy like that.

Both Gigabit Fiber and BB250 were only available in very limited areas.

Actually looks like there coding has changed and only if you move systems (ie Calgary to Edmonton you would get booted off the package). Even service changes is hit or miss on if it'll change your package. Seems like cancelations are the most likely to cause an update to other services, changes may or may not cause a change. According to the agent I was talking to at least.

[Jimmy Stang]

For what it is worth, I'm still on an old internet package (Extreme 25 or something like that) that predates the current offerings. I have downsized my channels a couple of times over the years, but my internet plan has always remained, even though it doesn't exist anymore.

In my most recent call, the agent said that it would cost me more to get the same speed of internet service if I was to switch it, so she suggested that I leave it the same.

I don't know how many years it has been since they offered "Extreme", but quite a while, and I still have it despite making changes to my cable lineup.

[White Out 403]

Paying 50 dollars a month for 5 megabit internet is... Laughable. The crtc needs to step in with a price freeze.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by mike66

wow they are increasing prices and lowering speeds? in in laws currently pay like 90/ for internet ..

has anyone else tried westnet? they are like mainly inner city ,, been using the free and paid service since 1999 ..

Just checked out their website, looks like it hasn't been touched since 1999. This is actually a functional ISP?

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

Paying 50 dollars a month for 5 megabit internet is... Laughable. The crtc needs to step in with a price freeze.

I think a better solution would be for the City of Calgary to create its own ISP.

It's time to start treating internet access as a utility.

[Krovikan]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

I think a better solution would be for the City of Calgary to create its own ISP.

It's time to start treating internet access as a utility.

With Enmax selling their Fiber to Shaw I would be doubtful that this will happen. There has been a recent push for a Internet eXchange here in Calgary; which could expand/lead to a dark fiber network eventually.

Another route, even the unlikely is try to convince o-net to come down to Calgary. More likely option would be for a province wide expansion of Alberta SuperNet into a full a full blown ISP.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

I think a better solution would be for the City of Calgary to create its own ISP.

It's time to start treating internet access as a utility.

This is the gov't that doesn't even want to be in the electricity game. Very doubtful you will ever see any gov't hand in the ISP business or regulation.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

This is the gov't that doesn't even want to be in the electricity game. Very doubtful you will ever see any gov't hand in the ISP business or regulation.

I imagine it would be run in an arms length fashion, similar to Enmax.

At least then the ridiculous money I'm paying would go back to the city instead of into the pockets of one of the Shaw's.

[Finger Cookin]

Considering Enmax sold it's fibre network to Shaw almost 2 years ago, I think it's safe to say the city isn't interested in being in the ISP business.

[Regular_John]

Anyone else feel like their speeds took a hit this month?

Last month I was getting fairly consistent 18-20mbps download, this month it seems hard pressed to get over 15, and during "peak times" it's closer to 7-8.

I signed years ago and haven't changed my package at all, but based on price and bandwidth cap I think I'm on Internet 15 currently.

[saillias]

Did a bunch of neighbors sign up for Shaw? That could be the difference.