Shaw launches trial WiFi

[Jimmy Stang]

Interestingly, I just received an email at work (we are a Shaw Business customer), telling me that we can now get a free, special wifi modem so that our customers can connect to the internet while on our premises, without compromising the security of our office network. I presume that they're wanting to give us this wifi modem as part of their wifi network plans and help make our building a hotzone or whatever it is they're calling it. I'll have to email her back and ask for some details.

The funny thing is, I already have an open wifi connection for guests to use (don't worry, techies, it is using a separate IP, router, and is physically on the outside of our office's firewall). I didn't realize that so many people were using it until I checked the DHCP table one day.

I actually like the idea of a big wifi network. Maybe I'm just a nerd, but whenever I'm screwing around on my phone I try and latch onto open wifi networks just for fun. I recently got a 6 gig plan for my phone anyway, but I like the speed and battery advantages of wifi, not to mention it is just interesting to see the networks that are out there.

When I'm travelling I have really appreciated having open wifi spots available so I can check emails and things without using the cell network. I wonder if Shaw will be allowing travellers and non-Shaw to buy a subscription for a day/week/etc.? That would be very appealing to people visiting from out of country who have data roaming wisely shut off.

[nfotiu]

Man, I never realized how much you guys get hosed for data in Canada. I get 35/35 (ftth that always tests above 40mbps) unlimited for $40 at home, and lte/3g unlimited(grandfathered for now, I admit) for $30.

[The Yen Man]

So can more than one device access this thing at a time? If so, what's to stop me from giving my shaw account to my friends to use for free? Yes, it's added bandwidth, but considering I maybe use 70GB out of the 400GB they give me per month, I don't think my buddies will use up all my bandwidth anytime soon.

[FlamesPuck12]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

So can more than one device access this thing at a time? If so, what's to stop me from giving my shaw account to my friends to use for free? Yes, it's added bandwidth, but considering I maybe use 70GB out of the 400GB they give me per month, I don't think my buddies will use up all my bandwidth anytime soon.

You can connect upto 8 devices per subscription.

[FlamesPuck12]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

Man, I never realized how much you guys get hosed for data in Canada. I get 35/35 (ftth that always tests above 40mbps) unlimited for $40 at home, and lte/3g unlimited(grandfathered for now, I admit) for $30.

Yup, pretty much. If this picks up and it's as good as they're advertising it then my phone bill is going to be significantly cheaper.

[The Yen Man]

IMO, any serious competition to challenge the current crappy cell phone rates are more than welcome. Hopefully it can drop the data charges down a few notches. Go Shaw!

[Old Yeller]

If Shaw implements this successfully and it's reasonably wide spread, this might drag me out of the stone age and into the smart phone era.

I'm really curious how far out they plan on going. I thought I remember Shaw doing a wireless/hotspot pilot in an outer suburb in Calgary previously.

Of course I want them to put wifi modems on every street light in the city but that might be asking slightly too much.

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by woob

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the Cisco "mesh" tech will do this, passing off seamlessly. That why I was curious as to why kind of hardware they are implementing.

Cisco Carrier Routing System

Cisco ASR 5000 Series

Service Provider Wi-Fi

Mobile Internet

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by Old Yeller

If Shaw implements this successfully and it's reasonably wide spread, this might drag me out of the stone age and into the smart phone era.

I'm really curious how far out they plan on going. I thought I remember Shaw doing a wireless/hotspot pilot in an outer suburb in Calgary previously.

Of course I want them to put wifi modems on every street light in the city but that might be asking slightly too much.

I believe the plan may be going in the direction you suggest. An AP at every node, perhaps?

[Jimmy Stang]

Perhaps they eventually want to make it automatic that every home and business also becomes a node on their wifi network. A modest savings per month would be enough to convince a lot of people to get on board, if they go the route of making it optional for customers.

I like the strategy though. It adds value to Shaw subscribers and provides a point of difference from the competition, and could also become a revenue generator if they allow non-Shaw people to buy hours or days of wifi at a reasonable cost. It could also drive down the cost of hotel wifi, if any of them are still charging for it in this day and age, because guests might be able to latch into Shaws network for free or cheaper.

[Violator]

Shaws plan i believe through hearing through friends at Shaw is for them to have wifi across the city.

[Azure]

Aren't there a bunch of cities in the US that already have free Wifi? I would assume they figured out how to make it work.

Either way, interesting thread, and a great idea by Shaw. Can't wait to see how it all works out.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Does this mean we'll see the frequency of cancer increase in the core? Headaches? Reduced productivity? Dizziness?

Wifi is dangerous. When will people learn? That is why they tried to have it banned in schools.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Does this mean we'll see the frequency of cancer increase in the core? Headaches? Reduced productivity? Dizziness?

Wifi is dangerous. When will people learn? That is why they tried to have it banned in schools.

If wifi irradiates a good chunk of downtown maybe parking will get cheaper.

[Old Yeller]

I'll stick with Health Canada's assessment of wifi, maybe we'll all be walking tumours in 10 years, but until then being able to stream music in my car while driving out weighs those risks.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Does this mean we'll see the frequency of cancer increase in the core? Headaches? Reduced productivity? Dizziness?

Wifi is dangerous. When will people learn? That is why they tried to have it banned in schools.

Nice attempt at a troll; thread remains on track.


Glad to hear shaw is trying to push this; but without widespread deployment, its little more than a "gimmick" that few will care about. Heck, Bell has free internet in every starbucks, so they're already 1000x more widespread than Shaw's plan, and you don't see people claiming they're dropping their data plans for it.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Does this mean we'll see the frequency of cancer increase in the core? Headaches? Reduced productivity? Dizziness?

Wifi is dangerous. When will people learn? That is why they tried to have it banned in schools.

Wifi is as bad as your cordless phone, microwave, and all those terrestrial radio waves we've had for almost a century.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

An inability to understand sarcasm may be an early warning sign of brain disease.

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/scienc...#ixzz1gFM6buy1

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/scienc...#ixzz1gFM6buy1

It would be sarcasm if you were using it to mock someone who brought up the whole wifi/health debate.
In this case, sarcasm or not, you brought it up and it was an obvious attempt to troll people, which failed.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Ducay

It would be sarcasm if you were using it to mock someone who brought up the whole wifi/health debate.

Pretty sure that's exactly what he was doing, considering Shaw addresses this explicitly in their FAQ