Shaw vs. Telus Cable TV

[oilyfan]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

The cable itself is much superior to the lines Telus runs IMO.

The problem with Shaw is they are faced with a battle that alot of old companies are faced with. When do you cut off analog cable and go all digital forcing everyone to get a digital box. Prior to Verizon FIOS and Telus Optik, Shaw nor any of the other cable companies had to invest in breakthrough new technologies. Even with Telus Optik and all their investment in infrastructure they are only now on par with Shaw and the only thing advantage Optik has is the Guide Software.

PVR anywhere, and remote recording are huge advantages that Telus has right now. The guide in my mind is secondary, but even that is way ahead of Shaw.

Not to mention fibre can carry more data than cables to the home, in new neighbourhoods (GPON) Telus is running Fibre to the home, huge advantage.

[Ethaniel]

Originally Posted by moon

Telus internet sucks compared to Shaw, but that is only based on having Shaw for about 3 weeks now.

Other things are pretty much similar.

Yeah but I am going from Shaw High Speed to Telus Optik High Speed Turbo so I am sure i will still see an increase in Internet.

[amorak]

Shaw internet sucks comapred to Telus.

I had Shaw 15mbps service and now I have Telus Optik 15mbps.

I get, from newsgroups, 1.8mbps down, 24/7

On shaw, I maxed out at 1.6mbps nad during peak hours it woudl drop below 1mbps.

Telus speed is constant, Shaw flucated and never met the amazing 1.8mbps constant speed that Telus gives me.

Now if someone can get me on Telus's VDSL profile in my neibourghhood, I will buy them a lto fo beer.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by oilyfan

PVR anywhere, and remote recording are huge advantages that Telus has right now. The guide in my mind is secondary, but even that is way ahead of Shaw.

Not to mention fibre can carry more data than cables to the home, in new neighbourhoods (GPON) Telus is running Fibre to the home, huge advantage.

The software includes the guide, pvr anywhere and remote recording.

I am no expert in the science behind fibre vs cable but you can compact alot of wavelengths in a cable line if it doesnt have to run analog signals.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

The software includes the guide, pvr anywhere and remote recording.

I am no expert in the science behind fibre vs cable but you can compact alot of wavelengths in a cable line if it doesnt have to run analog signals.

Yup, and as Shaw steers more and more people to the DCX line with MoCA and mp4 decoding, there will be a lot more available bandwidth and features.

Kermit, how do you know they are going Moxi? Doesn't make sense to me as there is no MoCA support.

Shaw would have to rent M-Cards and provide analog dongles and you wouldn't be able to access VOD and PPV. I don't see Shaw going this route.

EDIT: Whoops. I didn't know they had platform and management solutions as well. Nevermind.

[oilyfan]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

The software includes the guide, pvr anywhere and remote recording.

I am no expert in the science behind fibre vs cable but you can compact alot of wavelengths in a cable line if it doesnt have to run analog signals.

Fibre can carry upto 2.5 Gbps over 200 km, cable doesn't have that kind of bandwidth. I know Shaw has a fibre backbone, but Telus is bringing it much closer to the home and in a lot of cases to the home

[Ethaniel]

Originally Posted by oilyfan

Fibre can carry upto 2.5 Gbps over 200 km, cable doesn't have that kind of bandwidth. I know Shaw has a fibre backbone, but Telus is bringing it much closer to the home and in a lot of cases to the home

That is what I was told that I have a Line coming directly into my home. Thus I can basically do whatever I want with the Telus Optik Branding.

[kermitology]

nm

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by MickMcGeough

This raises an interesting point. In deciding if I would go on contract with Telus or month-to-month as I was on Shaw, I balanced the value of the hardware & rentals against the potential cost of early cancellation and it was clear for me that the contract was the best option. I wanted an XBox anyway and after I take the value of that, plus the discounts for the first 6 months, plus the free HD-PVR rental, I end up ahead even if I cancel after a year.

That said, for me to even do that, the Optik service would either have to all of a sudden turn crappy, or Shaw would have to come out with something better. And while I'm sure Shaw will come out with comparable technology in the next year or so I don't know what they could add that would make me want to switch back.

What sorts of features could Shaw provide that would make it better on paper than Optik?

I know this isn't TV, but the point has already been made that Shaw will match or exceed Optik TV before long.

I think the one thing that would get me to move back is having gigabit fiber internet to my house. Who knows how long before that becomes available city-wide though, as Shaw is only a few months into its first test area.

[Old Yeller]

Why is Telus's guide so inherently superior to Shaw's?

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Old Yeller

Why is Telus's guide so inherently superior to Shaw's?

Shaw's guide, especially on older Motorola boxes, is a bit slow to respond. There might be some other features available, but I don't know what they are.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by oilyfan

Fibre can carry upto 2.5 Gbps over 200 km, cable doesn't have that kind of bandwidth. I know Shaw has a fibre backbone, but Telus is bringing it much closer to the home and in a lot of cases to the home

Not that it matters for a home user but the last I heard modern coax networks can push 10Gbps with edge QAMs.

Pure fibre has always been greater over longer distances hence why Telcos use it and hence why you cant get shaw cable in smaller towns because its just not worth it for them, but over shorter distances I have always been lead to believe that the coax cable is the superior cable.

It just happens that with the number of Telco's and their need for innovation they have found ways to keep up. When you strip away the plastic exterior of your basic coax each wire thread in there is capable of at least 10 different wavelengths on each strand - thats alot of theoretical bandwidth.

I have always compared Fibre vs Coax with GSM vs CDMA. CDMA theoretically is the better technology but when 80% of the world uses GSM because of its initial lower installation costs you get alot of innovation out of pure need.

Its been a while since I had to do the math on different wavelength possibilities for different mediums, maybe its time to dust off the ole textbook

[oilyfan]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Not that it matters for a home user but the last I heard modern coax networks can push 10Gbps with edge QAMs.

Pure fibre has always been greater over longer distances hence why Telcos use it and hence why you cant get shaw cable in smaller towns because its just not worth it for them, but over shorter distances I have always been lead to believe that the coax cable is the superior cable.

It just happens that with the number of Telco's and their need for innovation they have found ways to keep up. When you strip away the plastic exterior of your basic coax each wire thread in there is capable of at least 10 different wavelengths on each strand - thats alot of theoretical bandwidth.

I have always compared Fibre vs Coax with GSM vs CDMA. CDMA theoretically is the better technology but when 80% of the world uses GSM because of its initial lower installation costs you get alot of innovation out of pure need.

Its been a while since I had to do the math on different wavelength possibilities for different mediums, maybe its time to dust off the ole textbook

Yes Coax could carry more data over short distances, but no one is doing it, the fastest shaw is running right now on coax is 100mbps using DOCIS, a better way to deliver bandwidth is through fibre. Shaw is experimenting with this, but they are way behind Telus.

[MickMcGeough]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

The software includes the guide, pvr anywhere and remote recording.

If, by "the guide software", you really mean the hardware, technology, and operating system.

[PsnaP]

alright... where is it?

Originally Posted by amorak

Shaw internet sucks comapred to Telus.

I had Shaw 15mbps service and now I have Telus Optik 15mbps.

I get, from newsgroups, 1.8mbps down, 24/7

On shaw, I maxed out at 1.6mbps nad during peak hours it woudl drop below 1mbps.

Telus speed is constant, Shaw flucated and never met the amazing 1.8mbps constant speed that Telus gives me.

Now if someone can get me on Telus's VDSL profile in my neibourghhood, I will buy them a lto fo beer.

[amorak]

Originally Posted by PsnaP

alright... where is it?

HUGE UPS TO PSNAP! 20 plus calls to Telus tech support and this guy has me on a vdsl profile with multiple HD streams in minutes!

I owe you beers!

[Mazrim]

For those who don't live in newer neighbourhoods, Shaw is still a better choice for internet. When I fill out the form thingy on Telus' website, the thing doesn't let me select Optik Turbo, just regular Optik High Speed. I guess that happens in a multi-family complex built in the early 70s.

[silentsim]

Originally Posted by PsnaP

alright... where is it?

huh

i want it!

im on a 1HD 2SD profile =(

[theonlywhiteout]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

For those who don't live in newer neighbourhoods, Shaw is still a better choice for internet. When I fill out the form thingy on Telus' website, the thing doesn't let me select Optik Turbo, just regular Optik High Speed. I guess that happens in a multi-family complex built in the early 70s.

optik high speed is a 15 megabit download internet..

[FlamesKickAss]

what does VDSL do?? Sounds good!