Shaw vs. Telus Cable TV

[jjbouma]

I need to subscribe to a cable provider in the near future and am wondering what people's experience has been with Shaw and Telus, on the basis of picture quality, HD channel selection, and price. I'd be getting my internet from the same provider so that could also be a factor in the selection.

Thanks!

[Mtt48]

I'll just answer briefly, shaw has really good internet I find. Consistently fast speeds, faster speeds than telus and if you bundle it with tv you save 10$/mo I think.

Shaw TV, while being a good product, is freaking expensive. The combo of high speed internet and the cable package to get tsn and sportsnet together is going to cost you 100$. Too much in my opinion. The product is good, just cost.

I have used telus internet and it sucked. I cancelled it after 2-3 months of constant problems and numerous service calls. I have never used their TV.

[wooohooo]

Cable is far superior in everything. Speed, quality...

But I'm having a field day with their Support and billing. I'm on the student plan where I pay $200 for the school year. Sometime in december a guy calls me about a promotion of $10 for basic cable. I do it, working out pretty well until I get my bill. It's over 60 dollars/month... I talk to one of the guys there and I tell him my bill is not right. He talks to me like I'm ######ed and walks me step by step like 5 times over, I tell him it still does not make sense. He sighs in frustration and transfers me to someone else (he's a big dick). I talk to this other women from billing this time. She's even worse... I can barely understand her, she talks to herself so I'm not sure if she's talking to me or to herself. Sometimes she talks and pauses so I think she's asking me a question and I say Pardon me? She then goes to say 'I wasn't talking to you'. Like wow... why the hostility. We go through the bill over and over again... what is there not to get?

I paid for internet for the school year... and so I paid for the $10 cable and should only be paying that... not the $60/month. I explained it multiple times, and she gave me multiple answers... which make no sense at all. Over an hour and we didn't solve anything. Asked to speak to the supervisor and got put on hold for 15 minutes only to be told 'there's no one here!' FFFFF I hate shaw right now, but they're the only provider that offers me a good deal.

[NSFL]

I find my telus internet is pretty good. Reliable now. Definitely not 5 or 6 years ago. Currently I have home phone, internet, cable with learning, chinese and sports channels bundled for $120. Although I can't help you with HD as I don't have that. I've never used shaw. I used to be with Bell and their customer service is awful. I've found Telus really good in that area, totally different than what other people have said.

[Yellefan]

I used to hate telus with a passion, but 6 months ago they offered me a deal to switch back that I couldn't refuse. I have to say, everything is much improved over 7-8 years ago when I was last with them. Has been rock solid (have only rebooted my modem once in the 6 months), torrents aren't throttled so I can download at my top speed and TelusTV with the new mediaroom platform is very comparable to the quality I had with Bell. And I'm paying a grand total of $55/month for phone, TV, and internet for the 1st year. I think it goes up to about $120 after that which is still about $30 cheaper than I was paying shaw/bell.

I have no complaints with telus.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by wooohooo

Cable is far superior in everything. Speed, quality...

But I'm having a field day with their Support and billing.

Exact same here. Left Shaw over billing issues- but putting the two side by side I can tell you which HD signal is Shaw and which is Telus after a few minutes. However my less geeky friends say they can't see it.

Telus also seems to have better pricing when bundled.

[Roast Beef]

I have TELUS TV and my parents have Shaw. Now this is only my experience so others results may vary but I find the TELUS TV picture quality to be better. The TTV PVR interface is far superior. (The Shaw PVR guide and interface looks like the old school Channel 4 from 2 decades ago.) I can't speak for the number of HD channels on Shaw but I am quite happy with my TTV service.

[Flaming Choy]

Does anyone know if Telus has started their Fibre internet/tv service yet?

[Roast Beef]

I know some areas have it. It all depends on how long they take to upgrade your area though.

[Fobby]

A buddy of mine has telus tv, while I have shaw cable.

When I went over to watch the flames game, I said the picture looks faded. When she's over watching the flames game, she said the picture looks pixelated.

Our friends preferred my setup over hers for what it's worth.

Telus is cheaper though when bundled (only if you sign a silly contract). My sister signed a 3 year with Telus, and if she terminates it early, it's 600 dollars.

I have heard that you can watch your pvred show on any TV with a terminal on Telus TV. Shaw needs to get on that...

[MickMcGeough]

Shaw is expensive and has only 30 or so HD channels if you buy everything. Kinda weak, IMO. But the basic internet is awesome. I can hit around 1.3 megabytes/sec download speeds on good torrents/sites. On a good day I can pull down 720p blu-ray rips in an hour or so. Since I download as much TV as I watch, it offsets the weak HD selection.

[Playfair's Hairgel]

If you want service and dont mind paying a little extra for it, SHAW is the way to go.

For me personally I find Shaw is the way to go, the service, the courtesy and the fact that you dont have to hit 60 prompts to talk to someone is enough for me to stay with Shaw.

[MickMcGeough]

Originally Posted by Playfair's Hairgel

If you want service and dont mind paying a little extra for it, SHAW is the way to go.

For me personally I find Shaw is the way to go, the service, the courtesy and the fact that you dont have to hit 60 prompts to talk to someone is enough for me to stay with Shaw.

Caveat to this is that if you need a service call, Shaw typically gives you a 9am-5pm window during which you must be at home.

They will not call to tell you the guy is on his way, but they will call you minutes after he leaves to reschedule...

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Playfair's Hairgel

If you want service and dont mind paying a little extra for it, SHAW is the way to go.

For me personally I find Shaw is the way to go, the service, the courtesy and the fact that you dont have to hit 60 prompts to talk to someone is enough for me to stay with Shaw.

Yeah except the reps at Shaw are cranky and incompetent. I used to work at Shaw so I generally have a good idea what's wrong when my PVR or cable is on the fritz. I've had so many times where I'll call them and tell them what's wrong and that a tech is needed and they run through their troubleshooting and temporarily fix the problem. I'll tell them that I already went through this and they usually answer with 'Well I don't see any notes on the account.'

Yeah, I like to lie about the problems I've been having, you ignorant ######.

[OilKiller]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Yeah except the reps at Shaw are cranky and incompetent. I used to work at Shaw so I generally have a good idea what's wrong when my PVR or cable is on the fritz. I've had so many times where I'll call them and tell them what's wrong and that a tech is needed and they run through their troubleshooting and temporarily fix the problem. I'll tell them that I already went through this and they usually answer with 'Well I don't see any notes on the account.'

Yeah, I like to lie about the problems I've been having, you ignorant .

It's the same problem calling anywhere. I was ready to KILL the reps at Bell after I had been with them for a while. Same difference everywhere unfortunately.

[stampsx2]

Never had Telus TV but read it was comparable to an etch-a-sketch (still looking for that thread). Shaw is a little more expensive but for the most part have pretty good service in my opinion (Shaw usually has next day appointments and 2 hour windows).

I had telus internet a very long time ago however and will never do that again.

I will never get Telus TV after reading these two threads on the subject

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=52990

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...ighlight=telus

[Redliner]

I have been a Shaw customer for years, and although they are on the expensive side, I've always been happy with the product offering. The customer service is about as good as you get anywhere these days.

Just before last Christmas, Telus called me and offered me a screaming good deal if I would sign a contract and switch everything over to them. At the time I had the full digital phone package from Shaw, as well as high speed internet and the mid-range cable package. (no HD) Telus said they would match my phone plan, give me their ADSL internet, and offered me their IDTV with the HD package. If I signed on for 3 years they would throw in two PVRs. Their package came in a good $40 less per month than what I was paying with Shaw, and I seriously considered switching even through my brother, who works in the industry, strongly cautioned me against it.

On a whim, I called Shaw and told them what had happened. To my surprise, they bent over backwards to keep my business. I kept my phone plan, (with a couple of minor changes) my same hi-speed internet, and they upgraded my cable to their full digital TV package, including the HD channels. They gave me a PVR for one TV and a digital terminal for the other, which was fine because that TV isn't HD anyway, and they undercut Telus' offer by 20 bucks a month and I didn't have to sign a contract. I was amazed at how nice they were, and the length they went to to keep my business. It kind of sucks that I had to call and threaten to switch providers to get the deal - if I hadn't said anything, I would still be paying the full shot for an lesser product. Still, it's encouraging that they are willing to work with you.

One of the guys I work with got the same call from Telus I did, only he decided to switch. He hates the Telus TV, says the colour is weird and the picture isn't as sharp as it was on Shaw. His internet is nowhere near as fast, either. Now he is locked into a contract for 3 years and can't wait for it to expire.

[Old Yeller]

Interesting Redliner... I have phone/internet/TV all with Shaw and while Telus has never called me, it makes me tempted to call up Shaw and say they have and gave me quite a good offer.

[Antithesis]

I would be really interested in hearing from someone who has Telus' new "anywhere PVR" or whatever it is called ... multi-room or what not. Seems like they have taken an advantage in the hardware sense over Shaw and Bell though I am no hardware expert.

Bell has been OK with us so far but I am always worried about the screwup that's sure to come according to many on the site! Shaw and Telus both have been making some awesome offers lately but I tell them both ... until one of them adds Playhouse Disney to their lineup ... my wife would murder me for a switch.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by MickMcGeough

Shaw is expensive and has only 30 or so HD channels if you buy everything.

??? I've got almost 30 HD channels with just the basic HD package.

I've got shaw and won't go to telus. Tried them about a decade ago, got screwed over, and the customer service was horrid even by customer service standards. That, and their commercials annoy the hell out of me.