CFN – I did something I swore I’d never do this weekend. I signed up for traditional TV signing with Shaw Direct instead of Bell or our local Cable company Cogeco. (Bell didn’t answer their phone within 5 minutes and Cogeco is just wrong – a horrible company in my opinion.)
It was an easy decision to go with Shaw as I’d used their service the last time I had TV which was over three years ago. There was no long term contract or bs offers; no bait and switch. As a consumer I liked that even though the content package was a bit better with the other guys.
Life was pleasant during the three year interim. No withdrawals, but I cover Hockey and politics and I needed that extra bit of content.
Everyone knows that TV is moving to the net, but it’s not quite happening fast enough. Frankly what I’m worried about most is being corrupted by 24/7 really bad TV offerings; reality shows in particular.
Here in Canada if the average person wants phone, internet, and TV in their home they’re looking at over $100 per month and closer to $200 unless you’re on the bare minimum plans. Scary huh?
Maybe that’s why people don’t go to as many live events?
So dear viewers of CFN, do you still have cable or satellite TV? Do you have internet in your home? Home phone or just go with a Cell?
You can post your comments below.
Congratulations Jamie. Our cable TV and internet come to over $120./month and that does not count cell phones or anything else. Shaw is a pretty good company to deal with and they are from the west. I am surprised about Cogeco being bad and Rogers is for the pits. When you call Rogers you usually get India or some other place like that and my husband who has a heavy accent cannot understand one word and puts one of us on the phone to talk to them and try to decifer what they say. I would love to dith the TV and I only use the net but my family watches TV but not the ridiculous programs on there. Take care and all the best.
No TV for me for about twenty years. Someone gave me an antenna and digital conversion box to run my ancient TV that’s sitting in a closet, but I haven’t tried it yet. Might hook it up this winter if I get really really bored.
The Cogeco packages are outrageously high. I pay $197.00 monthly for all three, phone, internet and TV. I pay a little extra for French stations and FOX News channel.
If there was half decent shows to watch, the pain wouldn’t be so bad.
These package channels are a farce and should be changed. One pays for an entire package in order to get one channel they are interested in but all the other channels that come with the package is garbage.
Why can’t we just pay for what we WANT TO WATCH rather then pay for packages that are not worth a cent.
We use TekSavvy for internet..very reasonable considering the alternatives..also is unlimited..so we also have a Netflix account. Booted Cogegouge to the curb a couple months ago..Now using outdoor antenna with rotor and I get plenty of good quality TV in HD AND DT..and now saving over $100 per month and watching FREE TV. Sure can’t complain about that.
I use teksavvy for my internet and my home phone and their long distance is quite cheap.. Bell for TV minimum package as there is not much on TV.. I only use cell for emergencies so I have Telus pay and talk top up at $10 a month..
We have pay as you go cell phones and I have my husband use it to call his sisters overseas even though he has a ton of calling cards here. I don’t use my phone at all and it just sits around collecting dust since I keep it off when home. When I go out I take it.
We have the basic cable and the internet high speed and it comes over $124 or $125 at present. I say present because it keeps going higher and higher and my husband gets on the line and screams at the cable and even to Bell Canada for the home phone and they sure know that it is him who is calling yelling at all of them.
My family doesn’t watch the stupid programs on TV and we have another method of getting TV and watch what we like. I would love to throw the TV out so far away that you might even be able to catch it in the air in Cornwall that is how far I would love to throw it and beyond. My husband sleeps with the TV on in the living room and calls it his sleeping pill.
There was a man from India that came to our building trying to get customers for Bell Fibe since he works for Bell and I told him that there was nothing on TV and that Rogers was a loss and a nightmare as is. The owner heard me saying that there was nothing on except for the “Trashcan Kardashians and the like” and that I don’t watch TV and not to be shocked if I throw the TV off the balcony. LOL LOL. It is pure garbage and nothing worth while paying for at all. It is a complete and total waste of money. I only use the net and that is all.
Jules you can get internet from Start.ca in Ottawa too.
Have not had T.V since Sept. 2010. I do not miss the commercials one bit. No interest in having it again, to busy reading, writing and conversing.
MY two cents worth.
Hey, maybe soon you will be able to get Videotron in your nick of the woods just like the folks in the Eastern part of ONTARIO.
Of course, they wouldn’t allow Rogers in Quebec though but Videotron in Ontario — perfectly fine —
Just like EVERYTHING else, “they” play by a different set of rules.
Oh and PS, i have had LOT’S of experience with SHAW and i can tell you… All is “sorta” fine till you need customer service.
Then you can expect to… well, let’s just put it this way. You’d best , buy yourself a good book NOW and leave it beside the phone for when THAT TIME DOES COME.
Hey, just in time for hockey season. Go Sens go 🙂
Because I believe in free enterprise I will never agree to monopoly’s therefore Bell is not the answer .
Shaw I prefer and being an self professed news Junckie I have many news channels to get varying views on the same subject …one cannot just rely on one source.
Todays TV is garbage I used to like TLC but its become the reality channel ,like really why wast my time on watching the CAKE BOSS or many other reality TV.
If I watch other than News its usually documentaries or educational material ….I know boring …but I do so much enjoy being informed .
I do like Question Period ,the political ring is the best soap opera ever ,its too bad Canadians don’t realize this.
But in thinking of all of this ,there must be a good reason why these reality shows exist and chances are people want to settle after a busy hard day and watch junk food TV as its stress free and entertaining.
Sad part of all of this the average person does not watch local ,nationwide or international news to get a better grasp of whats going on .
An informed public tends to be more interactive with their community and Country.
I’m a news junky too, but there’s no way that I can watch made up meat-puppets wagging their heads, throwing their hand about, and trying to look intelligent and sincere at the same time. Even our beloved CBC TV news has become a joke. Sure, Peter Mansbridge now stands up while reading what passes for news, and the graphics are amazing, but fluff is fluff.
Cell phone only for 3 years, with Virgin Mobile, occasionally changing my plan with them, to get the best rate possible.
I cut the TV and Internet cord with Bell at the end of 2012. I stream TV through the broadcasters apps or their website, I also use Netflix and BBC Iplayer. Signed up with Start.ca for their high speed internet and I cut my bill by approximately 60%.
I also borrow DVDs (and books) from the Cornwall Public Library.
I don’t miss watching watching TV by traditional means, as most shows and news are available online.
Global TV’s app was recently updated and they now only allow you to watch a show within 7 days of being put online, rather than having it available for up to 3 weeks. They now require you to have a login id and password from a TV Service Provider to access a program more than 7 days old or to watch live TV from a Global station. I feel this a bit of a backward step for TV on the internet, because more people are moving to access shows on internet and we are not necessarily looking for access to the whole season of a show. I wasn’t watching the commercials when I had PVR or DVR, now I do have to watch them if I really want to watch the show online. City TVs app only lets me view shows on my tablet. I can’t stream it to my TV or even connect to my TV with a cable. Love to see that change.
For now I live with the limitations, and hopefully won’t have to pay the big bucks again to watch TV.
The only reality programming I watch is the news and documentaries. No Kardashians need apply.