Wednesday, August 21, 2013

[Consumer Rant & Rave] Shaw Communications, Shaw Direct and their promises. (@ShawInfo @ShawDirect_News)


When CBC went digital a lot of households that depended on rabbit ears and CBC lost TV signal. The digital signal wasn't nearly as far reaching and Shaw Direct stepped up and said they'd ship anyone who was now out of range an SD satellite dish (the old Star dishes) and provide local programming. I didn't expect much more than CBC and possibly CTV and Global. It was actually several Canadian networks. After a few months, they offered me a deal for a whole shlock more channels, including the U.S. networks for $12/mo. Which, you have to admit, is a pretty freaking awesome deal. So I signed up before they could change their minds.

Last May, I got offered that as long as I'm with Shaw Direct, I could have Internet (High Speed 20), Personal Home Phone with 1 year of free long distance and a TV Package (Personal Television) for $55/mo. That was the deal.  Internet, by itself is $50. I do believe that's the cheapest internet they have, which I personally think it is ridiculously expensive. So, all in all, it was a pretty awesome deal.

On my bill last month, it was said my bill may be going up to $66/mo. Now, I'd been being charged $59/mo since the get go, but I didn't feel it was worth butting heads with Shaw about $4/mo. However, for $11/mo more than what I was promised I decided I would poke the bear. It actually took several pokes of the bear for them to actual pay attention to what I was saying. When I started copy and pasting emails of what I was offered, they started to actually realize I had legitimate ground to question how their pants weren't actually on fire.  In the end they offered the olive branch of they'd downgrade me to a lower internet speed and we could call it even.

Now, on the one hand - its still a pretty good deal all things considered. On the other, they haven't kept their word. I'm feeling a bit burned here. I'm not feeling quite upset enough to cancel my account and go over to Comwave,  I did consider signing up with local phone service which had dial up for $9.95/mo. It would mean I'm not gaming any more, but I have been barely gaming now anyway. But I'm also not sure I want to flush this deal down the drain just to make a point.

I'm just very tired of feeling bent over and screwed by telecommunications companies in this country. They could at least buy me dinner first, I miss enough of them to pay them after all.

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