Shaw $5 Purchased Modem Discount - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

GumboKing · 2011-03-08, 07:47 PM

This discussion started in the Shaw Cable programming and pricing discussion thread but I moved the topic here as it is probably more relevant under Internet.

First some background on how this got started...
In examining my Shaw bill last month I was looking at ways to perhaps reduce it. I then noticed that the base price of my Digital TV/ Movies & High-Speed Internet was $121.95, which was $5 more than the price stated on Shaw's website, but with my $5 "Purchased Modem Discount" the final cost was $116.95 (the base price quoted on the website) When I asked Shaw about it they just said "When I review your bill you are being billed $121.95. We then give you a $5 modem discount. This will bring your bill to the same rate you see online for $116.95." That did not answer my question but I didn't pursue it.

With the upcoming increase in pricing combined with their new "Personalized Bundles" I wanted to find out exactly why the base price on my bill seemed to be inflated by $5 which was then reduced by the modem discount to $116.95 instead of starting at $116.95 and being reduced to $111.95 like it should be. Shaw Guru (one of their reps) says the Purchased Modem Discount is still valid, so I am waiting for them/him to confirm that it will be applied to the current pricing.

The discount I'm talking about came from when I signed up for Shaw Internet in Aug. 2003, when the modem cost $59.95 + tax and the discount has been on every bill since then. As it has been over 7 years, I don't really care if they actually still have the discount or not. I do care that they try to make it look like there is one when there actually isn't, especially when they continue to this day to say it should still be there.

So the purpose of this thread is to try and determine when Shaw stopped "selling" their internet modems, and to try and figure out when they added the extra $5 to the base cost of the cable/internet bundle to people who were supposedly receiving the same $5 discount I was. I'm also interested in how many out there were also getting the alleged "$5 Purchase Modem Discount".

Sorry for the long post, but I think that Shaw has come very close to defrauding their long-time customers and I am sure most others who might see the discount on their bill expect to actually get it. Granted it is only $5 a month, but this has gone on for at least 6 months as far as I can tell, so it adds up.

Cockroach · 2011-03-08, 07:53 PM

Back in 2006, or maybe late 2005, Shaw convinced us to purchase the modem we had been using for the past 4 or so years for some $30 or 60, saving $5 a month. We switched to Telus in 2007 so haven't fallen into that trap.

YFZKoj · 2011-03-08, 08:09 PM

I just had a similar interaction with Shaw while trying to reduce my bill as well.
I've since gone to Telus for a variety of reasons but this alleged $5.00 discount was part of it.

The bottom line for me was that I cold not get a straight answer from anyone there. I had one CSR rep. tell me I could buy my modem to try to reduce my monthly bill only to tell him that I already had purchased it. Spoke with a "loyalty" rep telling my that the bill reflected the discount even though I, like you, was telling him that they were inflating my monthly bill by adding this modem charge. He then went on to tell me why Shaw was better than Telus because they offer "discounts" when you purchase your equipment.

As far as I'm concerned when I purchase something I own it and therefore it should not be a "value added" feature for a service. Another Shaw fail.

I would advise to move on Telus.

RalphG · 2011-03-08, 08:13 PM

My monthly Shaw services are exactly the same as yours, $116.95 net of the $5.00 purchased modem discount. If there is no charge for a rental modem now I would at least like to have a new modem and keep my purchased one as an emergency spare. I haven't approached Shaw about this yet but it is on my "to do" list now.

dabell · 2011-03-08, 09:35 PM

I will be calling tomorrow as well. My bill clearly has $52 showing for high speed internet, Shaw's page shows price at $47. I do have the $5 modem discount on the bill as well.

Shaw Guru · 2011-03-14, 01:20 PM

The price for internet is set at $52 (going up to $54 in April) then there is a modem discount of $5 (rental and purchased modems both now receive the $5 discount) which nets a price of $47. After that if you have cable it will drop $10 and if you have phone it drops $20.

WetCoaster · 2011-03-14, 05:56 PM

No no - its simple

1. Internet cost $47 (as per Shaw's website)

2. Several years ago Shaw said "If you buy our modem we will give you a $5 discount on your internet charge"

3. $47 - $5 = $42

Shaw are reneging on their deal! They can't sell you something and then say "It doesn't apply any more".

So Shaw should buy back my modem, for $60 + inflation$, and then charge me $47. A deal is a deal.

It wasn't until I started to look closer at my Shaw bill that I realised I was in this group. When did it change? I am sure they never notified me, or if they did it was some obscure message on my bill, a message I probably wouldn't see. This is a typical Shaw strategy, and they sure go out of their way piss-off their customers, me being a triple-player to boot!

There is no competition for the same level of speed where I am or else I would seriously look at jumping ship..

E

jechow · 2011-03-14, 11:49 PM

I'm with you Wetcoaster. I also purchased a modem at a time when Shaw and Telus was providing you a $5 discount when you took the risk of maintaining your own equipment. They also told me that now everyone is getting a $5 discount. I looked on the website and I told the CSR my internet plan was $5 more than posted and the CSR said that the price on my invoice was before the discount and the post internet price was including the discount (there was no indication of that on the website) which was available to everyone. Bullsh*t!

What they did was not right so I have also decided to reneg on my loyalty and I now just jump from deal to deal between Telus-Shaw. I've setup my office so that I have both a telephone line and cable line. In the future, I may also include Windmobile in the rotation: Telus-Shaw-Windmobile.

BTW, you can use an internet stick in a Cradlepoint router.

2011-03-08, 07:47 PM	#1
GumboKing Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 159	Shaw $5 Purchased Modem Discount This discussion started in the Shaw Cable programming and pricing discussion thread but I moved the topic here as it is probably more relevant under Internet. First some background on how this got started... In examining my Shaw bill last month I was looking at ways to perhaps reduce it. I then noticed that the base price of my Digital TV/ Movies & High-Speed Internet was $121.95, which was $5 more than the price stated on Shaw's website, but with my $5 "Purchased Modem Discount" the final cost was $116.95 (the base price quoted on the website) When I asked Shaw about it they just said "When I review your bill you are being billed $121.95. We then give you a $5 modem discount. This will bring your bill to the same rate you see online for $116.95." That did not answer my question but I didn't pursue it. With the upcoming increase in pricing combined with their new "Personalized Bundles" I wanted to find out exactly why the base price on my bill seemed to be inflated by $5 which was then reduced by the modem discount to $116.95 instead of starting at $116.95 and being reduced to $111.95 like it should be. Shaw Guru (one of their reps) says the Purchased Modem Discount is still valid, so I am waiting for them/him to confirm that it will be applied to the current pricing. The discount I'm talking about came from when I signed up for Shaw Internet in Aug. 2003, when the modem cost $59.95 + tax and the discount has been on every bill since then. As it has been over 7 years, I don't really care if they actually still have the discount or not. I do care that they try to make it look like there is one when there actually isn't, especially when they continue to this day to say it should still be there. So the purpose of this thread is to try and determine when Shaw stopped "selling" their internet modems, and to try and figure out when they added the extra $5 to the base cost of the cable/internet bundle to people who were supposedly receiving the same $5 discount I was. I'm also interested in how many out there were also getting the alleged "$5 Purchase Modem Discount". Sorry for the long post, but I think that Shaw has come very close to defrauding their long-time customers and I am sure most others who might see the discount on their bill expect to actually get it. Granted it is only $5 a month, but this has gone on for at least 6 months as far as I can tell, so it adds up.

2011-03-14, 01:20 PM	#6
Shaw Guru Veteran Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: BC. Shaw Cable, 42" Samsung DLP, 6416 w/expander & DCX3400 Posts: 1,900	The price for internet is set at $52 (going up to $54 in April) then there is a modem discount of $5 (rental and purchased modems both now receive the $5 discount) which nets a price of $47. After that if you have cable it will drop $10 and if you have phone it drops $20. __________________ Designated Shaw Employee representative for Cable & Digital Cable for Digital Home Forums.

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2011-03-08, 07:53 PM	#2
Cockroach Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Vancouver Posts: 579	Back in 2006, or maybe late 2005, Shaw convinced us to purchase the modem we had been using for the past 4 or so years for some $30 or 60, saving $5 a month. We switched to Telus in 2007 so haven't fallen into that trap.

2011-03-08, 08:09 PM	#3
YFZKoj Rookie Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 24	I just had a similar interaction with Shaw while trying to reduce my bill as well. I've since gone to Telus for a variety of reasons but this alleged $5.00 discount was part of it. The bottom line for me was that I cold not get a straight answer from anyone there. I had one CSR rep. tell me I could buy my modem to try to reduce my monthly bill only to tell him that I already had purchased it. Spoke with a "loyalty" rep telling my that the bill reflected the discount even though I, like you, was telling him that they were inflating my monthly bill by adding this modem charge. He then went on to tell me why Shaw was better than Telus because they offer "discounts" when you purchase your equipment. As far as I'm concerned when I purchase something I own it and therefore it should not be a "value added" feature for a service. Another Shaw fail. I would advise to move on Telus.

2011-03-08, 08:13 PM	#4
RalphG Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Vancouver Island, BC, Canada Posts: 152	My monthly Shaw services are exactly the same as yours, $116.95 net of the $5.00 purchased modem discount. If there is no charge for a rental modem now I would at least like to have a new modem and keep my purchased one as an emergency spare. I haven't approached Shaw about this yet but it is on my "to do" list now.

2011-03-08, 09:35 PM	#5
dabell Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sooke,BC Posts: 621	I will be calling tomorrow as well. My bill clearly has $52 showing for high speed internet, Shaw's page shows price at $47. I do have the $5 modem discount on the bill as well.

2011-03-14, 05:56 PM	#7
WetCoaster Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 26	No no - its simple 1. Internet cost $47 (as per Shaw's website) 2. Several years ago Shaw said "If you buy our modem we will give you a $5 discount on your internet charge" 3. $47 - $5 = $42 Shaw are reneging on their deal! They can't sell you something and then say "It doesn't apply any more". So Shaw should buy back my modem, for $60 + inflation$, and then charge me $47. A deal is a deal. It wasn't until I started to look closer at my Shaw bill that I realised I was in this group. When did it change? I am sure they never notified me, or if they did it was some obscure message on my bill, a message I probably wouldn't see. This is a typical Shaw strategy, and they sure go out of their way piss-off their customers, me being a triple-player to boot! There is no competition for the same level of speed where I am or else I would seriously look at jumping ship.. E

2011-03-14, 11:49 PM	#8
jechow Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 37	I'm with you Wetcoaster. I also purchased a modem at a time when Shaw and Telus was providing you a $5 discount when you took the risk of maintaining your own equipment. They also told me that now everyone is getting a $5 discount. I looked on the website and I told the CSR my internet plan was $5 more than posted and the CSR said that the price on my invoice was before the discount and the post internet price was including the discount (there was no indication of that on the website) which was available to everyone. Bullsh*t! What they did was not right so I have also decided to reneg on my loyalty and I now just jump from deal to deal between Telus-Shaw. I've setup my office so that I have both a telephone line and cable line. In the future, I may also include Windmobile in the rotation: Telus-Shaw-Windmobile. BTW, you can use an internet stick in a Cradlepoint router.