Shaw Cable loses 13,577 basic cable subs in quarter

[Jimsathome]

Originally Posted by hugh

Actually I think the Gateway has the potential of increasing losses in the short term because it stimulates a purchase decision by the consumer. When you stimulate the decision, consumers start to compare and look at alternatives.

Simply, if Shaw Customers suddenly decide they need a whole home gateway, then a few could defect to Telus.

My belief is Shaw is going to continue to lose tv customers to Telus in the same way Telus lost telephone customers to Shaw in the last five years. Shaw really just has to try and limit the damage.

IMO, the best way for Shaw to keep customers is to get wireless going.

I totally agree Shaw Cable is causing a lot of folks to look around and see if there is low hanging fruit from another supplier that fits their needs. In my case I've been a loyal Shaw Cable Customer since about 1994 (?) when they aquired me in a trade with Rogers in Greater Vancouver. (Like Hockey Player - makes you feel wanted...) Perhaps it's time to become a Free Agent and look around.

[Brent McKee]

Is there a breakdown of these losses on a province by province basis? Since there is so much discussion in this thread about Telus and the Optik system you would expect that a higher percentage of the lost basic cable subscribers would be in Alberta and British Columbia than in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario where Telus service isn't available. If the percentage of subscribers who left Shaw is higher in Alberta and BC than it is in the other three regions then there is an impact. If the percentage is relatively stable across the board then there has to be a different explanation.

[hugh]

Shaw does not break out numbers by province. FWIW, during analyst calls in the last two quarters, Shaw has made it clear that the lost TV subs are primarily going to Telus. They have also said they wouldn't compete on price since that was a "race to the bottom"

Shaw recognizes they are in a bit of a dogfight on this one.

[roopster77]

It might be me, but there seems to be some bias against Shaw here. I have had nothing but good service from them since the changeover from Rogers several years back.

Most things are seldom perfect. I would always love more HD channels and for my internet to be the fastest available.

My biggest complaint right now is that Shaw is out of the new modems so I can get the BB50... I have to suffer with a mere 25 right now... what is a guy to do?

My phone has gone down once since I had it installed and I was one of the first in the area so that is several years back now. It has enhanced 911 (I like that).

My internet is ROCK SOLID. I just want the new modem....

My Cable is excellent. More HD please...

The service on the phone is consistenly good to excellent. The installers are always friendly and helpful.

So I need a faster modem... I can wait a bit...

I kinda like seeing a western company do well btw...

Finally, no, I don't work for Shaw, I just remember what I had to deal with before they were my service provider....

I step off the podium now...

[worldboy79]

It's true that Shaw may eventually gain some of those customers back from Telus, though in business from a cost point of view, it's usually more profitable for a company to retain a customer then to go through the additional expense of disconnecting them and reconnect them at some point down the line (making house calls and all). Overall I don't think any provider is cheaper, just that they offer those special discounted rates for the first few months. Here in MB Shaw seems to lose quite a few t.v. customers to MTS T.V., but I assume Shaw is gaining some home phone customers from MTS.

[EricReesor]

If shaw had guts they could blow everything out of the water by introducing an all in one box. A box that will do nutflix, youtube, e-mail, cable with pvr, facebook, forums like this one and even cloud services and watch what happens. There is no reason why this cannot happen. Heck I can even conceive of a device that can do all of the above and even web cam, online phone, and dlna all at the same time.

With the advent of internet capable TVs why not throw an all in one device into the mix. The cost of designing and building a device like this would be no great problem as most internet capable entertainment/communication devices are running Linux. Today the only thing that is holding the delivery of such a device is stuck in the mud traditional thinking and perhaps fear by the tv broadcasters associations of which Shaw is now a member!

Telus and the CRTC would have kittens and perhaps this would change the game and simplify things for everyone.

[roopster77]

@EricReesor - I love your suggestion AND your tagline!

[audacity]

Originally Posted by EricReesor

If shaw had guts they could blow everything out of the water by introducing an all in one box. A box that will do nutflix, youtube, e-mail, cable with pvr, facebook, forums like this one and even cloud services and watch what happens. There is no reason why this cannot happen. Heck I can even conceive of a device that can do all of the above and even web cam, online phone, and dlna all at the same time.

The issue is that Shaw doesn't have competency in consumer electronic devices, it doesn't have the industrial design capabilities or the manufacturing infrastructure. Historically it has always outsourced this and purchased their equipment from companies like Motorola.

Other companies are actively working on the problem you describe (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Boxee, Samsung, Sony, etc) but Shaw chooses not to be a part of those solutions because Shaw requires that you purchase their proprietary devices in order to decode their encrypted QAM signal. I wrote a post about clear QAM that is a more detailed argument that I won't repeat here. I'll just summarize it by saying that if Shaw continues with their current model they are locking their TV business out of the future.

I'll also point out that there are devices available that do everything you describe and more. I even have a couple, and have for many years. They are called HTPCs, and back when Shaw provided (and we were happy with) unencrypted analog signals Shaw could be part of the solution. Today, including Shaw as part of these do-everything devices is just not worth the extra effort.

That is why I am no longer a Shaw cable subscriber and get my content via OTA HD (recorded using PVR software) and streaming video from the internet (via a browser).

BTW, TV broadcasters are more than happy to release their content on the internet for free.

[cslusarc]

OK, I think that Shaw should work with Motorla and Pace to develop a multi-function Set-Top Box that will replace the HD-PVR DCT, the DOCSIS Modem, Wireless Router, a Desktop Computer, AM/FM Radio and a CD/DVD/Blue Ray Player.

[hugh]

Closing as this is way off topic