Videotron Rant Thread

[Tanta]

On April 4th, Illico 2.0's official launch date here, I will examine changes to the IPG on my Cisco 4642. Then, I will check my SA8300, which will probably be stuck on Illico 1. I wonder if Videotron will offer rebates to those who choose to stick with Illico 1?

[rainey]

Tanta please post if the changes are worth the wait. I do not believe there will be any rebates for the older machines which is unfortunate.

[Tanta]

Gillest, on the French forum, reminded me that I have to order it; the upgrades are not automatic. I will call tomorrow, as some customers are getting it 'pushed through' earlier. I watched the press conference on the 27th, and I have read enough on Broadbandreports to know that the 8300's will not get the upgrade. Unless they offer a free Samsung to replace my 8300, within a reasonable time frame,

[Tanta]

So, my area will be upgraded on the 4th; only the folks in Charlesbourg are getting it earlier....since March 27th. Impeccable customer service this morning!

[Tanta]

Illico 2.0 upgrades are by city sector, so mine will be May 1st or within 72 hours of that date. If you sign in to the 'Customer Centre'; the upgrade is proposed automatically for your specific appropriate decoders (Cisco, Samsung), and then the date is specified.

[silverdragon]

Originally Posted by rogue17

c/p cm302



YIKES!!!! I did not know it was $20 for 10 channels!!!!!!
I Just checked out the 15 and 30 channels option and the prices are crazy.
Yes Videotron is way expensive compared to Bell. I had a post comparing prices and it was removed so I won't go into details here.

C/p Mozarella


There is no way Videotron is cheaper. I have the a la carte 15 with Bell Satellite and my parents have the same thing with Videotron. There is no comparison possible.

They do not have Canadian time shifting
Their American Channels are not included in their basic channels
LCN is not included in their basic channels
They do not get HD becuase they have to pay the $3 HD fee.

Videotron will give you $3 off if you have a second service. My parents had $3 off on their mobile service and a dollar off on their TV package but videotron switched the $3 credit over to the TV package so they could be seen as giving better value on their TV programming.Yep way to go Videotron!!!!! But their prices are still higher than others.

I am ranting about Videotron so I think the post is placed in the right thread.

Yes Videotron is way expensive compared to Bell

I disagree with you, the prices are VERY close. Especially if you get HD. Besides you have a much better service from Videotron than you do Bell. Try calling for tech support on a Saturday/Sunday morning, see how fast you get through with both companies.

[Tanta]

^^^^And even if you could reach Bell, their ability to remotely diagonose a problem was dismal, back in DSL days. To be fair, this should change since than can remotely query the ONT in FTTH installations.

[cm3020prob]

I disagree with you, the prices are VERY close. Especially if you get HD.

Questionnable.

Bell's basic service includes basic HD channels.
Vidéotron charges 3$ more for HD access, but you can receive basic channels in HD for free over the air using an antenna. What a rip-off ! (Yes, if you subscribe ONLY to basic service, you MUST pay HD fees, otherwise it's "not authorized").

Bell basic service includes american networks.
Vidéotron makes you pay extra for Vermont american networks, either in a package or à la carte. But they get them for free, paying absolutely nothing to the stations, AND you get those channels simsubbed almost all the time by canadian networks, reducing even further their value.

À la carte packages
Bell: 15 channels for 15$, 20 channels for 19$, 30 channels for 24$. Something like that.
Vidéotron: 15$ for 23$, 20 channels 26$, 30 channels 32$.

The Movie Network
Bell: 13$ includes their 4 HD versions, Mpix, and superstations.
Vidéotron: 16$, includes 2 HD versions. Period. Mpix is extra, Superstations is extra without HD versions.

When breaking down the numbers for each specialty from the CRTC database, you find out that each specialty costs in average between 40 and 48 cents per subscriber per month, sport channels costs (around 1$) more but were counted. The Movie Network gets 8.87$.

If a cheap car costs $10 000 to build at the factory, does it get a price tag everywhere for $22 000, the car dealer making a 120% profit?
That's what Vidéotron does actually. they don't program the channels, they don't deal with acquisitions, production, advertisements, etc., they just take a signal and deliver it back to you. How come they get the bigger cut? That's sickening.

[hercules130]

Based on my experience with Bell for internet and telephone, and with Videotron for TV, I can say that Videotron's customer service is head and shoulder above Bell.

However, looking at their offering (or lack of it), the superior customer service simply loses its meaning. I have made an appointment with Bell Fibe and based on what I need this is what I get:

Basic: 20
Additional terminal: 6
Network access: 3
20 a la carte: 26
HD network access: 3
TSN/RSN HD: 3
Movie Network: 16

This is what I will get from Bell Fibe:

Basic: 23
Timeshift: 3
15 a la carte: 15
4 HD theme packs: 10
Movie Network: 13

Channels I will get: all the timeshifters, The Score, Showcase, AMC, TCM, the super stations, M Fun, Disney XD, Food Network, TLC, Much, W; all in HD.

Channels I will lose: CNN and A&E. I may lose several more channels from the Basic, but I do not care for them.

Please note that the channels that I will get are all not available in HD on Videotron. Also, the hardware from Bell are available for free.

[rogue17]

c/p from CM3020PROB

Questionnable.

Bell's basic service includes basic HD channels.
Vidéotron charges 3$ more for HD access, but you can receive basic channels in HD for free over the air using an antenna. What a rip-off ! (Yes, if you subscribe ONLY to basic service, you MUST pay HD fees, otherwise it's "not authorized").

Bell basic service includes american networks.
Vidéotron makes you pay extra for Vermont american networks, either in a package or à la carte. But they get them for free, paying absolutely nothing to the stations, AND you get those channels simsubbed almost all the time by canadian networks, reducing even further their value.

À la carte packages
Bell: 15 channels for 15$, 20 channels for 19$, 30 channels for 24$. Something like that.
Vidéotron: 15$ for 23$, 20 channels 26$, 30 channels 32$.

The Movie Network
Bell: 13$ includes their 4 HD versions, Mpix, and superstations.
Vidéotron: 16$, includes 2 HD versions. Period. Mpix is extra, Superstations is extra without HD versions.

When breaking down the numbers for each specialty from the CRTC database, you find out that each specialty costs in average between 40 and 48 cents per subscriber per month, sport channels costs (around 1$) more but were counted. The Movie Network gets 8.87$.

If a cheap car costs $10 000 to build at the factory, does it get a price tag everywhere for $22 000, the car dealer making a 120% profit?
That's what Vidéotron does actually. they don't program the channels, they don't deal with acquisitions, production, advertisements, etc., they just take a signal and deliver it back to you. How come they get the bigger cut? That's sickening.

Thanks CM, that is what I have been trying to tell peolple here.The only downside to Bell is that they are more limited in the channels that you can choose from in the a la carte options.

But if all your favourite channels are there in the Bell choices like TSN,RDS etc. RDS2 is not an extra either, then Bell is way cheaper then Videotron.

And what bugs me is Quebecor wants us to pay for his Hockey arena but has no problem dishing out 500 million. Actually over payed for their mobile spectrum to block off competition and another 500 million to set up their cell towers.That's One Billion dollars but not a cent for an arena. And he won't pay taxes on it like the average joe because it is a public arena. But Molson Built their own arena and pays taxes on it just like everyone.

So that's my beef with Quebecor and Peladeau.He wants everything for nothing.

[rogue17]

I cannot comment on picture quality though.

[rainey]

rogue17. You hit it on the nail. I truly believe all Quebecor is concerned about right now is building the rink and obtaining a team. I have no issues with Videotron customer service (heads above Bell) and the quality of their internet. If they would just add a few HD english stations, and make their tv packages a little "broader with the number of stations offered I think most would be happy especially those of us who do not have access to satellite or Fibe.
Illico 2 will be a nice upgrade but it is not about how pretty things look it is how well they work and I truly hope there are not many bugs with the roll-out in a month's time.

Time will only tell.

[hercules130]

The offering Videotron has for English channels in HD is so bad that I start hearing rumors among my anglophone friends and colleagues. It goes that knowing who P.K. Peladeau is, and his political orientation, the lack of English offering is politically driven and intentional.

Of course, it is just an unsubstantiated rumor. Nevertheless for me, looking that French channels are added while the English ones are hard to come by, I can not help wondering if there is element of truth in the rumor.

[WestAust]

I used to whine also about the lack of english HD channels on Videotron (now moved to fibe, so all good on that side) but in the end, it's all about what market wants. For the most part of videotron's coverage area, the population is mostly francophone and watches francophone TV (which is also reflected in viewers number for certain shows) thus it's normal for any company to cater mainly for the largest group of it's population.

On top, it's that war against Bell in Quebec city that drains a lot of ressources + wireless service means less money to do a major overhaul of the system in other area, but then again, business choices.

[cm3020prob]

Here's the thing. Back in 2001, Rogers in Ontario decided to offer the maximum channels they can so they can compete against Bell satellite. They upgraded most parts of their network to 1 GHz, compressed 3 HD channels per QAM, deployed SDV, and kept the 60+ analog channels offer all along.

Vidéotron decided to compete against Bell for french HD channels. And they did: Groupe TVA launches specialties while Vidéotron keeps the exclusive carriage.

Keeping full HD channels bitrate was a smart decision, but there was just poor planning. They knew for years that HD offer and demand will increase at exponential rate, video-on-demand usage will increase, internet speeds will increase as well. Bringing fiber closer to the neighborhood and a 1 GHz network was something they should have done a while ago. Instead, they thought that the removal of analog channels, paired with SDV, would magically solve their problems. They were wrong.

So, here we are today. Bell and Vidéotron are in a marketing contest on who have the fastest internet. One flips a switch, the other upgrades a small area only to demonstrate they technically can. And that's about it. Videotron does not compete for the highest overall high-definition offer, as well as standard definition ethnic channels.