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Top 10 reasons why people don't leave Shaw Direct. (Split from 530 firmware)

8K views 29 replies 25 participants last post by  classicsat 
#1 · (Edited)
Top 10 reasons why people don't leave Starchoice/ Shaw Direct.

1. They don't know/ don't think they have a problem and are happy customers.
2. They got burned by Bell/ local cable provider in a previous life or are afraid of the bad customer service elsewhere.
3. They shelled out $700 for a PVR.
4. They have a SD TV and have no need to upgrade.
5. They live south of the 49th and want Canadian channels.
6. They have no access to other options.
7. They are afraid of change.
8. They don't want to sign a contract.
9. They don't want to buy/ can't afford more equipment.
10. They have a "cottage" or like being able to get away with account splitting.
 
#2 ·
Or is it something as simple as maybe they're happy with their service?
I think you make a good point. Though an American, I spend summers in a medium-sized village in eastern Quebec. I would guess the *C dishes outnumber Bell in that locality by 5 to 1. I have many friends there; they don't care about 8PSK modulation or MPEG-4/DVB-S2 or recording 2 programs at once. They're just happy to be able to receive more than one or two local OTA channels and seem perfectly satisfied with their service.

And please....no Quebec jokes.....I presume people are pretty much the same throughout rural Canada.
 
#3 ·
Why I stayed

I sure don't want to stay with SD. This fiasco with the 530 really gets under my skin. I just spent the last month researching my options in the hope I could find a feasible alternative.

But for me it comes down to cash -- both Bell and Rogers (my only options) are $60 a month more (to get my same channels) than I pay for the Ontario Value Package.

I just can't stomach that much more a month for a better PVR and a couple extra HD channels.

Smart buggers with the OVP -- if they hadn't offered that, then the difference per month would only be $30 making it more tempting for me to switch.

That said, I have had a horrible time with both Bell and Rogers locking me into packages or bundles and being total (not nice people) about adding/subtracting channels, packs, etc. So I will say that the freedom to add say, the US superstations for a couple bucks, or add the movie package for a couple months then cancel it, is another reason I stay with SD.

So they've got me trapped. I'm wishing I had access to this Telus TV everyone is raving about.
 
#6 ·
Nice top-ten list!

I was with Star Choice from 2002-2004 and would say #2 (heh-heh) was the biggest reason for staying (at the time). Bell screwed me over by refusing to acknowledge their ECM's were causing my 2700 receiver to freeze up/lock me out of channels I paid for. That and the customer service at *C was light years ahead of ExpressVu.

I most recently switched from Rogers back to SD solely due to the Ontario Value Pack. I'm getting more HD and a couple of other channels for much less money.

I've also started to learn the virture of lowering recurring costs (i.e. monthly fees) even if it costs some dollars up front (i.e. having to buy a receiver).
 
#7 ·
For me 8 and 9.

Not having a "functional" HD-DVR is not a deal breaker for me to switch.

1. I know they have problem getting that firmware and new hardware out.
2. I beleive I can tolerate poor customer service, provided the service is good enough to not have bother with CS.
3. N/A to me. I have a few hundred in receivers though.
4. N/A I do have an HDTV. However, if major SD channels move to 8PSK, I'll need to do something sometime.
5. N/A, kind of. I am well in Canada, but still south ot the 49th, in Ontario.
6. Really Bell TV is the only other option for other than a couple analog channels from antenna. The policies and contract don't jive with me. I might consider switching tho IPTV, if they reached allt he way out here.
7. I don't mind change, if it is worth the work and/or expense. So far, I would not find changing TV providers worth that.
8/9, see above.
10. N/A. All my receivers are at the address on the account.
 
#10 ·
I read this forum and I get all annoyed with SD failings. I get it in my mind we are going to need to make a change. Maybe we will but now is not the time.

We are happy with SD service. Great channel options. We don't watch that much "must see tv" where we ever need to record two things at once. Time shift is great for that, even if we are recording something in the middle of the night. No real sim-subbing to speak of, we primarily watch U.S. feed HD channels exclusively. The Olympics on CTV was the first time we have seen CTV commercials in years.

Customer service is always very helpful and polite. Seldom, if ever, do we get scripted responses. The few times we have, it is not the front line's fault they have to tow the company line.

I think Bell has some great options but have been burned by them before and never want to be a customer of theirs again, unless I have no other options. Cogeco is the other option around here. Their television service is lacking compared to SD, although we are happy with their phone and internet.

Last but not least, yes we have a lot of SD equipment. Only one 530 though, we refuse to get another one. It was purchased just prior to the recent price reductions, which was a bitter pill to swallow. Still not worth the reduced price they charge for it now.

All in all, not worth the switch for us at this time.
 
#15 ·
.....The CRTC want to keep two DTH options
There is the rub, if freehdcanada gets up and running. There is no room for 3 satellite services in Canada and they will need transponder space, I wonder where they are going to get some of their transponder space from...:rolleyes:

From what we are seeing as users Shaw Direct is not investing enough to be around for the long term. Only time will tell.
 
#16 ·
So what happens to those that stay primarily because of the Ontario Value Package when the rest of the country gets tired of subsidizing you and all their is is Ontario customers.
Well, then they raise their rates or start cutting the package.

I doubt the actual number of OVP subscribers is all that high. First, it started off solely as a door-to-door sales promotion in selected markets. Second, it was never formally advertised by SD and the vast majority of front line sales agents in Calgary knew nothing about it.

Keep in mind other providers pull the same stunts. There are myriad of posts in the Bell TV forum by long-time subscribers who are tired of getting shut out of deals only available to new subs.
 
#17 ·
I doubt that the OVP sales are very high. Shaw ruined the Star Choice name in the London area years ago with all those Kirby Vacuum, Direct Energy type less than honest door to door people.

Most people in Ontario have cable or Bell bundles. Shaw Direct offers them little or no benefit. You can't play in southern Ontario cities unless you have a bundle to offer. I'm amazed that Shaw continues to waste their effort with this type of marketing. A much smarter move would be to either buy out a company such as TechSavvy or give the promo to them so they could sell complete bundles.
 
#18 ·
"Most people" who live in an area with a choice! What if you are rural? It is Bell or SD for me, the only choice is therefore SD!

Now if Cable or another provider comes down my road, it will be another story!
 
#19 ·
I'm a happy customer!

I am a happy Shaw Direct customer, pleased with their service, happy with the Ontario Value Pak, grateful about the additional HD choices where and when they are offered (ie SPEED-HD) and I KNOW that I don’t have any problems with equipment.
I knew from these pages, right back at the start of the life cycle of the 530, that there were serious issues with the unit. I decided back then never to purchase one until the chatter about it subsided. That has never happened. I still record using a 505 to XP Windows Media Center and a 401 to a high quality S-VHS VCR. I can archive to DVD-R’s when I want to.
I own four 505's and two 401's. If Shaw migrates to a more efficient signal format, they have already proven to me that for a nominal fee I will receive an upgrade unit. (I own a 401 “sidecar” HDD-200 for which I received a substantial credit for a 505).
It baffles me that many are taken in by the promises of extra bells and whistles from the alternatives. Count me in with those who won’t be leaving Shaw Direct anytime soon and oh, none of the above top 10 really apply.
 
#20 ·
I'm Happy

Staying with SD because they offer what I want at a price that Bell can't even come close to. My only choices where I live are Bell, Shaw cable and SD. Have Bell for my cellphone and their CSR's suck big time.

I also have 3 530's (which I got for free) and never have had to call tech support for a hardware problem. I never have had the need to record 2 programs at once, so the much delayed firmware upgrade does not have my panties in a knot.

The vast majority of SD subs have never heard about the upgrade, so they are happy with what they have.

I do wish that Shaw would let me bundle SD with my Shaw Home phone and Shaw Internet.
 
#21 · (Edited)
I have been a SD customer for about 10 years and for the most part have been happy with the service. I had both SD and bell for about 6 months in 2005, and was planning to switch to bell because of the better HD I had read they offer. I didn't think their HD offerings were a lot better than SD, and their customer service was horrible, so I stayed with SD. My dealings with bell were so bad I will never purchase ANYTHING bell again. SD is not perfect, and I get very frustrated sometimes when their promised firmware or channel upgrades do not happen on schedule, but it is still better than bell. I have 4 530's (2 added this last boxing day, too cheap to pass up) and for the most part they are ok. I had 2 of them replaced at different times, but SD was good about replacing them n/c. They do lock up a couple of times a year, but are simple to reboot. They are not perfect, but overall arent as bad as some people say. They should be better than they are for what the list price is on them, but there is no other option for me. If SD went out of business, I would go grey before I went back to bell.
 
#22 ·
For me, it's 2 , 3 (almost), 8, 9...don't think you'll find too many #1s in these parts...you're right, though.

I've been with SD/StarChoice for almost 10 years as well; the last few have been the most frustrating, mostly due to the frequency and amounts of price increases...I've been lucky to only have my 530 die/replaced once.

I'm actively exploring my options right now, but the OVP would keep me around until I'm asked to pay again to get the new HD hardware...
 
#25 ·
I never touched the 530 because a friend of mine at Starchoice said the thing was garbage, "pre-beta" and they were ashamed to have worked on it.

I stick with Shaw because the greatest passion I have in my life is my all consuming hatred of Bell in all their forms. I also appreciate that when I call Shaw Direct I will be talking to a native english speaker who doesn't live in a shack and has no concept of the service they are supporting.

No other reason,
 
#30 ·
Correct TiVo plus Shaw Direct does not DVR in HD.

Because of my investment in Shaw Direct and TiVo hardware/services, I think it is tolerable, but could be better.
Mind you, my TiVo has Product Lifetime, so I don't have that payment. I very much like the way my TiVo and legacy receiver work together, I never have to touch the thing. I don't think I even done anything in the reciver menus this year, yet.
 
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