FreeHD Canada (now BluSky) - Satellite TV alternative may be coming.... - Page 9 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

dm_4u · 2010-02-25, 08:53 AM

To succeed in this environment...all they have to do is provide better PQ...better AQ...all the channels we want...and better customer service.

Through word of mouth alone...there would be a shortage of boxes...as people are dying for a communication/entertainment company that works with their employees to provide old fashioned personalized customer service.

It's been so long...can you even imagine having a provider like that? I didn't think so...however...if this board was filled with people saying how incredable this service is...it sure wouldn't take long for them to flourish.

Dioneo · 2010-02-25, 09:24 AM

To get people to leave Shaw Direct all FreeHD would have to provide is a working HD PVR...

swampdogger · 2010-02-25, 11:28 AM

I was going to purchase Bell sat., when they had a deal on, but after i read fine print , i decided they could keep it. I am really looking forward to see what HD canada has this time next year. I think the competition is a healthy environment . I wish they could be up running sooner then next year, but i will wait.

classicsat · 2010-02-26, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 987654321

There is NO way that FreeHD's business model will work in today's environment with 2 satellite competitors. It didn't work in the US with Voom and it surely won't work in Canada with 11% of the population.

Voom had a different business model.
1. they created a bunch of their own created programming
2. They were all pay
3. They didn't have locals at all; they let their customers receive them with ATSC tuners in the receiver.

Voom failed because not enough people wanted HD at the time.

Quote:

Look at all the Voom subs who got stuck with orphaned DSR550s - but at least the 550s still operated as ATSC tuners.

For FreeHD to be viable Shaw has to close down Shaw Direct.

johnboy105 · 2010-05-12, 03:46 PM

Hi, just wondering if anyone has heard any updates here? I know it's not supposed to be available until 2011, but any news would be welcomed...

peekaboo · 2010-05-13, 09:33 PM

Will they perform simsubs?

mr weather · 2010-05-14, 08:30 AM

If it's a CRTC rule then I imagine they would have to.

dm_4u · 2010-05-14, 10:41 AM

It concerns me that their website has nothing new since 2009.

I really hope this wasn't just someone's pipedream...

PlayitSimple · 2010-05-14, 11:55 AM

Quote:

It concerns me that their website has nothing new since 2009.

Maybe there is nothing new to report, thus no updates?!

thenewdc · 2010-05-14, 01:40 PM

My guess is that they have no plans on launching. I think that they are just waiting for the competition to buy them out and they'll take the cash.

PlayitSimple · 2010-05-14, 02:31 PM

Quote:

My guess is that they have no plans on launching. I think that they are just waiting for the competition to buy them out and they'll take the cash.

Buy out what, there is nothing to buy out?!

So far all they have done is secure approval from the CRTC for a license to operate a national DTH service. What competition are you referring to that would be interested in their license- Bell or Shaw, not likely. What exactly are you talking about because I haven't got a clue?!

Starting a new company from scratch is not an easy venture and takes a lot of time and money so more than likely the reason there has been no news is because they are still working on doing what needs to be done to launch this service (if they still intend to launch at some point) or they have run into some snags somewhere.

Danster · 2010-05-14, 04:50 PM

They could start by buying the drifting Galaxy 15....I'm sure they'd have a bargain on that bird!

frontpl8 · 2010-05-14, 07:06 PM

why would some one pay $300 or more per receiver to just get locals? Thats obsurd. You could go buy yourself a real good OTA antenna for probably less then $100 and get the same thing, free locals,and split the signal to feed several tvs you would not need boxes for every tv, and you would still get HD, so this whole thing makes no sense, obviously they would try to lure you into buying something else. This may be an option in markets that won't have local HD, but my understanding is most/all major cities will have free HD OTA from there local stations.

classicsat · 2010-05-15, 01:54 PM

That is the thing though.

Getting an antenna to receive broadcast stations digitally, will only work in the major cities where the stations will transition to digital. That leaves an awful lot of Canadians outside the reception zone of those stations with no way to get anything with antenna, at least for a$100 or less investment. FreesatHD is intended to cover those Canadians who will not have access to broadcast transmitters.

frontpl8 · 2010-05-15, 11:45 PM

But is that going to be enough consumers, to make any money. I suspect that many of these people all ready have a satellite, Bell, Shaw Direct, so they are probably already paying for service. It might be easier if these companies gave these people the option to get their locals for free, and only charge them for any extra channels they want. In fact I heard Bell was thinking of that, but I'm not sure if they still have plans for that or not.

2010-02-25, 09:24 AM	#122
Dioneo Veteran Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: GTA IV Posts: 1,768	To get people to leave Shaw Direct all FreeHD would have to provide is a working HD PVR... __________________ Long live the console war! Buy 'em all! Just don't give Sony any of your Personal info!

2010-05-13, 09:33 PM	#126
peekaboo Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: North York Posts: 226	Sim sub Will they perform simsubs?

2010-05-14, 04:50 PM	#132
Danster Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Lincoln.NB Pop 465,123 Posts: 5,301	They could start by buying the drifting Galaxy 15....I'm sure they'd have a bargain on that bird! __________________ Home Theatre: Yamaha HTR-6190, Klipsch Speakers, SANYO PLV-Z4, TOSHIBA HDDVD, LG BD555C, Cerwin Vega HTS12 Sub, VIP2300, XBox 360, HTPC.

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2010-02-25, 08:53 AM	#121
dm_4u Veteran Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Winnipeg - Bell-HD Posts: 2,090	To succeed in this environment...all they have to do is provide better PQ...better AQ...all the channels we want...and better customer service. Through word of mouth alone...there would be a shortage of boxes...as people are dying for a communication/entertainment company that works with their employees to provide old fashioned personalized customer service. It's been so long...can you even imagine having a provider like that? I didn't think so...however...if this board was filled with people saying how incredable this service is...it sure wouldn't take long for them to flourish.

2010-02-25, 11:28 AM	#123
swampdogger Rookie Join Date: May 2008 Location: cobourg,ontario Posts: 27	I was going to purchase Bell sat., when they had a deal on, but after i read fine print , i decided they could keep it. I am really looking forward to see what HD canada has this time next year. I think the competition is a healthy environment . I wish they could be up running sooner then next year, but i will wait.

2010-05-12, 03:46 PM	#125
johnboy105 Rookie Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 11	Hi, just wondering if anyone has heard any updates here? I know it's not supposed to be available until 2011, but any news would be welcomed...

2010-05-14, 08:30 AM	#127
mr weather Veteran Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Mississauga, Ontario Posts: 1,950	If it's a CRTC rule then I imagine they would have to.

2010-05-14, 10:41 AM	#128
dm_4u Veteran Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Winnipeg - Bell-HD Posts: 2,090	It concerns me that their website has nothing new since 2009. I really hope this wasn't just someone's pipedream...

2010-05-14, 01:40 PM	#130
thenewdc Veteran Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 2,308	My guess is that they have no plans on launching. I think that they are just waiting for the competition to buy them out and they'll take the cash.

2010-05-14, 07:06 PM	#133
frontpl8 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Strathmore, Ab Posts: 214	why would some one pay $300 or more per receiver to just get locals? Thats obsurd. You could go buy yourself a real good OTA antenna for probably less then $100 and get the same thing, free locals,and split the signal to feed several tvs you would not need boxes for every tv, and you would still get HD, so this whole thing makes no sense, obviously they would try to lure you into buying something else. This may be an option in markets that won't have local HD, but my understanding is most/all major cities will have free HD OTA from there local stations.

2010-05-15, 01:54 PM	#134
classicsat Veteran Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Kincardine ON. Posts: 3,941	That is the thing though. Getting an antenna to receive broadcast stations digitally, will only work in the major cities where the stations will transition to digital. That leaves an awful lot of Canadians outside the reception zone of those stations with no way to get anything with antenna, at least for a$100 or less investment. FreesatHD is intended to cover those Canadians who will not have access to broadcast transmitters.

2010-05-15, 11:45 PM	#135
frontpl8 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Strathmore, Ab Posts: 214	But is that going to be enough consumers, to make any money. I suspect that many of these people all ready have a satellite, Bell, Shaw Direct, so they are probably already paying for service. It might be easier if these companies gave these people the option to get their locals for free, and only charge them for any extra channels they want. In fact I heard Bell was thinking of that, but I'm not sure if they still have plans for that or not.