Videotron Rant Thread

[expressmoria]

Originally Posted by rainey

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.

There are a handful of english HD channels that people have been asking Videotron to add without any success.
AMC HD and the Shaw channels like Food, HGTV and Showcase come to mind.
All these fall into the "original programing" category and would definitely be appreciated.

The last HD channels (Space, Discovery, Bravo) were added back in January and 4 months have elapsed by without anything new.
Videotron is currently debugging the illico TVNG guide and this is probably taking up all the attention of their resources.
Based on this track record I am not very hopeful on how many new HD channels will be added for the remainder of 2012.

[proggy]

Spike is now in HD but i looked at their schedule and it`s pretty poor with what seems like a lot of SD shows and paid programming for a large part of a 24 hour period or blocks of the same shows.
I was thinking of switching from Cave to Spike to get HD but no not with such a poor selection.

[hercules130]

Spike TV in Canada is a really lousy channel, if I may say so. A lot of its shows in the United States are not available in Canada. Therefore, it fills the slots of the unavailable shows with rerun of the earlier shows or infomercials.

[Jake]

Well I have finally pulled the trigger and cancelled my Videotron internet. I will be switching to Teksavvy soon.

When I announced I wished to cancel they transferred me to "retentions". I should mention I only have internet and phone with Videotron.

The guy asked me my reasons for cancelling. I was not in the mood to rehash all my past billing and service issues. They are on file if they care to read them. So I just said price was the reason. Which is also true.

I told him I could get 8/1 and 75GB for $30/month while Videotron is 10/1 and 50GB for $46/month as long as I keep two services. If I drop the phone it goes up to $56/month.

Doing the math it was easy to see that I would recoup my set-up fee and modem purchase in less than a year. After that I would be saving almost $200/year or over $300/year if I broke my bundle up.

Videotron then offered to give me 20GB/month free and take $5/month off my bill. It was tempting but thinking of the long term and the $4.50/GB overage they charge, I said no thanks.

Then the scare tactics were offered up by Videotron.

1. Teksavvy published speeds will not be obtained.

2. Videotron sells Teksavvy their internet and they can change it if they want.

3. Teksavvy is a small company.

4. Teksavvy only gets the Videotron bandwidth left-overs (I am paraphrasing).

5. Teksavvy will slow down at busy times.

Fortunately I had done my research and did not fall for these myths. We ended the conversation politely. But happy to be almost Videotron fee.

For the phone I have voip.ms as a trial (which is going well) and I think I will be calling Videotron in a month or two and give them the bad news.

[cm3020prob]

I'm also Vidéotron-free since today, as a 3-step program. First was phone service to voip.ms, get a retention offer, second was internet to electronicbox by cable, got another retention offer, and now TV cable, as summer is a season to get outside, and I have an antenna installed on the roof since last summer.

Been waiting 5 years for Showcase HD, waiting 3 years for AMC, recently waiting for ABC Spark. Instead of keep paying for cable TV while waiting patiently for services you want, better cut it off entirely and get the show you want from other online sources, like Netflix.

[rogue17]

cm

second was internet to electronicbox by cable,

Just checked it out and it looks very good. I only have videotron internet and am paying $55 plus taxes.No phone line.

Was looking at Distributel and Teksavvy too. But don't know what I should be looking for and what type of internet I can get. I see DSL,DSL2 and cable, so which would be mine? I really don't know much about this.

I see electronicbox shows and installation fee of $50. Does this mean they come and set you up. I am really fed up of Videotron and am looking for options. electronicbox seems to have good prices. Was looking at the 75gig which would be good for me. DSL,DSL2 or cable. Which one is for me?

[Jake]

You should call them and ask. They can tell you what services they can offer and what speeds based on your location. I suggest you give some of the Teksavvy threads a read. This one is for Videotron complaints.

[cm3020prob]

We're off topic here, but, by a transition from Vidéotron cable internet to any wholesale cable provider, you can either provide a used modem that worked with Vidéotron, or buy or rent a modem from the provider. I recommend a DOCSIS 3 modem, so when you'll need to switch to a faster speed, you'll already have a compatible one.

You said you have no phone line, but if you curently have a MTA (the modem with phone capabilities), ask Vidéotron to send out a technicien for a free relocalisation, then simply ask the technician to remove the security thingy behind the modem and from the whole installation (splitters), if applicable.

On the day your new service will be activated with the wholesale, you'll simply have to disconnect Vidéotron's modem and plug yours. Then return Vidéotron's modem to a boutique or Super Club, and ask for a return ticket. Simple as that. Otherwise, they'll send out a Vidéotron technician to install your new modem for you. Waiting all day for the tech to perform a task that takes 2 minutes? Think about it. Either way, you'll pay 50$ for installation.

DSL or cable? When comparing prices and speeds, you'll need to add 10$ for dry-loop if you take DSL without a phone line. That was a no brainer I took 32$/month cable internet with 15-20$/year VoIP service.

So, my rant of the day is that Vidéotron's internet service is overpriced, and so does their television service. Too bad internet service providers are not reselling TV service.

[rogue17]

If I'm thinking about switching from Videotron than it is a complaint. Paying $55.95 for 20 g download and 10 G upload is way too much.

CM I have a simple modem(old) can't connect anything to it except computer and router.

CM,I will PM you sometime if you don't mind.

Videotron is expensive and I will change to another provider. Videotron now has 50G for $55 but still is expensive.At least they could have notified me of this but like other companies they did not.

[hercules130]

This is the first part of my two-part rant.

Look at fall 2012 CW schedule. Out of ten shows, none of them is available 'live' on Videotron in HD. Last season, four were available 'live': Hart of Dixie, The Secret Circle and Supernatural were on Metro 14 while Ringer was on Global.

Now that Metro 14 is practically gone, the only ones available in HD are just Supernatural and Nikita with several days delay on Space, and maybe Space will pick up Arrow, also with the delay. Other than those, Videotron subscribers have no normal mean to catch the shows in HD.

[hercules130]

This is the second part of my rant.

Bell Fibe is coming this weekend. I already prepared the list of channels that I wanted. After completing the list, I found that I will have 81 channels in HD. They are the channels included with the packages of my choice. Of course, Bell still has many more channels that I do not choose.

The whole Videotron HD lineup (without pay-per-view) is 66 channels. I get 29 out of those 66. Granted that many of the channels I will have with Bell are timeshifters and some of them are redundant (e.g. SRC Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa). However, Videotron offers none of them.

[cm3020prob]

Since all O&O local stations of CBC, CTV, CTV2, Global and Citytv are all originating from their respective Toronto broadcast center and distributed by fiber directly to Vidéotron's headend. Same goes for SRC, TVA and V O&O local stations originating from Montreal. But they ultimately decided to distribute only the local/nearest version of each channel to their customers, and make them pay extra for the out-of-market affiliate that thry get for free, making extra profits, which in my opinion, is dishonest.

Today, Rogers launched Telelatino HD. One more missing HD channel for Vidéotron, which haven't offered anything new recently...

[SakeW]

@hercules130: you're lucky, Bell Fibe isn't available yet for me!
It's true that Videotron doesn't give a sh*t about english channels in HD.
There's just one thing about Fibe , yes the CW is available in HD but I don't understand why they put it in a HD only package and not a la carte , it's the CW for god sake!
Showcase is also pricey but at least it's available in HD!

[hercules130]

SakeW,

If by CW you means WGN, the SD version is available in 'The Favorite' package. But yes, not in the a la carte. However, the other CWs, WPIX from NY and KTLA from LA, are included with the packages of TMN or Super Channels. For me, since HBO is a must-have anyway, I get the CW automatically and with timeshifting as well.

Without those CW stations, one can still see some CW shows on Canadian channels, namely CHCH, CTV2, Much and Space. After considering those channels, I found that only 2 out of 10 CW shows next fall will not be available, 90210 and Beauty and the Beast. I assume that Space will take Arrow since it is a super hero series. The problem with Videotron then, CHCH and CTV2 are not available at all, Much is not available in HD.

WPIX and KTLA are available on Videotron as super stations but they are not available in HD and their package is worth 6$.

[cm3020prob]

Shaw Media brought the rights for Beauty and the Beast and plans to schedule it on Showcase. 90210 is exclusive to Netflix.

CTV Two and CHCH are only available in Outaouais province, CHRO being distributed in HD, but not CHCH.

One of my rant for the day is that the only 3 CW stations distributed are available for 6$ only in standard blurry definition, while the CW just across the border, which rides with FOX44, also in a standard blurry definition, is ignored by Vidéotron and could be distributed for free.