Cogeco Had Been Misleading Consumers About DTV Transition

[57]

Grandma and Grandpa likely won't be going to the web and reading this. If they have an analogue TV hooked up to an antenna and haven't been following the analogue to digital switchover, then their TV will simply go blank (for US channels) on February 17, as it will for other technophobes. They will then call their children or grandchildren to fix it.

Again, I don't see anything wrong or misleading about what is stated in the Cogeco link. It could have been a lot worse and would be difficult to make a lot better, without adding a lot of additional (perhaps confusing) information.

[globaldiv]

A link to www.dtv.gov (e.g., "for more info, see...") wouldn't have added much confusion and could fill in the blanks left by the press release.

[globaldiv]

And unfortunately it's not just Grandma and Grampa that are/will be confused. I've tried to educate some of my (younger) friends about the free DTV available to them in Southern Ont. A couple of them have since asked me whether I'm sad about the fact that I'm losing free television in February 2009!

[57]

I would have preferred the following link:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=90621

There are already plenty of other threads about the end of analogue too, but that is not the topic of this thread, which is supposed to be about whether Cogeco is misleading, which I don't think they are.

[globaldiv]

Sorry about going off on a tangent, 57, I'll get back on topic.

The Cogeco release contains the following statement, which is false:

I.e. TV sets with rabbit-ear antennas will no longer receive TV signal.

An esoteric "caveat" contained elsewhere, one that many people will likely either gloss over or not understand, does not make the statement true.

ps - I agree, they should have a link to digitalhome.ca!!

[stampeder]

I merged these threads because now we know which company kozani was talking about in the first post.

[57]

The Cogeco release contains the following statement, which is false:

The statement is not false when taken in context. It's only false when taken out of context. Any statement can be false when isolated.

[stampeder]

The context seems quite clear to me:

Originally Posted by globaldiv

Impact to end user?

After February 17, 2009, all homes with analog TV sets (with no digital tuners) who
receive their TV signal from over-the-air signals will lose their TV signal indefinitely.
• I.e. TV sets with rabbit-ear antennas will no longer receive TV signal.
• Some areas in southern Ontario receive over 20 over-the-air channels..

Analogue stations will continue to be available in Canada for some time. If they'd said U.S. stations they'd be correct, but they didn't and the result is misinformation.

Originally Posted by globaldiv

For homes with a Cogeco cable subscription that have secondary TV sets not connected to cable, these secondary TV sets will no longer receive TV signal. These secondary TV sets can however receive TV signal from Cogeco via the installation of an additional outlet.

That is an outright lie since analogue and digital OTA stations will be available. If they'd said something like "in certain rural areas of Cogeco's Cable TV turf" they might be correct, but I doubt it.

Originally Posted by kozani

When I phoned my cable company up, I asked them to cancel my cable connection. The girl on the other line informed me that I would get no channels from an antenna after Feb. 17. I told her that maybe it would affect US stations but not Canadian. She then connected me with another person who was more technically in the know and she still proceeded to tell me that I would have no stations over my antenna after Feb. 17.

Cognitive dissonance seems to be rife in that company...

Cogeco, you are busted.

[57]

Originally Posted by stampeder

If they'd said U.S. stations they'd be correct, but they didn't and the result is misinformation.

Some people don't seem to be able to read. They did say:

As of February 17, 2009, US broadcasters will shut off their analog over-the-air (OTA) signals, and switch entirely to digital broadcasting.

Canadian broadcasters will not be impacted.

Please read the whole thing. There is no misinformation here! As I stated before, you cannot take certain portions out of context.

If you read from start to finish, it's perfectly clear what they are saying and the nitpickers who want to look at one line in isolation may feel free to continue the discussion here.

[stampeder]

The idea that they didn't say what they needed to say at every juncture is the problem, not whether the reader can correlate all parts of the release with each bullet point. That's my take on it.

What they've published and what their CSRs are saying doesn't seem subtle or contextual in any way.

[Kevin S]

"as Best Buy/Future Shop/The Source by CC/Audio Video 2001 are all refusing to carry them as of course they dont get any residual commissions like they would with Rogers or StarChoice"


It's somewhat infuriating that the chain stores constantly advertise that the only way to get HD is through Cable or Satellite. Cogeco even had the guts to send me a letter (I have internet through them, but not TV) stating that I was going to lose all the network channels I currently get through antenna due to the US changeover to digital, and that I should sign up with them for all my TV viewing needs. I wanted to (and still might) write them a letter back calling them out on their outright lies, and explain to them that I get every channel they listed not only in HD, but for FREE! The sad part is, 90% of people don't realize this and swallow whatever they are told by salesmen at these stores and the satellite/cable providers. It's false advertising in the purest sense.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by Kevin S

Cogeco even had the guts to send me a letter (I have internet through them, but not TV) stating that I was going to lose all the network channels I currently get through antenna due to the US changeover to digital, and that I should sign up with them for all my TV viewing needs. I wanted to (and still might) write them a letter back calling them out on their outright lies, and explain to them that I get every channel they listed not only in HD, but for FREE!

My suggestion is to forward copies of the letter to the CRTC and a local consumer watchdog group. This type of false advertising could (and should) get them in big trouble. It would be wonderful if the CRTC forced Cogeco to take out full page adds in the Globe and Mail and National Post retracting their letter and saying that you can get HDTV for free with an antenna. I am probably dreaming as this would likely never happen.

[Kevin S]

Hmmm... I found the following link on their website for complaints - I'll scan the letter and send it to the CRTC:

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/RapidsCCM/Register.asp?lang=E

...better than a response to Cogeco that will just end up filed under 'G'.

[stampeder]

Yes, I think formal complaints should be lodged to the CRTC about Cogeco's FUD. If any other cable or satellite company tries it they should also be called onto the carpet.

Does anyone have a picture or OCR scan of the Cogeco letter?

[99gecko]

Originally Posted by roger1818

My suggestion is to forward copies of the letter to the CRTC and a local consumer watchdog group. This type of false advertising could (and should) get them in big trouble.

I actually wonder if the CRTC can do much about the false advertising, as Cogeco would likely retract willingly to avoid exposure, and/or claim the employee made the statement erroneously (which may very well be the case). I'm not sure if there is a common ground between license renewals and advertising, especially in an oligopoly. But submit it all the same.

But a local consumer watchdog group should have a field day with this one.

BTW, once a complaint is properly filed with the CRTC (as long as it is not anonymously), the broadcaster/carrier is obligated to respond.

It would be wonderful if the CRTC forced Cogeco to take out full page adds in the Globe and Mail and National Post retracting their letter and saying that you can get HDTV for free with an antenna. I am probably dreaming as this would likely never happen.

I'd buy a copy just to photocopy (don't want to give anymore money to CTVgm ) that ad and plaster it all over the front window of all the BB and FS stores in my area.

Viva la Revolution !!