Access is a cooperatively-owned cable television provider in Saskatchewan. It was founded as Cable Regina and launched service in 1978. Over the past few years it has purchased independent cable operators in smaller Saskatchewan communities such as Yorkton, Estevan, and Weyburn and expanded the offerings there, hence the name change. It also provides high-speed Internet service and is deploying VOIP over the next few months.
Access uses Motorola DCT equipment in Regina and most of its smaller communities. The original box deployed was the 1000, which is still provided as a rental unit. The 2000 was sold as the standard box for a time. The 2500 is now the entry-level box (functionally the same as the 2000 with a few minor improvements). The 5100 was deployed as the first HDTV-compatible decoder but is no longer sold. The 6412 is the current top-end box, offering HDTV, 120-gigabyte PVR capability, and a second tuner which will permit recording of two programs while watching a previously recorded one (or recording one while watching a live broadcast). Currently the second tuner is not deployed but I understand Access is working on this as we speak.
Access' web site discusses the various offerings better than I probably can (http://www.accesscomm.ca) but basic analog cable is $19.95 per month, full analog cable (60 channels) is $39.95, basic cable plus basic Internet access (via cablemodem) is $29.95 and full digital cable (over 110 channels depending on packages chosen) plus full high speed Internet (5M/1M) is $99.95 per month. There are a lot of possibilities between these packages.
Access' Internet offerings provide static IP addresses, which are useful if you want to create your own web, ftp or email server.
Jim
Access uses Motorola DCT equipment in Regina and most of its smaller communities. The original box deployed was the 1000, which is still provided as a rental unit. The 2000 was sold as the standard box for a time. The 2500 is now the entry-level box (functionally the same as the 2000 with a few minor improvements). The 5100 was deployed as the first HDTV-compatible decoder but is no longer sold. The 6412 is the current top-end box, offering HDTV, 120-gigabyte PVR capability, and a second tuner which will permit recording of two programs while watching a previously recorded one (or recording one while watching a live broadcast). Currently the second tuner is not deployed but I understand Access is working on this as we speak.
Access' web site discusses the various offerings better than I probably can (http://www.accesscomm.ca) but basic analog cable is $19.95 per month, full analog cable (60 channels) is $39.95, basic cable plus basic Internet access (via cablemodem) is $29.95 and full digital cable (over 110 channels depending on packages chosen) plus full high speed Internet (5M/1M) is $99.95 per month. There are a lot of possibilities between these packages.
Access' Internet offerings provide static IP addresses, which are useful if you want to create your own web, ftp or email server.
Jim