[Tezster]

http://www.moneyville.ca/blog/post/982305--this-woman-cut-her-cable-bill-just-by-asking

There's really nothing new here (many of us have done this, I'm sure), but I thought it deserved a brief mention as there's a small plug for DHC towards the end of the article.

In the online age there are plenty of forums to help consumers with these sorts of problems. For example Mobilesyrup is an independent resource on mobile technology in Canada and has an active forum. On Digital Home’s forum, readers can see a typical discounted bill. In any forum, posters usually list the features they got and the price they paid which makes negotiating with a company that much easier.

 

[mapboy]

It worked for me, I managed to get $20 off my Bell bill. I just told them that I was thinking of leaving, and they offered to reduce my monthly bill. The key is to be nice to the service rep.

 

[audacity]

Based on advice like this my girlfriend called Shaw last spring to get a discount on cable TV since it was expensive and she didn't watch much TV. The Shaw rep said no, there was no way they could give her a discount.

So she cancelled it.

A couple months later Shaw called her back offering cable for a really low price of ~$10/mo for a limited time (I'm not sure what the actual price was, but it was close to that). She declined. A couple week later they called back and offered it to her for $0 for a limited time.

 

[CenturyBreak]

For Bell TV, yes you can get a bit in the way of concessions... for Cogeco, not a chance in hell.

 

[mapboy]

I got a discount from Cogeco about 2 years ago.

 

[nakedgord]

You must have got lucky or buy *alot* from them.

I tried to get a dicount when I had Cogeco and the rep at the mall pretty much laughed in my face and even offered to cancel for me right there.

Man I am glad I'm out of there. Never buying anything from Cogeco again.

 

[Cap]

Rogers 30% off TV,Phone,internet, just by asking to reduce bills.

 

[Emerald_Boar]

My finding, Are the cable giants are willing to give you something (for free?).

If you agreed to a CONTRACT.

Good Luck,
Al

 

[Cap]

i had to commit to 1 year to get the 30% off.

 

[Robertazimmerman]

On Monday I was given $20 off my satellite bill and $5 off my phone bill simply by saying that I was thinking about switching to another provider.

 

[tux]

I haven't called lately to reduce my bill (I'm already on a 1yr promo ending in August), but what I'm hearing is that there's very little in discounts to be obtained from Shaw, other than the initial "new customer" discounts. Shaw doesn't offer contracts, so there's no contract offers, if your TV or internet's too expensive they'll suggest the Personalizer, and if you need hardware they'll suggest the Easy Pay financing option.

That's the gist of what I'm hearing anyway; has anyone recently been able to get discounts from Shaw?

 

[Go_Canucks_Go]

<snip> has anyone recently been able to get discounts from Shaw?

My recent experience with Shaw:

[1] I've had full analogue cable package with them since they started service in Vancouver in 2003. In November I called to cancel service. When asked why, I stated that the price had gradually increased from $43/mo to $65/mo and that we were watching less broadcast TV and more internet, etc. We were offered a "Customer Loyalty" promotion of $20/mo for 6 months.

(2) in February Shaw removed Speed and Encore Avenue channels from the analogue package with no compensation and only 1 week warning. We were offered two digital set top boxes for no cost for 6 months.

With these offers expiring, our bill will increase to about $86/mo after taxes. [Bundling could reduce this, but they can't (won't) match our internet and VoIP packages from other providers. The Shaw "Personalizer" would cost us significantly more to keep the same channels we now have (why do people fall for this rip-off?).] Their Customer Loyalty department was unwilling to match Telus OptikTV promotion or offer us any other discounts, so their tech is coming on Monday to disconnect service and collect their digital boxes.

 

[cslusarc]

I have my Shaw Digital TV on a bulk contract through my Condo Corporation. If you want discounted Cable TV services from Shaw try to form a Homeowners' Association (HOA), churn your Telecomunications Services to another provider and then return to Shaw as a new customer, or try again with the customer loyalty department. In the past Shaw has given me a High Speed Internet for $19.95 for 12 months, saving me $17.05 off the previous $37/month bundled rate. Similarly, MTS extended me their $20/month when bundled new customer pricing on MTS High Speed Internet. On the other hand, I hear that Bell TV is less generous than a few years ago with their loyalty offers.