[kwlug-disc] Rogers Cable internet speed

[Paul Gallaway]

On Fri, Oct 8, 2010 at 1:00 AM, unsolicited <unsolicited at swiz.ca> wrote:
> Pricing is still higher though. And after that year, it's a bit of a rude
> shock. ($90/month) [My place is too far from C.O. for Bell.]

I'm with you on that one. Had DSL I was happy with but can only get
"up to 2Mbps" at my place now - which as far as I can tell translates
to < dialup - if it connects at all. Of course they have no problem
trying to sell me a service they can't sufficiently provide.

> Also note that Rogers will bundle services for a better deal (permanently) -
> but not if you're on, for example, basic cable, as I am. Or on a cell plan,
> but not Pay As You Go, as I also am.

Me too. My conversation went something like this....
Self: "So do I qualify for a bundle now?"
Rogers: "Only if you have cable or a cell phone."
Self: "I have both!"
Rogers: "We don't count the cable or cell services you have in our bundles."
Self: <at this point I'm reading between the lines - I need to give
them a lot more money to save a little bit of money. Come again?> "So
what you're saying is you don't care enough about me as a customer to
give me one of your customer retention deals because I'm not giving
you $100 a month?"

This was two years ago. I cancelled my prepaid phone I'd had since
2001 and moved my number to someone else. Unfortunately/fortunately
they piggyback on Rogers network so I'm still sending them my
money/but get good coverage.

> Me, I'd like to be vendor independent, and off both Bell and Rogers. When I
> get that far. Perhaps an (ATSC) antenna some day will get me off basic
> cable, but I doubt it. It will be a sad day when basic cable goes away and I
> have to have a digital terminal. [Andrew K. - any updates on your antenna
> experience?]

Basic cable is next to go. I've had a DB8 antenna and a tripod for a
year now but the intersection of time and good weather has been
low/non-existent.

> Do you get The Weather Network without cable?

No you can't. It's a cable channel.

> (Yes, I realize I can get equivalent  information from their web site, but
> asking about TV specifically).

There's always mythweather for looking up the same information on your
TV (OK, technically not the same as Environment Canada != The Weather
Network):
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/MythWeather#Canada

Which reminds me, there was rewrite a number of months ago and my
configuration was broken. Didn't realize that I could load the
animated maps. Everything appears to working fine on my system
currently - if only I could get the Weather Network soundtrack to play
in the background it would be perfect...