Cogeco Ontario users

[Bullseye]

Just doing some re-jigging of my cable bill, saved myself $10+/month with no 'pain'. I realized that there is some cost savings possible for other Cogeco users as well, so thought I'd post for anyone interested. I imagine that many people, like me, only watch a select few of their specialty channels, yet pay for a full theme pack (or packs).

What I am doing is dropping from my Digital with one theme pack ($48.99), down to basic digital ($26.50 + $2.99), and using their 'a la carte' option to cherry pick the few channels I actually watch. You can choose 5 of them for $6.99. This brings my cable bill down to $36.48, with no loss of channels I actually watch, a $12+ savings.

If you have internet with them, note that they will charge you a higher rate for your service when you do this. For High Speed Lite users like me, it's an extra $2/month. For regular high speed, it's $5.

On a related side note, I find their High Speed Lite (up to 640kbs DL) to be just as fast for regular surfing as the Cogeco Business High Speed (up to 16mbps DL) that I use at work. If you currently have heir regular high speed internet, and are just a surfer, not a downloader, you may want to try their lite option instead and see if it works for you. It's $20 cheaper.

[fireguy9]

many people that subscribe to cable internet could or do get, tv free, a filter is the only thing blocking the line, it opens the signal up if it were removed.

[Screwball]

I am not sure if you have just booked this, and have yet to realize the full change in your packaging but you are set to lose a lot more than just the digital specialty channels (from CH 119 and up). When you drop to Basic from Digital you will lose the analogue variety pack channels listed below. This will likely take a few days as a technican has to come out to your residence to trap the channels.

There are also some other charges that won't work in most customers favour. With Basic cable service you can only have one active cable outlet, so if you have more than one you are charged a monthly "Total Home" package which is $8.99. As well, unless you own your reciever there is a $4.99 rental charge. If you tack on these charges you end up paying just as much with considerably less channels.

Basic Cable $26.50
Total Home $8.99
DCT Rental $4.99
Non-Digital Charge $2.99
Pick 5 $6.99

Total: $50.46 plus taxes.

The following Variety Pack 1, 2, and 3 Channels that will be lost:

Click here (http://www.cogeco.ca/en/classic_cable_tv_package_o.html#) to view the Basic & Analogue lineups.

SPIKE TV
TLC
CNN
MUCH MORE MUSIC
TLN
CMT
A&E
STAR TV
HGTV
W Network
CNN Headlines News
Discovery Channel
The Score
Showcase
Bravo
The Food Network
Pulse 24
History
Comedy
Teletoon
TBS Superstation
Speed Channel
Black Entertainment Television
Space
Family
Golf Channel
Rogers SportsNet
Prime
CNBC


If you wanted to keep these channels the minimum option is the Analogue Value Pack which is $46.99, and when you tack on the Non-Digital Charge of $2.99 you are already better off in the Digital Select One package. You touched on the Internet pricing difference from digital to basic as well, so it may well work out well for you, but in general it won't benefit most people.

I do agree though that Lite internet is a good option if you don't download much.

[gmark2000]

Anyone know what premium channels Cogeco offers free from Clear QAM digital signal? I'm going OTA for my HD.

[Bullseye]

Screwball - I'm actually making the change today. I was aware that I'd be losing the variety pak channels, and am okay with that. The ones I watch are included in the 5-pak a la carte.

I wasn't aware of the one-outlet limit, though. We have a second outlet in the basement, rarely used, but I'd like to keep it. No digital receiver for that one, it's just analogue cable. Can't I just keep my splitter in place and it will stay as is?

I own my receiver, so no problem there.

Thanks for the insight.

[Screwball]

Screwball - I'm actually making the change today. I was aware that I'd be losing the variety pak channels, and am okay with that. The ones I watch are included in the 5-pak a la carte.

I wasn't aware of the one-outlet limit, though. We have a second outlet in the basement, rarely used, but I'd like to keep it. No digital receiver for that one, it's just analogue cable. Can't I just keep my splitter in place and it will stay as is?

I own my receiver, so no problem there.

Thanks for the insight.

The agent only would of charged you if your account had shown with more than one outlet. They do have to inform you of all charges, so by the sounds of it you won't be charged for it. Since the technican will trap your channels from outside they won't see that, and you can leave it as it is. The only time you would run into problems is if your cable had poor service and a technican came out to repair it and found illegal splitters - aside from that I wouldn't worry.

[Bullseye]

Thanks for the info.

[3weddings]

Informative!

We only sub to internet and phone with them, no need for cable ;)

Actually some guy keeps dropping of a flyer on my door indicating that unless I do sub to their cable packs, he will disconnect my TV. If he bothered to check cogeco records, he'd see we have never had cable with them and that a filter was installed when we first move in.

I have called him and cogeco a couple of times to remind him/them of this, yet he keeps coming by...grrrrr.

[Bullseye]

So in the end it was all a waste of time! Called and they told me that 'variety pack' channels are not available a la carte, only digital ones. Seeing as all of the channels but one that I wanted to add back were analog, there was no point.

So I'm still stuck paying $48.99/month, even though I only watch a small handful of channels.

[CSK'sMom]

That's exactly why we got in on the Star Choice deal Bullseye. We were used to the good old days of Look TV (a'la carte channels)at our old place but can't get a clear line of sight here thanks to the trees lining the highway so we ended up going with cable. The house actually came with a full ExpressVu system so we initially hooked that up, big mistake and the end of that year contract couldn't come fast enough. Then came cable, but as the prices kept going up for less channels we couldn't pass up the SC deal. We're saving almost $30/month.

[fireguy9]

So in the end it was all a waste of time! Called and they told me that 'variety pack' channels are not available a la carte, only digital ones. Seeing as all of the channels but one that I wanted to add back were analog, there was no point.

So I'm still stuck paying $48.99/month, even though I only watch a small handful of channels.


You have other options;)

also free to air satalite!!!!:idea:

[Bullseye]

Thanks, I'm really only interested in ethical options, though.

[Bullseye]

That's exactly why we got in on the Star Choice deal Bullseye. We were used to the good old days of Look TV (a'la carte channels)at our old place but can't get a clear line of sight here thanks to the trees lining the highway so we ended up going with cable. The house actually came with a full ExpressVu system so we initially hooked that up, big mistake and the end of that year contract couldn't come fast enough. Then came cable, but as the prices kept going up for less channels we couldn't pass up the SC deal. We're saving almost $30/month.

I had a look at their site, doesn't seem any cheaper, maybe I'm missing something? Looks like you need to go at least Bronze to be able to then cherry pick channels, and that is $33.99. Add in a few channels, and it's the same as I'm paying now, almost exactly.

[fireguy9]

Thanks, I'm really only interested in ethical options, though.

nothing wrong with FTA:!:

[Bullseye]

nothing wrong with FTA:!:

Is that the thing the Glaswegian thread is about? Picking up Hd channels with an antannae or something?

[fireguy9]

Is that the thing the Glaswegian thread is about? Picking up Hd channels with an antannae or something?

No but that is another option growing in popularity,,,, guy at work does it and gets amazing tv free

FTA is satelite receiver, you program it to receive . read up

Many people on it.

[CSK'sMom]

If you do a search here in Hot Deals, IIRC, there is a huge thread about SC Bullseye. There is/was a special deal that is only available through door to door reps. It doesn't show up on the website at all. With that said though, I don't know if it's still available...

[alonm]

The special deal is still available. Contact Ashif Kara at 905-403-2158. He is in the direct sales team and will be able to walk you through the process. SC is the best option for TV in Ontario.

[BootsJessie]

SC? meaning Star Choice?
If I call this guy, he'll offer me better than their website?
Thanks,

[mlc2000]

Thanks, I'm really only interested in ethical options, though.
So I'm still stuck paying $48.99/month, even though I only watch a small handful of channels.

So, making you pay the extra $10/mth for channels you don't want /need is ethical, but watching US satellite for free is not?

I won't 'borrow' Bell ExpressVu channels, only Dishnet.
Dishnet is much better anyways, with the Sirius music stations,
versus that crap galaxie.

[knapper]

The special deal is still available. Contact Ashif Kara at 905-403-2158. He is in the direct sales team and will be able to walk you through the process. SC is the best option for TV in Ontario.

I left a message and he never called me back...