Moving soon... Bell vs. Cogeco

iandesign · Mar 26th, 2008, 04:06 PM

Hey guys, I'm moving into a brand new condo soon and it's being pre-wired for both Bell and Cogeco. I'd prefer to get a bundle with whoever I eventually choose (home phone/cable/internet). I currently use Cogeco for cable (HD PVR box) and I use Bell for home phone (basic, basic, basic) and also internet (Sympatico Hi-Speed). I've started receiving offers from each company now and I'm looking for some input on what you like and dislike about each company.

Some of the things that bother/concern me:

• I rarely ever use my home phone so I get the most basic service only
• I download a lot of torrents, so, any preference? (throttling?)
• I hate the huge, ugly PVR that Cogeco uses
• I'll have 2 flat-screens (1 bedroom and 1 livingroom)
• I'd love to wall-mount each TV and have nothing else on those walls
• Any way to run a single HD box to both TV's?
• The dish for Bell is already on the roof. Any problems with weather?

I guess that's about it for now? Please leave out the "Bell sucks" or "Cogeco sucks" comments. I'm just looking for constructive comments here. Thanks.

madgunde · Mar 26th, 2008, 04:59 PM

TekSavvy. Don't support the pigopolists.

johnnyspade · Mar 26th, 2008, 05:00 PM

I have BellExpress Vu with the HD PVR and no complaints with that system. It is a dual tuner so you can hook it up to 2 different TVs. How this works I'm not sure as I don't use it this way so that's a question for Bell. I do use it to record one show while watching another which is nice. Pausing live TV is also a nice feature while I run to the fridge for a Guinness. I do have issues with the signal going out during heavy rains. Not sure if your roof antenna is better here.

JumboJones · Mar 26th, 2008, 05:06 PM

I have Cogeco cable HD and high speed internet and $20 Vonage plan, no problems with either.

Oakbridge · Mar 26th, 2008, 06:06 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by JumboJones
	I have Cogeco cable HD and high speed internet and $20 Vonage plan, no problems with either.

I'm also a Cogeco HD and High Speed Internet customer and a Vonage customer. You said that you rarely use your phone at home. Do you travel a lot? If so, you might want to consider Vonage. When I was travelling to visit my parents I would throw the Vonage box into my overnight bag and hook it up to their router while I was there. They always had an extra phone.

As far as I am aware, you can't do this with the Cable Home Phones.

SINC · Mar 26th, 2008, 06:55 PM

I have Bell ExpressVu HD and while there are weather related issues, they are indeed rare.

In any given year, I can only recall perhaps four times a year when weather killed the signal. Heavy snowstorms or pounding rain are the culprits, but the longest I can remember in over 10 years now was about 45 minutes on one occasion during a winter blizzard. Normally they last from 10 to 20 minutes.

Jeepdude · Mar 26th, 2008, 07:01 PM

I've had cogeco for years, and have always been happy with their 'net service and customer service whenever I've called.

Bell was another story altogether. The move from Toronto to Burlington with Bell--just having them move services--was PAINFUL. I ended up disconnecting and going with Cogeco.

I highly recommend them.

EvanPitts · Mar 27th, 2008, 01:48 PM

We have Cogeco cable TV here, but they do not have Internet capability in this neighbourhood yet. My friend's place also had Cogeco, but since her coop building buys a bulk cable service from them, she can not have a cable modem without finding the votes of at least 30 other shareholders.

I have not been happy with Bell, too many antics. My last bill informed me that since I do not subscribe to a special "long distance plan", I will have to pay an extra $1.25 per month "Long Distance Network Fee" if I happen to make a long distance call. I'd call it a "plan by other means". They also annoy me by calling me all the time. The last call they wanted me to subscribe to their mediocre speed Internet, but again, I am too far away from the CO to get DSL service, or at least DSL that is as fast at my dial-up. My friend has just received notice that she can not renew her contract, and will be forced to pay $27 per month for her "Sympatico", plus they have told her that she will need to convert to their new "Sympatico Internet Explorer Live" software, which will require a hardware upgrade on her end. They are also dropping the download cap from 10GB/month to 1GB/month on her account - which will make it a bit tight to even read e-mail. She will have to decide between e-mail and a Windoze update, I guess...

I think that Cogeco is a better service. Better speed, they actually know TV, though I don't really like the whole VOIP thing (it always sounds tinny, and you spend half the time repeating things because of distortion or poor audio quality. We have had pretty good response time anytime we have had problems with the cable. (The cable runs through the back 40, and there are always branches breaking off of the trees that snap the line.)

With Bell, you get all of the promised that they make on there commercials broken, and you end up paying an arm and a leg for something that you can just get from TekSavvy (for much less hassle, and you actually communicate with real humans!) Bell has all of these crazy "network charges". My bill features a "Network Charge", a "Calling Area Surcharge" and now, a "Long Distance Network Fee". Go with them if you like reading six page long bills that will leave your mind completely blank. Bell was good - in the 70's!

iandesign · Mar 27th, 2008, 03:45 PM

Thanks guys. I appreciate all the info. Like I said, I use both right now. Cogeco cable and Sympatico internet. Do you guys know about Cogeco throttling torrent traffic at all?