[rogueToe]

Shaw Cable hooked me up for their Lite Speed service on Sunday. It's definitely not five times faster than dial-up (as they advertise) but there are noticeable speed boosts, especially when downloading a movie. The Finding Nemo trailer took 12 minutes to get started with dial-up, and three minutes to get started with Lite Speed. I also like the fact that it's always "on" and it doesn't tie up the phone line.

The guy who did the installation did a good job and even knew a bit about Macs. Still, I have this nagging feeling that I've read bad things about the Internet service provided by cable companies. Maybe they're improving ...

What are other people's experiences?

 

[Roland]

Lite is only supposed to be around the same speed as dialup (gotta love the "up to" phrase..) It is basically for people who don't want a second phone line for their internet access.

For the real speed you have to go to the regular Shaw Highspeed or possibly a DSL provider in your area.

(Btw: my internet with Rogers in Scarborough is really good. Fast and reliable.)

 

[oryxbiker]

The last time I had shaw it was horrible. The guy who installed wasn't really "talented." it took him 4 hours to get it up and running. After that it was constant problem. Then they had to add this other gizmo to the computer to make it work the way it should. The help lines also suck, you wait and wait and wait etc. My record wait is 56 hours! After that I went to Telus ADSL. It works great and the guy who installed it had a brain. And there help lines never take more than 30 min wait.

 

[nikki]

I have shaw high speed in saskatoon and its great, they sent out a mac person and was up and running in minutes. He didn't install any software,

 

[Chealion]

I've never once had a problem with Shaw. Other then waiting 2 hours to have them politiely tell me a 68k machine can't run Java because Netscape couldn't add it to their browser but IE 4 had it if we needed it. Of course, the nice thing was you could call and when it was your turn, they phone you so you can do other stuff. The guy who installed it was fast and even though he knew next to nothing about Macs, he installed the ethernet card, installed the software and gave us the phone number for the resident Mac guy just in case we had any problems. It was a piece of cake.
Lite Speed is meant to be a cheaper version of Shaw, more comparable to dial-up, so you have cable, but if you aren't crazy for speed (ie. sharing Mp3s, stealing warez, or going crazy for movie trailers and large files its great for the consumers)
Any way, if you ever need help, theres us and Shaw has really cleaned up their act after the @Home to Shaw conversion incidents...

 

[RicktheChemist]

.

 

[Mississauga]

Rick,

I believe the magic "ingredient" in your recipe is the router. Seems like a good router negates all the hassles faced by folks without them.

 

[RicktheChemist]

.

 

[jonmon]

emm...he had to install an ethernet card into the computer?

he got lost from the front door to the computer?

 

[VertiGoGo]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> and how do you wait for 56 hours on the phone.. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah, I thought this was a little odd too. So...you were on hold for more than TWO DAYS STRAIGHT? Cripes, even Rogers isn't that bad. I assume this is just an exageration (sp?) for effect and not the actual time spet on hold.

 

[Brainstrained]

My experience with Sympatico high speed was much like Rick's with DSL and Nikki's with cable, and I don't have a router.

It took me at most 10 minutes to plug in the power and phone line and install the software when I was using OS 9.2. The switch when I bought OS X was equally easy.

I can understand someone not familiar with Macs taking 30 minutes or even an hour, but four!

What did he do for four hours?

 

[MacDaddy]

RtC
I could have easily installed everything myself, but when they come do it for free, bring Cables, cut cables and fix my Digi Cable while their at it, I don't mind being lazy at all hehe

 

[MACSPECTRUM]

As I have posted before I have found (through many installations) that Cable/DSL from Rogers is the lesser of 2 evils, the other being Bell Sympatico Hi-Speed, which is actually a PPPoE service.

Bell has a nasty habit of including a CD with Access Manager sfw. that is quickly outdated. Access Manager is needed to start before you connection and one more weak link in the chain.

With the Rogers connection, it is always open and I just launch my browser / email program.

I have convinced several Bell clients to switch to cable, especially after they are told to download the newest version of Access Manager which they cannot because their Access Manager is corrupt and they can't connect to the net. Remind you of a rat on one of those wheels? But, they will send you a new CD after you request one within 3 days or so.

And people, please always do your own install. The techs are rarely knowledgeable and usually have old information for settings on their work order.

Also, if you have Rogers hi-speed, which means you have a digital terminal, you will get 10% off for being a VIP customer.

Remember, I did say, it was the lesser of 2 evils and I don't work for Rogers but have seen the difference in the 2 types of connections.

Oh, one more thing, Rogers does NOT have a bitcap where Bell does.

My $0.02

 

[PosterBoy]

With Telus DSL it is a lot easier to do your own install because they sell the Modem and everything you need in a QuickConnect kit, you just plug it in and call them and boom you are online. You also own the modem, so if you move to an other city where DSL service is available you are a step ahead.

By Bit-cap are you meaning max transfer rate or max monthly bandwidth?

Cable has no max transfer rate but the speeds are inconsistant. Because it operates like a local area network with everyone in your neighbourhood connecting on the same line the speeds are highly dependant on who else is connected and what they are doing. Also Acting like a LAN makes it a little less secure. Theoretically without changing any of your file sharing settings (and this applies more to windows users than mac users, but it is worth mentioning anyway) anyone could see and access your files.
Cable does have a max amount of transfer, I can't remember the numbers but they are lower than DSL (at least here in Vancouver). My frieds on cable get shut down when they have had a particularly active time online. I have never hit a barrier with DSL.

With DSL, you have a direct line to the server. Speed is determined by your distance from the server. The main thing I like better is that with DSL your speed is consistant because there arent a horde of other users connecting and disconnecting and taking up bandwidth.

For the record, I have only had problems with DSL once, when Telus added a third network to the city and I was switched from Network one to network three. Otherwise it has run like a top for over two years now.

My DSL (Telus) does not require any software to run (no 'access manager'), although you do have to register the MAC address of your computer to gain access (a simple thing to do), so maybe Bell isn't as good, but DSL in general I find to be a better service.

But really, they are both alright (at least here in vancouver). I don't have any experience with Bell, but in general DSL is just as good as Cable.

--PB

 

[hayesk]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by macspectrum:

Oh, one more thing, Rogers does NOT have a bitcap where Bell does.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yet. I hear it's coming.

The only companies I know of that will not have bitcaps are those local DSL providers that lease the lines from Bell.

 

[Dr.G.]

I have a DSL hook up with Newtel/Aliant Telecom, which services the Sympatico Warp here in Newfoundland. I was given their test site to check on download and upload speeds. I just checked it 5 minutes ago and received a reading of 873 kbps for the download and 512 kbps for the upload speeds. Is this considered a fast speed for a DSL connection? I know what I will be told if I speak to someone at Newtel, but I am asking the mavens here in ehMacLand, whom I trust more than someone I don't really know at Newtel.

 

[RicktheChemist]

.

 

[MACSPECTRUM]

Hayesk,

There was an article in the Globe and Mail over a year ago, quoting a Rogers official, that Rogers would follow suit in instituting bitcaps.

So far they have not done so.

They do see it as a marketing advantage over Bell and do not have any plans in the near future to institute bitcaps.

They figure that may help swing users their way.

So you have have bitcaps now (Bell) or bitcaps maybe (Rogers)

Sort of like you can pay $5 for the bag of oranges now from store A or pay $5 for the bag of oranges when store B decides to raise its prices. Store B currently sells oranges at $4. Where would you buy your oranges?

C'est votre choix.

 

[Kosh]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by macspectrum:
Hayesk,

They do see it as a marketing advantage over Bell and do not have any plans in the near future to institute bitcaps.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Depends on what you mean by near future. Apparently they have plans to do it in 2003... see http://shoprogersfaq.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/shoprogersfaq.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_sid=pcyBJ5yg&p_lva=&p_refno=021220-000003&p_created=1040386207&p_sp=cF9ncmlkc29ydD0mcF9yb3dfY2 50PTQwJnBfc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9JnBfc2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9NiZwX3Byb2RfbHZsMT0zNCZwX3Byb2RfbHZsMj0zOCZwX2NhdF9sdmwxPX5hbnl_JnBfY2F0X2x2bDI9fmFueX4mcF9zb3J0X2J5PWRmbHQmcF9wYWdlPTE*&p_li=&shopper ID=

 

[Kosh]

accidental double post