Telus Takes TV Plunge
For all the talk about IP-TV, it's taking plenty of time for the hype to become reality. That said, Telus plans to roll out TTV (creative name, eh!) in the coming months. For $79.95 a month, consumers will receive 200 digital channels and features such as time-shifting. First impressions: it seems expensive but ROI and rational pricing are the name of game in the Canadian telecom and cable markets these days. The big challenge facing Telus and other carriers around the world is convincing people IP-TV is better than what they already receive from cable. Why switch when cable gives you everything you need (VOD, PPV, HDTV, PVR, etc.) And while IP-TV has been touted as the service that will provide carriers with the much-desired quadruple play, there are still signs its widespread launch is being held back by technical and scaling issues. BCE Inc. is a good example of promise vs. reality. Originally, BCE was going to launch IP-TV (using Microsoft software) in the first half of 2006. But during a conference call yesterday, Bell Canada's 6'7″ president and COO George Cope madly tap-danced around a question on the carrier's IP-TV launch plans - citing the need not to tip off the competition (aka Rogers, Videotron, Cogeco). Truth be told, it will not be until some time next year before Bell is ready to go. A key issue is Bell's decision to adopt VDSL2 and MPEG 4, which means Bell will have to wait until the technology is ready for prime time.
Update: Infonetics Research has issued a new report that suggests the number of IPTV subscribers globally will jump to 53 million by 2009, while $26-billion of capex will be spent on IPTV infrastructure. Infonetics equipment equipment sales to soar to $6-billion by 2009 from $400-million in 2005.
May 4th, 2006 at 2:46 pm
Mark, I think I've commented before here that Bell does offer IPTV or at least what I think is the same thing. They keep changing the name every other week. Anyway, I have the Bell VDSL service.
I have to admit it rocks pretty well. Implementation is very nice too. One set-top box can stream to 3 TV's. Only thing required at the TV's is an RF remote and a little dongle antenna type device that goes between the cable line and the TV input.
The set-top box also provides my Internet connectivity. Although I didn't want this I was forced to go this route due to technician incompetence.
The channel lineup is very very similar to satelite ExpressVu although I think I get a few more new channels that aren't on satelite yet.
The picture quality as far as I can is better than any Rogers cable I've had in the last 10-15 years.
May 4th, 2006 at 3:12 pm
Okay, first I have used Telus TV for over a year and a half as one roomate is an employee.
This is the worst product I have ever used and the service received during complications is horrendous.
Telus does not have the qualified people or they do not know their job positons well enough to support the downfalls of TV over IP.
I have been so frustrated with pixelation, dropouts, complete blackouts for days on end - spuratically over the last year and a half that as soon as I move out on my own I would never use telus tv even if I was getting paid to do so.
It has been a nightmare and the poor service I receive when calling in a problem has been so bad that I will never again in my lifetime buy any product from the mass unorganized company that is telus.
My grade on TTV is F-. Save your money and headaches and ensure you will not invite friends over for big events that will not work by staying away from telus. They do not understand the technology or know how to support it.
June 2nd, 2006 at 10:20 am
What exactly are the regulations in Canada with respect to ip tv?
June 18th, 2006 at 1:08 pm
This blogging stuff is cool.
I warned Telus I'd do everything in my power to inform
as many people as possible about this company.
I will be starting my own blog with extensive horror stories regarding Telus.
Apalling service and outright lies…the phone staff always
sincere apologies…oh right…they're being recorded…