TELUS & SHAW NIGHTMARE

[heezus29]

TLDR:
Canadian ISPs need to get their crap together. Telus did not inform me I could no longer have internet until I called in on install day. The excuse they provided is either BS. If SHAW is not giving Telus permission to use the SHARED conduit, the CRTC should mandate that ISPs can not deny their competitors using the only conduit available. SHAW should provide their tech with better fish tapes and offer better pricing for internet. A SHAW contractor himself said he uses purefiber at his house…

Preliminary stuff:
We were moving to a new house. Using the Telus pure fiber map and calling in, I was told I could get fiber to my house. I also checked with shaw, and they too could provide internet. The house is new, so it has ethernet wired everywhere and places to mount APs on ceilings. From my media panel, there is a fiber cable running to the Telus termination box outside.

Here is where my troubles start…

Telus! I used to love you guys, but you guys royal f***ed me… Initially, I got a gig internet for 55 dollars from an in-store rep. But the representative who gave me this deal accidentally created two move requests—one with the regular gigabit pricing and one with the 55 dollar pricing. When I called Telus, the first person could not override the appointment and transferred me to the manager. Here is where the manager goes oh no…

The instore rep gave me too good of a deal, including gigabit for 55 + $350 bill credit + 10 dollar mobility discount and two new boost 2.0 AP's. The manager informed me they couldn't do this as it violates the company policy of not discounting more than 40%. He said the instore rep, to get me 350 bill credits, signed me up as a new customer, and I would have to pay 200 dollars for the early cancelation.

Whatever, I will pay it because I am getting a killer deal. But it's a no-go, so after 2 hours on the phone, we come to a gig for 60 dollars plus a 100 bill credit. We also managed to book the move/install date for the day we move into the new house. Whatever is still a good deal, but I am annoyed I had to spend so much time on a mistake on their part.

A day before moving incomes, I ring up Telus to ensure everything is still in place because with online exams and siblings working from home, it must be up.

This is where my annoyance turns to anger… The person on the phone tells me he doesn't see any install. I tell him I have an email saying it will be installed and give him the number associated with the install. He tells me there is a note saying it can not be installed. He says this note was added on April 12th. It is now the 18th.

WHY WAS I NOT INFORMED??

It was planned for the network to be set up on the 19th. The manager said he would be there to help me through the process and keep me updated as he knew how critical it was to have internet, but that was a lie.

I ask to be transferred to a supervisor as I am frustrated, and he says the manager who handled my case should have informed me. Well, duh, but if I can get an email for an installation date. Should I also receive one for the cancellation no?

He informs me nothing can be done because the shared conduit is owned by shaw, and they are not giving Telus persimmon to run their lines through it. There is pure fiber overhead servicing houses across the street. But they can not run it to our house as it's an underground service.

I find this BS. I can see the fiber cabinet three houses up my street. Furthermore, I don't think a single company should have access to a "shared" conduit. We will touch back on this topic later on.

Now I have to go to shaw, which is in every which way an inferior ISP. They do not have same-day install, so they come on the 20th. It's now one day without internet, so we go to the library to study and work.

The shaw person comes and while pulling the cable through the conduit. The coax cable slips off the pull string. So now he tries feeding his fish tape into the underground cable box, but he can not and leaves. He says he called in a special drop team who will come today.

Surprise, the drop team can not make it the same day, so they come tomorrow. Thus another day without internet. They pull the cable themselves, but they do not have the modem. I asked if they could terminate the cable, and I could go to the mall, pick up the modem, and self-install. (All in-house wiring is terminated). He says no can do. I even offered him 20 bucks and soda.

I recall shaw, and they said sorry, no tech can come today as we have to book one day in advance. So in total, I end up with three days without internet while dealing with studying for finals and writing online exams in the library vs. my house.

All this could have been avoided has Telus informed me once they found out they couldn't run the cable if the initial shaw tech had a longer fish tape if the second tech could've terminated the coax, and I picked up the modem myself.

Another note is that the shared conduit stuff is bull**bleep**. Imagine buying a car, but you can only drive it if you put shell gas because shell owns the car's fuel tank. How does the CRTC allow this to happen?

I tried to help the first tech with pulling the cable, and we spoke regarding Telus pure fiber. He said the shared conduit stuff is bs because Telus has conduit installed from the fiber cabinet into the underground bunker thing.

[WestCoasterBC]

Sound to me more like the builder signed a deal with Shaw to service new home construction, not letting Telus have access. The builder gets a kickback. Happens all the time. 

[heezus29]

I spoke to the builder and this is not the case. Neither shaw nor Telus can explain what's going on.

It's not untypical to have a shared conduit in my neck of the woods. Our house in Pitt meadows and our old house in surrey both shared the same orange conduit with both services. 

I guess I am mad I can no longer get purefiber but I just don't see how one isp can prevent the other from operating. 

[A-B]

Hello! Are there any updates for your situation on this? Let me know when you can, thanks!

[heezus29]

After approximately a month and a half wait I was updated today.

A third manager opened a ticket and closed it because according to higher ups at telus, I can not run my own private conduit at my own cost.

I wasn't given any reason aside from blame shaw...

There's enough capacity to hook up me and more houses, the problem is telus won't run conduit to us and won't tell me how I can run it myself on my penny.

I have been on this case for a while, its frustrating to have to reach out myself just to find there is no answer and I have to wait more.

[A-B]

Understandably frustrating, and I do sincerely apologize. What I recommend is reaching out to us over on our Facebook page or at our Twitter account so that we can look into escalating your case!

[heezus29]

My apologies I have sorta given up after being sent around in a loop trying to get an update.

I don't have Facebook nor Twitter, I am unsure if that helps getting the ball rolling on this but if it does then I will create one

I am willing to run my own cable up to the pole with telus fiber on it but getting telus to terminate it is going to be a whole 'nother headache I think

[BillTelusCust]

It is a sad day indeed when one has to use third party services like Facebook and Twitter rather than a web page run by the company in question.....but good luck.

[KhloesGigi]

I read your nightmare... I to have a nightmare. But I am replying because I loved it that you offered him 20 bucks and a SODA. I always say soda and my family laughs at me. Other than that... yes the CRTC and frankly the world right now needs to get a handle on things. I'm ready to climb under a **bleeping** rock with a case of wine.