Why Telus hides WiFi 6 equipment from cutomers?

[Mahdi]

I recently got a PureFiber plan from Telus and yet no chance to have WiFi 6 with it. It is saying WiFi 6 included but there is something wrong with this term. First they installed a T3200 which was not a Wifi 6 router, then after many calls they sent me a regular wifi booster which is not Wifi 6. Again I made many calls so they sent me Telus Wifi Hub. I am sure this router is not supporting WiFi 6. So what should I do to get a WiFi 6 router from Telus as they promised? I am going to consider switching to Shaw as they give Wifi 6 with no headache.

[Nighthawk]

From what I understand is that with the supply chain issues that there is a shortage of the Wifi 6 routers currently. They're not hiding them, they're just waiting for the next shipment of them to arrive.

[Mahdi]

So they could just explain it to customers and make a waiting list for those who need them, once available they can send it to them. Instead they provided useless solutions.

[xray]

I've been thinking about getting my own WiFi 6 router but I don't have any devices that support it yet so it's not a high priority right now.  I have no compelling reason to get new phones and laptops.

Which WiFi 6 capable devices do you have?

[Mahdi]

Interesting question, WiFi 6 capable devices are in the market for years now. You may do a little research and find out your devices are supporting WiFi6. I have Galaxy S10+ and it is supporting it, my laptop, my PC and my wifes Phone is supporting as well. Usually good devices are capable of upcoming future technologies up to 5 years.

[Kronos · Accepted solution]

Nighthawk is correct. Depending on where you live could be better or worse, but there is definitely a shortage of the white cylindrical Telus WiFi6 Boosters. These WiFi6 boosters are called "Arcadyan AX Central" (as in the discontinued naming standard 802.11ax) All you can do is keep checking in with Telus to try and get the new boosters. Remember there's still a global shortage of some electronic components like processors, and Telus has millions of customers of which a considerable portion wants the best WiFi6 boosters.

This is all assuming you are aware you can get expensive 3rd party AX routers/boosters, but I really like the ones offered by Telus.

You didn't mention your speed, but regardless all T3200s are refurbished nowadays and are meant for copper internet customers. Fiber customers should receive the terrible cylindrical router called "Arcadyan Fibre AC Gateway" (again as in the discontinued naming standard 802.11ac) or the much better "Arcadyan Network Access Hub" (known as NAH or Hub). The Hub works flawlessly with the AX boosters, so I recommend that combination.

You are right the slim "regular" boosters are WiFi5/AC, and WiFi6 devices have been out for many years now. For example with a Samsung S9 (AC device) you would get around 300mbps from the AX booster as your device is limited to AC, but with a Samsung S10 or newer you can get over 600mbps.

Good luck getting a full AX environment at home. All my laptops, phones, etc. are WiFi6, and downloading large files for up to 1 hour is a thing of the past. Even heavy (60GB-120GB) games download in less than 20min.

P.S. Technicians install whatever is currently available at the local warehouses. Telus is not hiding the best hardware, but I agree they could be more transparent about the fact that WiFi6 boosters are not readily available due to circumstances beyond their control.

[Wai_lai416]

i disagree about the telus is not hiding the best hardware part. i had a schedule tech come out to swap out my equipment for wifi 6 equipment as part of my 2 year renewal negotiation and i said i don't mind to wait if they don't have the hardware available (shortage) right away.. the tech came.. takes a look and see i have the old ac gateway.. then spends the next 15mins arguing with me i have the newest equipment already and why i schedule to have a tech come.. i'm like no this is not the newest equipment.. it's not wifi 6 capable.. and he just keeps arguing with me it is the newest equipment there's nothing that replaces it.. after 15mins.. he walks off and eventually came back and installed the network access hub.. and installed a wifi booster upstairs where my tv is setup.. he was in a bad mood coz i basically exposed him for his lie.. coz he told me i have the newest equipment there's nothing to upgrade even though it's not true.. i mean he could have easily told me or called me the night before and told me they don't have any and i would have gladly schedule for a month or so later to see if they have more then.. but obviously he had them in his truck and straight up doesn't want to give me. my original setup upstairs was moca adapter to switch (provided by a previous tech to give me hardwire to my ps5/xbox) connected to stb and the old telus booster. he disconnected all the ethernet devices to the switch.. disconnected the switch.. connected the wifi booster to the moca adapter and have another ethernet from booster to stb.. and then took away the switch and the 2 boosters i had upstairs along with the booster i have downstairs told me the booster won't work with the wifi hub.. so i have no wifi downstairs at all now that the NAH doesn't have wifi installed in the downstairs garage compared to the old ac gateway.. i made a complaint to him and he said fine i'll setup another wifi hub for you downstairs but we'll charge you for it.. i'm like why? well you only get 1 boosters from us.. but i used to have 3 wifi booster from you guys and 2 i paid for.. well they don't work.. he went and installed a 2nd booster downstairs by my computer that's connected to a moca adapter.. he used the stb out on the moca adapter and connected it with a coax cable.. as soon as it's connected the wifi hub upstairs stops working and when he disconnect it, it works again.. then he tells me oh it doesn't work you can't have 2 wifi hub.. if i want 2 i have to pay for 2 telus internet to have internet downstairs.. i'm like wtf.. then he talked to tech support or something and installed the 2nd wifi hub next to the nah with a ethernet cable and left.. after he left.. i disconnected the wifi hub he intalled next to the nah.. took it back to my computer with the moca adapater.. connected the wifi hub directly to the moca adapter using the ehternet instead of the stb out/coax.. and connected my computer to one of the ports in the back of the wifi hub.. viola... both the one upstairs and downstairs work.. this tech is either incompetent.. or straight up pissed that i argued with him about the new equipment.. he took away my 3 telus booster including the 2 i paid for which makes 0 sense coz i own it and the switch.. i went out bought my own switch.. connected it to the moca adapter and the switch to the wifi hub and all my hardware.. he could have literally just connected the wifi hub to the switch in the first place and not disconnect anything?? so i don't know why he disconnected everything from the switch and took it away?? so instead of 1 step connect wifi hub to existing switch.. he did like 5 to 6 steps?? disconnects everything.. takes away the switch disconnect the stb connects it to the wifi hub..

also the existing telus booster.. if figure they should still work.. if 1 of the booster is hardwired using an ethernet cable connected to either the nah, switch, or the new wifi hub?? they just won't work if i try to connect them wirelessly to the wifi hub ya? so instead of having a solution with my existing hardware.. they want me to pay $168 for an extra hub where i end up having to reinstall myself.. takes away my 3 booster 2 i paid for.. and a switch that was originally provided and had to buy my own switch.. and wasted 15mins time to argue with me about wifi 6 equipment basically telling me there's no such thing as new telus wifi 6 equipment i already have the newest.. spent 2.5hrs with installation/setup.. when literally could ahve been done in under 45mins.. he literally just spent 15mins with installing the nah and took like 2hrs setting up the wifi hub.. if he was competent and plug the wifi hub to the existing switch cough cough and setup the 2n wifi hub the way i have it now.. literally 3 steps and done.. telus is going to be getting a very annoyed customer calling them to dispute the extra $168 for the 2nd hub after they took away my 3 booster and switch.. and outright lied about the wifi 6 equipment.. if i have the newest equipment already what did you just installed and why am i paying for old equipment and my *newest* equipment and the wifi booster are no longer usable?

[Kronos]

Hi Wai. I'm sorry you went through that, and yes that particular technician was a combination of being a bit lazy and uninformed. I'll agree with you in that since technicians represent Telus one could claim Telus is hiding the stock. I feel SOME technicians would prefer not using the hard to get stock if it's not a new installation, as they feel they can avoid complications by convincing customers there's not much to improve. Same old attitude I witnessed from specific unprofessional individuals when I worked in the low voltage industry for many years before moving to software. I hope your next experience with a technician is better, but Telus must require so many for a company of their size that it's hard to hire only the best (as good work ethic can be faked during interviews, training, etc.)

I understand your house lacks cat5e wiring, so a previous tech installed MoCa adapters and a switch. Not sure if you paid for the switch; otherwise, it's just borrowed. Although there was no need to take the switch away. You did pay for 2 boosters, so technically the tech stole your property (could be an innocent mistake unless he knew you owned those). This is the point at which the tech starts making mistakes, since he didn't attempt to restore your previous setup. There are a few points I think are worth mentioning in case you find it useful.

1. WiFi6/AX boosters can be connected directly to NAH through coax, as NAH and AX boosters have a built in MoCa. You can bypass the standalone MoCa device, so coax goes directly into NAH MoCa output and directly into WiFi6 boosters MoCa inputs. I'm sure you already have a 2-way coax splitter installed somewhere in your home, as obviously the coax coming from the NAH needs to feed 2 boosters in different locations.

2. You can have 2 AX boosters without any issues, and yes your 2 older (slim) AC boosters will work if hardwired to a MoCa or NAH. I wouldn't install the old boosters next to the more powerful AX boosters due to cogestion of course, but you could hardwire them away from the your other 2 antennas (new boosters) or next to the NAH. I personally opted not to have my slower white Telus boosters connected, since my 2 AX boosters are in opposite sides of the house. Sometimes less is more, especially since the new models are more powerful. You may have different needs though depending on the size and materials of your home.

3. As mentioned in point 1, since the AX boosters have a built-in MoCa you can try connecting the coax directly to the AX booster and the switch you just bought can be connected to one of the 2 LAN ports in the booster. Even if you keep your current setup I would connect the external MoCa ethernet cable directly to the booster 2.5G port and then connect the switch to one of the 2 LAN ports, so the booster gets an IP directly from the router (NAH) without an unnecessary intermediary (switch).

[Wai_lai416]

thx for the info/suggestions. i technically don't need the wifi booster now that i have 2 wifi hub. only concern i have with the 2 wifi hub is they are making me pay $168 for the 2nd one when technically they could have just used the existing wifi booster i had connect it downstairs in the garage hardwire at the NAH and i could setup the other booster somewhere downstairs and that would have been adequate for my wifi need but instead i paid $120 for the wifi booster that they took away and another $168 for the wifi hub.. gonna see if they'll waive that $168. i really don't have a choice as i need the wifi downstairs as my doorbell cam and all my outdoor security cams can't get the wifi signal from the single wifi 6 hub. the wifi from the single hub my device can pickup the signal but for whatever reason they get no internet access.. i figure it's the strength as i have the same issue on my phone.. i'm in the garage it'll say i'm not connected to the internet and as i walk closer to the hub it'll start working again.

so are you saying because the ax boosters have a built in moca also.. i can technically go to any of my active coax outlet and use the coax cable to connect and technically it should work? i thought about that but the tech was like no it won't work hence i just plugged it by the moca adapter i have by my computer.. installing it next to the NAH is really not an option because of the boiler room metal pipings etc surrounding the garage.. the signal barely travels 15 ft and the signal strength and speed if u run a speed test is like a roller coaster lol.

as for connecting it directly to the moca and then moca to the switch is there a difference in terms of the telus software for the nah detecting the boosters so i can set it up in the config page? as it stands right now all it shows is the NAH with like 10+ ethernet device connected and doesn't show any of the wifi hubs/booster nor allows me to change any of the wifi settings like the old setup with the ac gateway and booster.. the NAH setup page i don't even notice a tab for boosters and the only way to change the wifi hub settings is thru the my telus app.

[Kronos]

I'll reply on your thread as I don't want to hijack this one (we kind of already did lol).

I believe there's not much more to add in regards to Mahdi's question other than to try to order the WiFi6 booster online (you have to buy it $) through your Telus account on Telus. Com (to avoid being sent the wrong hardware through an agent).

Mahdi could also contact a Telus technician directly through a business card. Once he/she let him know when they get their hands on WiFi6 boosters Mahdi can call Telus and request that technician (due to legal implications a company representative (tech) shouldn't just show up at your place without the company's consent). It's a bit of a hassle and Telus might charge $ for the visit.

Telus website, call center, and technician are the ways I can think of to keep trying until succeeding. Also 3rd party sellers maybe customers who don't need it.

[Wai_lai416]

I don’t even think u can buy the wifi 6 booster from Telus on their website atm. It’s really just up to the tech whether or not they want to give u one and charge your account for it I think. At least when I talked to them on the phone they told me I can’t order it and it’s up to the tech

[Kronos]

If that's the case the fastest way is through a 3rd party seller/marketplace or a proactive technician.

Telus warehouses obviously receive shipments every single week, but AX boosters must be available only every 3-6 weeks depending on the supply chain. I've had my AX boosters for like 14 months now. I personally offered to pay Telus for the hardware, had a little patience, and made the tech look good. Everyone wins. I could probably get them again from the same tech sooner than other folks. It's all just business.