TV in BC Long-term Care home

[DGC1]

Have spoken with an agent and a supervisor trying to arrange TV service for my mother who just went in to long-term care. They keep telling me I need to order internet and Optik TV for her. This is crazy! A partially paralysed 85 year old does not require a full on package, she requires some decent television channels to enjoy her day. Surely there must be other options available.

[FuzzyLogic]

You may wish to talk to the long-term care facility to see if they have some options available. It's likely they already have internet and may have some other options as well.

[DGC1]

Thanks for the feedback. The care home advised to call Telus or the local cable provider as both provide service in the facility. Being my parents have been loyal Telus customers for over 60 years I tried contacting Telus first. BIG MISTAKE!

[KHR]

Hi @DGC1 

The only TV product that TELUS offers is Optik TV, which is an IPTV-based service. What this means that the TV signal is delivered over the internet and in order to watch Optik TV, you must have a TELUS internet connection. 

However, while a TELUS internet connection needs to be installed for Optik TV to work, you shouldn't need to actually order and pay for an internet service. A customer service agent (ask to speak to loyalty) should be able to sort this out provided that the long term care home will allow an internet connection to be set up.

[DGC1]

Thanks for the feedback. After two phone calls, over an hour on the phone, multiple times on hold, the requirement to access my account information to provide product information, the individual finally came back with "Standalone TV - essentials only" for $43/mo. It is ridiculous that it took this long, as well as accessing my account, to get basic product information. Don't get me started on how shocking it is that you charge seniors in long-term care $43 + taxes a month for basic TV service and your CEO gets $13million a year!

The care home said to call Telus or the local cable operator as both provide service to the facility. I'll be checking with the cable company tomorrow.  Telus should be ashamed,  

[Rocky3]

@KHR 

What this means that the TV signal is delivered over the internet and in order to watch Optik TV, you must have a TELUS internet connection. 

Please correct this in italics, you do need internet service but it does not have to be Telus internet service. Or is this another Block of the internet like VPN

[KHR · Accepted solution]

Hi @Rocky3 

The legacy Optik TV service DOES require a TELUS internet connection for functionality. If customers don't want to use/pay for internet, this is the service that is provided.

The new Optik TV service will mostly work (some features and channels won't be available) on non-TELUS internet. 

However, the CRTC requires that TV services be provided over a network that the BDU licensee (TELUS, in this case) either owns or manages, so the setup of a TELUS network is a government construct. 

[A-B]

Hey. I'll send you a private message to discuss further, thanks.