Isp

[chathamf]

What does everyone recommend for ISPs in Calgary? Been renting for a while now and Internet was included so never had to worry. Getting a new pad September 1st and want to find the best bang for my buck. I download a lot of torrents but don't really stream that much. Don't really care about top top speed but I don't want to get charged for going over. Any suggestions?

[chathamf]

Anyone?

[Zhariak]

100% Shaw...

Incredible speed, support is excellent, low latency...

[Mitsu3000gt]

Don't think anyone can touch Shaw for speed, reliability and service.

You hear from the odd person who has had bad luck but that is the same with anything. Vast majority of people seem to be happy with Shaw. I've been using Shaw since high speed internet was available and have yet to have a single issue, customer service problem, or get speeds below advertised. In fact, my speeds are consistently *above* advertised since I moved downtown. Every company I've ever worked for uses Shaw as well.

[r0g3r]

what everyone said,

Shaw is awesome with speed.

Their customer service is fairly decent.

Can't go wrong. I've personally had bad experience with telus, their customer service was truly shitty.

Plus their prices are very similar anyways, telus might be cheaper with there 3 month or 6 month deals but the regular price is about the same.

[taemo]

+1 for shaw
been with them for the past 8 years and no complaints, no speed or bandwidth issue

[pheoxs]

I went with Teksavvy, uses the same line to my house as Shaw, a Shaw installer came, and so far has been good. Haven't had any issues so can't comment on their customer service.

Main reason I went with them is Shaw has pathetic data caps (~300gb) which is no where near enough. Teksavvy has 25mbit /w unlimited data for 45$.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by pheoxs
I went with Teksavvy, uses the same line to my house as Shaw, a Shaw installer came, and so far has been good. Haven't had any issues so can't comment on their customer service.

Main reason I went with them is Shaw has pathetic data caps (~300gb) which is no where near enough. Teksavvy has 25mbit /w unlimited data for 45$.

Do they enforce those data caps though? I have 500 GB, and I've gone over before with no consequence. Usually I am under. Also, even if they do catch you, they just bump you into the next bracket, there isn't huge overage charges or anything.

If I were downloading well over 300 GB/mo, I'd think 25Mbit would be too slow anyway :nut: .

[chathamf]

The overage is what I was worried about. The odd month I download a lot and my landlord never says a thing about going over. We are with Shaw as well. If rather not pay 80 a mo nth though and that seems to be the price for good Shaw Internet?

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt


Do they enforce those data caps though? I have 500 GB, and I've gone over before with no consequence. Usually I am under. Also, even if they do catch you, they just bump you into the next bracket, there isn't huge overage charges or anything.

If I were downloading well over 300 GB/mo, I'd think 25Mbit would be too slow anyway :nut: .

It's not hard really, my server just queues up things and runs 24x7. I think I'm at 1.5tb so far this month? My usenet server only gives me 10mbit downloads anyways with my package so 25mbit is plenty for that plus netflix and general surfing.

If Shaw decided to enforce and bump me up I'd get pushed into the 25mbit unlimited (160$ a month) since even the broadband 100+ (95$ a month) only comes with 750gb. 45$ vs 160$ is quite the hike, even if it technically isn't an 'overage' charge

[DeleriousZ]

I think they're generally more worried about upload bandwidth, but I can't say for sure.

In my last place we had bb50 and I would regularly get the advertised speed and go over it once in a while.

We have bb100 in our new place and it rarely gets over 35mbps. Just depends on the node load and your location (basically, there's way more to it than that)

[A790]

http://www.speedtest.net/result/3648131644.png (http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3648131644)

Suck it, Telus.

Shaw BB 100 using the Telus speedtest server.

[firebane]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt


Do they enforce those data caps though? I have 500 GB, and I've gone over before with no consequence. Usually I am under. Also, even if they do catch you, they just bump you into the next bracket, there isn't huge overage charges or anything.

If I were downloading well over 300 GB/mo, I'd think 25Mbit would be too slow anyway :nut: .

Never been dinged, harrased or over charged.

[thetransporter]

if you are a in in a certain building/area : http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?threadid=358032

[GoChris]

Originally posted by A790
http://www.speedtest.net/result/3648131644.png (http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3648131644)

Suck it, Telus.

Shaw BB 100 using the Telus speedtest server.

5Mbit upload on a 100Mb connection, ouch.

Telus, using the Shaw speed test server (not that it matters).

http://www.speedtest.net/result/3652194373.png (http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3652194373)

dat ping :poosie:

[A790]

Originally posted by GoChris


5Mbit upload on a 100Mb connection, ouch.

Telus, using the Shaw speed test server (not that it matters).

http://www.speedtest.net/result/3652194373.png (http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3652194373)

dat ping :poosie:
DAT UPLOAD. SUCK IT, SHAW.

[thetransporter]

how does one get the 15 upload on telus?

[firebane]

Unless your doing a lot of remote work or server sharing.. 5Mb/s is plenty for most people.

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by firebane
Unless your doing a lot of remote work or server sharing.. 5Mb/s is plenty for most people.

Yeah, I have 2.5mbit up and even my plex server streaming to devices when I'm not home is okay. 5mbit would be sufficient to maintain two streams to mobile devices which would be awesome. 2.5 is just barely cutting it but I don't use it often (too much data usage on my phone) so its more of a nice to have rather than a need.

Only people I know that care about more upload are either running servers from home or are seeding torrents

[mr2mike]

Originally posted by GoChris

dat ping :poosie:

lol.


Have $80/month shaw. No complaints.
Considering dropping down a level just to save a few bucks. Worth it? Or does speed really drop off at that level?

[chathamf]

Think I may get the Techsavvy guys a shot. Pretty cheap and decent service. See how it goes.

[jwslam]

Originally posted by chathamf
Think I may get the Techsavvy guys a shot. Pretty cheap and decent service. See how it goes.
Make sure you do the math with the installation fee to see how long it takes to recupe.

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by jwslam

Make sure you do the math with the installation fee to see how long it takes to recupe.

60$ activation fee (79$ - 20$ discount). Shaw is cheaper for first 6 months (30$) then more expensive (60$) unless you try to promo hop every 5-6 months.

So After 6 months shaw is 120$ cheaper, but then TekSavvy is 20$ a month cheaper.

So at the end of year 1 they cost the exact same. Same download/upload speed (rated) and minor data usage difference (250gb vs 300gb).

If you stay on promos Shaw can be cheaper, but if they tell you to pound sand and won't renew a new promo, then Teksavvy will be cheaper.

My main reason for going with them was the 5$ extra for unlimited usage. That alone pays for itself in 1-2 months for my usage.

Edit: Also be careful with torrents so you don't get copyright notices etc.

[blairtruck]

Originally posted by firebane


Never been dinged, harrased or over charged.

i go over my 400gb a few times a year for like 10 years now. never heard a thing from shaw.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by pheoxs
Shaw has pathetic data caps (~300gb) which is no where near enough.

Do you actually watch what you download or do you just fill hard drives?

[thetransporter]

Originally posted by sputnik


Do you actually watch what you download or do you just fill hard drives?


maybe he has a few iptv boxes in his household or just does family netflix.. that ads up fast...

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by sputnik


Do you actually watch what you download or do you just fill hard drives?

90% of my library is watched I'd say. Bluray rips eat up a ton of space. One season can be easily be 50-75gbs (~2-5 or more gb per episode).

3 people in the house hold all with different tastes, plus when nieces/nephews come over and want something to watch so there's a bunch of shitty cartoons as well. Say someone decided to watch XYZ show that has 8 seasons, at 50gb a season just adding that to the queue pulls in almost half a terabyte.

[chathamf]

Do some ISPs care about torrents or something? I've downloaded torrents for years and had no issues. I didn't know people could get in shit for it really.

[DeleriousZ]

Originally posted by chathamf
Do some ISPs care about torrents or something? I've downloaded torrents for years and had no issues. I didn't know people could get in shit for it really.

I'm not sure if they still do, but in the past SHAW has gone way out of its way to protect its users from the anti-piracy people coming after you. I can't find any articles on it right now so it might be total bs, but I'm pretty sure I remember something like that.

[16hypen3sp]

Wow lots of Shaw lovers on here...

I was paying for Shaw Broadband 50 but was only getting 11megs/s download and 0.50megs/s upload.

Just switched to Telus Optik and now pulling in 60 megs/s download and 25 megs/s upload.

As for their costumer service, I can't say how good they are as I completely bypass them and call my installer directly and he deals with everything else. He has been awesome.

[firebane]

Originally posted by 16hypen3sp
Wow lots of Shaw lovers on here...

I was paying for Shaw Broadband 50 but was only getting 11megs/s download and 0.50megs/s upload.

Just switched to Telus Optik and now pulling in 60 megs/s download and 25 megs/s upload.

As for their costumer service, I can't say how good they are as I completely bypass them and call my installer directly and he deals with everything else. He has been awesome.

Shaw is node based; Telus is distance based.

If you have a lot of heavy users on your Shaw node you'll get less than optimal speeds.

I'm always seeing 6-7 on my BB50.

[chathamf]

Another thing I should mention is a want to use my Roku with Plex to run blu ray quality video. Anyone having any luck with that? I do it now but I have a weak wireless connection running from the basement suite. It is hit and miss.