Bell and TELUS Satellite TV

[RVThereYet]

I’m looking for objective comparisons between Bell Satellite TV and TELUS Satellite TV (Not TELUS Optik, that’s n/a in my area still, but TELUS Satellite TV).

Currently I’m on Bell and pretty happy with their service, programming and picture quality etc., no major problems other than an occasional “hick-up” and then having to call them for technical assistance, which translates into about an hour of wasted time spent on hold. My contract with Bell is expired, so I’m free to go so to speak.

TELUS is offering what appear to be some pretty good deals right now for first time customers, you know, “the first 6 moths for about half price and then switch to regular pricing after that and free PVR rental for the term of the contract (3 years)” kind of deals… That, and the fact that Bell just informed me that they will once again increase theirs rates by $3/month starting January has me looking at my options.

I don’t want this to turn into a Bell / TELUS “sucks because of xyz” post, but rather am looking at things like programming, picture quality, HD content and channels, price paid and value received. I know TELUS takes Bell Satellite signals and “re-packages” it into TELUS branded TV, so I’d imagine a lot of the content will be very similar.

Have any of you switched from one to the other, and why? Again, please go easy on the “negative business reviews”; I don’t want to get this post taken down. I’m simply looking for some objective comparisons.

Currently, all taxes and fees included, I pay $100/month, which includes the basic package, 5 “themes”, an HD receiver and a regular receiver for the 2nd TV. What can one get on TELUS for that $? More / better, or less / worse programming?

Any input / feedback is appreciated – Thanks in advance!!

PS: Shaw is not an option for reasons that I can't post here ;-)

[steven lloyd]

We switched from Bell Satellite to Shaw Satellite when we switched to HD. We made the change due to service issues with Bell. We talk about swirtching from HD satellite back to HD cable simply because of the occasional weather "knock-outs" that happen from time to time. We've talked but haven't actually done it. If it goes out during the Superbowl though, that's it.

[RVThereYet]

We switched from Bell Satellite to Shaw Satellite when we switched to HD. We made the change due to service issues with Bell. We talk about swirtching from HD satellite back to HD cable simply because of the occasional weather "knock-outs" that happen from time to time. We've talked but haven't actually done it. If it goes out during the Superbowl though, that's it.

Thanks for the feedback. I’ve been on Bell now for over 5 years and can only remember 2 weather related issues, once there was some wet snow that stuck on my dish, which I had to wait out until it melted again, but I fixed that by spraying some Spam onto the dish and the snow now never sticks. The other was really heave rain, but that only lasted a minute or so.

[steven lloyd]

... can only remember 2 weather related issues, once there was some wet snow that stuck on my dish, which I had to wait out until it melted again, but I fixed that by spraying some Spam onto the dish and the snow now never sticks.

Spraying Spam on the dish ? Brilliant ( I think, maybe ) ? Did you have to wait until the dish was dry to spray it on ?

[RVThereYet]

... can only remember 2 weather related issues, once there was some wet snow that stuck on my dish, which I had to wait out until it melted again, but I fixed that by spraying some Spam onto the dish and the snow now never sticks.

Spraying Spam on the dish ? Brilliant ( I think, maybe ) ? Did you have to wait until the dish was dry to spray it on ?

I did, I waited until a sunny day, climbed up on my roof, gave it whipe and sprayed it with Spam. I re-apply once a year, just before winter and have never had any issues with snow sticking to my dish since.

[Bsuds]

Telus Satellite is provided to them by Bell so the only reason to change would be cost.

[steven lloyd]

Did you have to wait until the dish was dry to spray it on ?

I did, I waited until a sunny day, climbed up on my roof, gave it whipe and sprayed it with Spam. I re-apply once a year, just before winter and have never had any issues with snow sticking to my dish since.

Thanks. I can get to my dish from our covered deck so that's not too bad an issue but the Spam still sounds like a great idea.

[RVThereYet]

Telus Satellite is provided to them by Bell so the only reason to change would be cost.

Yes, cost on a factor (major one at that), but so is channel line up and packaging of channels into "themes" etc. which TELUS might do differently than Bell.

[Snarf]

I had Bell and am now with Telus. Telus is more competative imo. I just last week bought a used 9241 receiver from Castanet (for use as our 2nd reciver) and a simple phone call to them plus some "convincing" about waiving the fee for the tech to come out was all it took.
Bell would never do that. Bell's customer service, imo, is not the best.
If you have a Telus landline and internet, you can get a bundle discount. Just call and haggle a little and you'll be surprised what they will give you. Maybe grab a free Samsung tablet too??

[Bsuds]

by spraying some Spam onto the dish and the snow now never sticks. The other was really heave rain, but that only lasted a minute or so.

I'm sure you meant Pam. Spam is something completely different. (I was going to say meat but that's stretching it a bit)

[steven lloyd]

by spraying some Spam onto the dish and the snow now never sticks. The other was really heave rain, but that only lasted a minute or so.

I'm sure you meant Pam. Spam is something completely different.

Maybe it's S-Pam (Satellite-Pam) ?

[RVThereYet]

I had Bell and am now with Telus. Telus is more competative imo. I just last week bought a used 9241 receiver from Castanet (for use as our 2nd reciver) and a simple phone call to them plus some "convincing" about waiving the fee for the tech to come out was all it took.

Bell would never do that. Bell's customer service, imo, is not the best.
If you have a Telus landline and internet, you can get a bundle discount. Just call and haggle a little and you'll be surprised what they will give you. Maybe grab a free Samsung tablet too??

Awesome, thanks, that’s the kind of feedback I was hoping for, I’m even thinking (hoping) that if I call Bell to cancel that they might throw a whole bunch of “goodies” my way to convince me to stay? On the other hand, I already have TELUS home (2x), cell and internet service, so they’ll probably be happy to get my TV business as well (bundles). How do you find TELUS’ programming, picture quality, both SD and HD and theme packages compared to Bell?

[RVThereYet]

by spraying some Spam onto the dish and the snow now never sticks. The other was really heave rain, but that only lasted a minute or so.

I'm sure you meant Pam. Spam is something completely different.

Maybe it's S-Pam (Satellite-Pam) ?

Whatever that non-stick spray stuff is one can use to cook with??!! I don't cook with it, the can is in the garage with my other lubricants such as WD40, silicone spray etc, sorry if it was a typo, maybe its called Pam, not Spam?! In any event, it works well keeping sticky snow off your Sat. dish.

[Snarf]

The quality of signal is pretty much the same, so I wouldn't worry about that. Call Telus, tell them that as a loyal customer you are willing to sign up for the 3 years if the give you a free PVR receiver AND the Samsung Galaxy tab or you are going to cancel. If the person on the phone says no, tell them you want to cancel your services and you will get transferred (or ask to) to the "loyalty" department, another operator with more bargaining power. Explain that you would love to stay with Telus and include your TV with them but that you want the same deal as a new customer or that you will go with Bell or Shaw.
Worked for me...

[mountainmama]

I have the telus sattelite and it isnt much different from the others. I am under the impression that telus is shaw.