Shaw is finally offering their Gateway product in Penticton. Yippee!

I've filled out their form at least twice before but never heard anything back. After my previous horrible experience with their shitty lack of caring about their long term customers, I decided once more to fill out the application AGAIN!

Here's some of my history with Shaw.

I've been a loyal customer for about 15 years. Always pay my bill. Never really changed anything or demanded anything special from them in all that time.

Several months ago, near the end of the Canada Post strike, I switched to their Plan Personalizer thingy. After the technician came out, my only TV that seemed to be working right was the one connected to our PVR (that I've paid over $800 for!!). I called and was told that I needed a digital box for the other TVs. Why wasn't I told this before? The Shaw representative said they'd ship me out two digital boxes as soon as the postal strike ended. Wow. Guess what? I GOT NOTHING!

Back to the last few days:

I actually got a return call from Shaw!! The representative asked if I was still interested in the Gateway product. I said of course. I also explained (for the 10th time to various Shaw representatives) how I've been paying $20/month for about 4 years for my previous PVR. And yet they can't offer me any deals for being a long time loyal customer who got totally screwed on his PVR price. The girl went on to say that if I switched to Shaw phone, that I could get 3 whole months free of telephone service. I told her I really wasn't interested and wasn't really impressed with the supposed deal.

So now we get down to the Gateway product piss off. You have to pay $17/month for the Gateway (PVR) unit plus one "Total Home Portal" (for a second TV). Now comes the kicker. It can't be put on your current Shaw bill! It has to be direct billed to a flippin' credit card. WHY THE F*** would I want to do that?

For crying out loud Shaw, GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER AND STOP TREATING YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS LIKE SHIT! I shouldn't have to leave you every six months to get treated like you give a rats ass about me.

I don't really want to do it but I think I'll be calling Telus in the next few days.

For the record, I like Shaw. Their Tech support guys are pretty good and helpful. It's their corporate guys that are pissing me off.