Miss Having Free TV? ONN Reader Shares A LEGAL Solution!
If you have information about a topic of interest to OntarioNewsNorth.com’s Northwestern Ontario readers we’d love to hear from you! Submit it in writing OR thanks to our new, less formal youtube channel (ONNmore) you could also record what you’d like to share (especially useful if what you’re sharing includes a matter of opinion) please email Editor@OntarioNewsNorth.com for details of what submissions should or should not include, you can also visit the Letters to the Editor page for tips on writing submissions (OntarioNewsNorth.com reserves the right to decline publishing of any submissions).
Having to pay for TV can seem criminal at times, especially for satellite TV, when you have 20 channels playing the same thing, and it seems like there’s never anything on. Even their “premium” packages just have more channels playing nothing. I miss the days when you could turn on your TV, adjust the 2 antennas on top to minimize the “snow”. Unfortunately analog OTA (over the air) transmissions where shut down across Canada August 31, 2011 in most markets, with the exception of CBC, who received a 1 year extension to August 31, 2012.
A year later many people are still feeling the loss of OTA signals in many areas, Northern Ontario being one of them. We aren’t as fortunate as many of our brothers and sisters to the South who have multiple OTA signals being broadcast by many different stations and several cities, even some American ones if you live in the right areas. We just don’t have that luxury, and with the population here we know that nobody will invest any money on us.
So where does that leave us? Getting cable? For some yes, as this allows for multiple rooms at costs that can be relatively low in comparison to other alternatives. Many people went to either Bell or Shaw and are paying through their noses, for the most part. Still others are purchasing FTA systems (yes the legal ones, NOT PIRACY) from dealers like www.jalanelectronics.ca and setting up their systems to receive free TV, with NO monthly costs (a full C Band and KU band system using their Amiko satellite receivers will pull in over 800 channels, including many in HD (High Definition) and their Amiko Alien 2 receiver that has many advanced features also has well over 300 IPTV (Internet streaming) channels as well as many other features like web browser to surf the internet etc.), but this also includes upfront costs and time installing the system.
One option that has not been well marketed, and very few people actually know about is the LTSS (Local Television Satellite Solution) that SHAW had to start. Follow this link and look under the FAQ (frequently asked questions, “My television service is going to be affected. What are my options?” ( http://www.shawdirect.ca/promotions/english/digitaltransition/default.asp?WT.mc_id=DTV )
When SHAW purchased Canwest Global Communications INC. also known as Global TV, the CRTC required them to allocate a certain portion of their tangible benefits to provide free TV. This was a condition of the purchase and basically means that SHAW has to provide free TV to people that were affected by the switch over from analog to digital signals. This program was initially scheduled to end November 30, 2012 but was officially extended to November 30, 2013 (http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2012/lb121128a.htm) *From Editor: From what I understand this is just the cutoff date to apply with the service having no official end date as of yet*
SHAW is not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. They are a business and in business to make a profit. There are some conditions to qualifying for the LTSS program. You have to have been in an area affected by the loss of analog signals, you have to have NOT been paying for satellite or cable TV for a period over 90 days and living within 75 KM of a transmission station that was decommissioned in the digital switch.
The people I’ve spoken to that have applied and received the LTSS system report receiving between 6 and 15 channels including CBCCITY, MCTV, CHCH, CIII, CKPR, CJFD, CJBN, CKVR, CBOFT, CBLT, CFMT, Knowledge Alberta, CTV2 Alberta, The Shopping Channel, Shaw Direct barker channel. SHAW sends you a free SD (Standard Definition) satellite receiver and, if in an area that they have their installers will schedule someone to come install the system for free. If they don’t have any installers in your area, they’ll ship you a satellite dish as well, once again for free but you are responsible for installing it yourself.
There does not seem to be an end date to the programming either. There are rumours of 3 or 5 years online, but no official end date. Once again, the cutoff date to apply is November 30, 2013. Be aware that many people who have the LTSS system report that SHAW does contact them after 30 or more days offering a “special” limited time programming package. YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO TAKE ANY PROGRAMMING!! The LTSS system is free. Also, some representatives there may not always be aware of this system it seems (or maybe they choose to play “dumb”), so don’t be shy to ask to speak to a supervisor.
To apply simply call 1.888.782.7602 to see if you qualify. They will either mail or email you a form to complete and return.
Mitch Ouellet, OntarioNewsNorth.com Reader
Greenstone, Ontario
