Is Shaw Direct Satellite TV Going the Way of Bell?
I'm hearing rumours that Shaw Direct is no longer going to broadcast their signal into the U.S. for us Canadian snowbirds who winter in the southern US. Has anyone heard the details?
Forum Discussion
Shaw has a third satellite for it's HD service and it's footprint will only work north of the about 43rd parallel. This does NOT mean that you will not be able to receive the two original birds because you will. As of May 31, 2013, Shaw changed their policy and decided not to help Snowbirds with setting their dishes south of the border. Snowbirds will be on their own from now on. Though unlike Bell, Shaw will not shut you down for viewing Anik 1 and Anik 2 signals in the U.S. That's the good part.
I talked to both the CRTC/Industry Canada and the FCC in the U.S. and the question of viewing legitimate satellite service in the U.S. for Canadians and in Canada for Americans is illegal in the truest sense of the law. It would be up to the I.C. in Canada and the FCC in the U.S. to enforce the law. In my conversation with the FCC person, he mentioned that when the direct satellite to TV service was set up under the World Trade Agreement, Canada and U.S. took exemptions to the WTA, so that the Canada and the U.S. would have their own Satellite services and not try to take each others business. That meant that Bell and Shaw would get Canada and Dish and DirecTV would get the U.S. and there would be no overlap. With this "no overlap", it is illegal to view the opposite country's satellite service whether legitimately or illegitimately(gray market). In my discussion with the FCC person, he stated Industry Canada and the FCC have a very good working relationship. He said that since this situation was never even thought of in the original negotiations, he would, with permission, check with his I.C. contact in Ottawa and see if some provision could be made for RVr's to view legitimately obtained satellite service in each others country. Let's hope that something comes of it.
In the meantime, with all that, it's not likely that we'll see the RCMP or FCC Enforcement Agents, roaming through Campgrounds or RV parks checking for illegal satellite dishes. Hmmmmm........maybe I'll paint over the logo on my dish with some gray primer paint just in case. :W
I talked to both the CRTC/Industry Canada and the FCC in the U.S. and the question of viewing legitimate satellite service in the U.S. for Canadians and in Canada for Americans is illegal in the truest sense of the law. It would be up to the I.C. in Canada and the FCC in the U.S. to enforce the law. In my conversation with the FCC person, he mentioned that when the direct satellite to TV service was set up under the World Trade Agreement, Canada and U.S. took exemptions to the WTA, so that the Canada and the U.S. would have their own Satellite services and not try to take each others business. That meant that Bell and Shaw would get Canada and Dish and DirecTV would get the U.S. and there would be no overlap. With this "no overlap", it is illegal to view the opposite country's satellite service whether legitimately or illegitimately(gray market). In my discussion with the FCC person, he stated Industry Canada and the FCC have a very good working relationship. He said that since this situation was never even thought of in the original negotiations, he would, with permission, check with his I.C. contact in Ottawa and see if some provision could be made for RVr's to view legitimately obtained satellite service in each others country. Let's hope that something comes of it.
In the meantime, with all that, it's not likely that we'll see the RCMP or FCC Enforcement Agents, roaming through Campgrounds or RV parks checking for illegal satellite dishes. Hmmmmm........maybe I'll paint over the logo on my dish with some gray primer paint just in case. :W
