SCREW SHAW | Collective Network Node

The Great Assimilation

For decades, Shaw was the "Western Alternative"—the Calgary-born giant that stood against the Toronto telcos. Then, the merger happened. Now, that iconic Blue is slowly being bled out for Rogers Red. They promised "Better Connectivity" and "Lower Prices," but anyone with a mailbox knows the only thing that changed was whose logo is on the top of the collection notice. Screw Shaw isn't just about the service; it's a funeral for the last bit of competition we had in the West.

BlueCurve to Ignite: A new name for the same hardware that still needs to be unplugged once a week.
The Freedom Mobile Split: The messy divorce that left customers wondering who actually owns their signal towers anymore.
Shaw Go WiFi: The only useful thing they ever did, now slowly becoming a memory as the login screens change.

My Shaw TV had every local Calgary channel. My Rogers Ignite package is missing two of them. For a higher price. In Calgary.

— Local Channel Deficit

I had a Shaw email address for 14 years. Rogers announced they're shutting it down with 90 days notice. 14 years of contacts. 90 days.

— @shaw.ca Mourner

Every Shaw bill arrived on the same date. Rogers bills arrive on a rolling cycle. Three months in, I was late because I didn't know when to look.

— Bill Date Chaos

The Rogers merger made Western Canada lose its last independently owned broadband network. Past tense.

— Telecom Eulogy

Shaw's HD channels were clean. Post-merger, on the same coax, compression artifacts are back. They found a way to make HD worse.

— Compression Regression

I was mid-contract with Shaw when Rogers took over. The terms changed. The price changed. The contract didn't protect me from either.

— Contract Archaeology

Rogers' customer survey asked if I'd recommend them to a friend. I said no. The survey thanked me. Nothing changed.

— Feedback Void

The Shaw Direct satellite service still works great. It's the only part of the merger that didn't degrade. I watch satellite TV and use a hotspot.

— Satellite Refuge

A Tribute to Disconnection

Western Canada used to have a choice. Now, we have a monopoly with a blue coat of paint. Whether you're in Vancouver, Edmonton, or a small town in the Kootenays, your data is now part of the Rogers Borg. Resistance is futile, but complaining on the internet is still free (for now, until they add a 'Satire Access Fee' to your bill).