Tag Archives: internet

eBilling – Easy as 1, 2, 3!

Wait! Who said you didn’t have super powers?! Whoever it is, go tell them off!
I’ll wait here!

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Seriously, though. You most definitely can do your part to make the world a better place. Heck! You’re probably already doing so! However, some of those many ways combine the useful with the pleasant. Take electronic billing for instance. Not only you get a notification through email as soon as your invoice is issued, but you also contribute to reduce the amount of paper in circulation. It’s somewhat like planting a tree with every electronic invoice you get. A green environment is a healthy environment! Hey! Put down that paintbrush and that green paint bucket! That’s not what I meant.

If we want to successfully make the world a greener place, we need to take the little details into account. After you sign up for electronic billing, you might want to have a personal account on our website. When we send your monthly billing summary via email, it is good practice for you to click the link to the detailed bill. That way you will be kept in the loop if we make any announcement. Besides, there are tons of things you will be able to do once you create an account online. Things like changing your programming, making a payment, viewing PDF versions of your invoices (those are very printer friendly), etc.

You can top it all off with an automatic withdrawal. The ways you can do this are literally endless. You can contact us to have it set up or… take a wild guess… Yup! You can also set up preauthorized payments through your personal account online. With instant invoice delivery via email, automatic payments through credit card or your bank account, the ability to manage your account online, all the power is yours.

Now you can simply sit back, relax, and let it all flow smoothly on its own. You can see more details here.  We thank you for your efforts towards a healthier environment.

By Rykselson H. A.

Bundling with Shaw

Interested in bundling your Shaw Direct satellite service with Shaw Internet and Shaw Home Phone? If you’re in a Shaw-serviceable region, you may be eligible to receive up to $15.00 off your services per month!

With Internet speeds up to 250 Mbps, access to thousands of complimentary Shaw Go WiFi sites,   free Shaw-to-Shaw calling, and the ability to check your home phone messages from any computer or mobile device, you simply can’t go wrong. Pair all of this with the most HD channels in Canada and 10,000 (and counting!) Shaw Direct On Demand titles, and you have a winning combination!

Not sure if you’re in a Shaw area? Check out Shaw’s website, and select your location up at the top of the page to see if Shaw Home Phone or Internet are available where you live.

If you’d like more details on this great bundle discount, call our One Shaw Care team at 1-855-237-8904!  They’re available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

If you don’t live in a Shaw area, you still may qualify for a discount on Internet with Xplornet. Find out more about this offer here.

*rg

600-Series Receivers – February 2013 Software Update

Starting on February 12 (for HDPVR 630 units) and February 18 (for HDDSR 600/605 units), Shaw Direct will be deploying software version 09.15.  Once targeted (as seen on line I in OPTIONS 4-7), your receiver will automatically update at around 2:10AM local time.  It is not possible to force the update if you have not been targeted.

The overall look and feel is unchanged with this download, with the exception of updating branding.

This release provides increased VOD speeds, significant PPV enhancements, updated Closed Captions decoding and improved stability.  Prior to 09.15, the last software download was 08.26 in late October 2012.

09.15 Release Highlights

Overall Stability Improvements

  • General updates related to stability/reliability to reduce the chances of the receiver becoming “frozen”
  • If an issue is encountered that the unit is unable to resolve, a reboot may occur automatically to restore normal operation.

Shaw Direct On Demand (VOD) Dual Streaming & Usability Updates

  • Network and streaming drivers have been rewritten to enhance network throughput Speed Test - Results (GL)and VOD streaming performance.
  • A substantial increase in average speeds has been experienced with our Field Trial and Employee Trial groups.
  • If you previously had unexpectedly low Speed Test results, or issues streaming during local peak usage, an improvement should be seen with this release.
  • Unsubscribed content on VOD should display “grey” consistently, rather than sometimes giving a W4 error.

Shaw Direct On Demand (VOD) Adult Content

  • Support has been added for Adult content.  Adult content is found in a separate VOD menu, which is hidden by default.  A variety of Parental Control options are available to further limit access to this content.
  • To enable access to the Adult VOD store, Parental Controls must be enabled.  Then, press D to access the VOD menu bar, scroll to “VOD Settings”, and enter your password.  Change “Adult VOD” to “Enabled”.  Exit the menu, and press D again.  You’ll see a new button in the middle of the menu bar labelled “Adult”.
  • All Parental Control options (including Purchase Limit) will also apply to Adult content.
  • As with Adult PPV Content:
    • There is no free preview period on Adult VOD content
    • Coupons do not apply to Adult VOD titles
    • Adult VOD content features discrete billing.

PPV Order Enhancements

  • PPV programs now feature an “Order ID” in the Guide.  You can use this number to PPV - IPG with Order IDquickly place your order via the automated phone system (1-866-782-7778).
  • Once your receiver gets the order, the “!” alert icon will appear.  Pressing ENTER will display the Purchase History screen, which will list details of the title you ordered.  The “$” sign will also appear in the Guide on the title you purchased.
  • You must still setup an auto-tune, recording, or remember to tune in when the PPV starts.
  • If you didn’t receive confirmation of the purchase and the title doesn’t appear in Purchase History, use the “receiver refresh” option via the automated phone system or Self Serve to send the purchase through again.
  • In alignment with industry and studio standards, PPV movies recorded on the HDPVR 630 will be available for unlimited viewing for 48 hours, after which the title will automatically expire.

External HDD Updates

  • Once paired, eSATA hotplug is now supported.  However, unplugging your external HDD while it is connected is still not recommended. (Note that on initial pairing, you must still reboot the receiver to initiate the connection).
  • Units with a large number of recordings stored on an external drive should see improved performance after bootup, in the PVR List, and with the playback of recent recordings.

This release also updates the Shaw Direct logo to reflect the new brand launched in late Fall.

*mk

ReadyNet Powerline Bridge

If you’ve been curious about Shaw Direct On Demand, but aren’t able to connect your receiver to the Internet because it’s too far away from your router, we’re excited to let you know about the ReadyNet Powerline Bridge!

16_readynetThe ReadyNet Powerline Bridge allows you to convert any electrical outlet in your home into an Internet connection. Each kit comes with two adapters, two Ethernet cables, and an installation CD. Simply connect one adapter to your home router and a power outlet, and then connect the other adapter to your 600-series receiver and a nearby power outlet. As soon as this is completed, you can explore the vast Shaw Direct On Demand library and enjoy your favourite titles!

Once the first bridge is installed, the router connection will be established; if you need more than one additional Internet connection, you can just get a second ReadyNet kit for another two connections. The ReadyNet Powerline bridge sells for $49.99 (taxes extra), and as an added bonus, you get a coupon for eight free regular Shaw Direct On Demand titles just for connecting your receiver to Shaw Direct On Demand (to a maximum value of $7.99 each).

The bridge creates an Internet signal that will pass through your home’s circuit breaker without any issues, can support a bandwidth of up to 200 Mbps, and offers 128-bit AES encryption to ensure the security of your data.

If you’re interested in ordering a ReadyNet Powerline Bridge, you can find them in our online store. If you have any questions for us, please ask in the comments below!

*rg

Shaw Direct ‘My Account’ Walkthrough

 

Have you ever wanted to change your programming but didn’t have the time to wait on the phone? Have you been in a pinch to pay your bill and wanted to get it done as quickly as possible? Have you had a technical issue that you wanted to look more in-depth into on your own? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then don’t worry; our online Self Serve option gives you the ability to do all this and so much more! We’ll have you covered so that you can both understand what the My Account has to offer, and feel comfortable using it.

 

To access My Account, visit our website. You’ll notice different options in a row:

01

 

As indicated you’ll need to click on “My account” to bring you to the log in page. When there, you’ll notice two different sections:

  • Not registered yet?

OR

  • Ready to go?

We’ll start by showing you how to sign up for the first time. If this is the case you’ll need to click on “Register your account.” In doing so, it will take you to a page asking you to fill out a few pieces of information.

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Once you enter in all the required information, press “continue.”  There will be a confirmation email sent to the address you typed in previously. The email will not hold a temporary password or any information relevant to signing in for the first time; it is just to let you know that the submission has gone through successfully. After entering the information, return back to the main log-in page for the Self Serve. From there the only information required to log-in will be your account number and password that you selected.

All right! Now you will be logged in and are able to experience the world of Self Serve and all it has to offer! When you first log-in, you’re going to see a screen that looks like the one below:

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Most things are pretty self-explanatory. On the right-hand side, there’s a quick reference box that will update you on some key information pertaining to your account with us. It will show your account number, the current account balance, and whether you’re signed up for Pre-Authorized Payments or Paper-Free Billing. To the left of this, you can manage your programming, make payments, adjust your Self Serve account by updating email address or password, and much more. One of our favourites is the “restore missing channels or Pay Per View orders” link; if your receiver loses authorisation, you can use this to send a “refresh” to all receivers active on your account!

On the far left, you’ll notice quick links to choose from so you can easily navigate from any section:

 

04The first option is “[Log out],” which is what you’ll want to select when you’re done with everything.

The “Refer-a-Friend” link will take you to a page with information about our program of the same name.

“View your bill” will allow you to view the past six months of your Shaw Direct bills in either PDF format, or as a simple webpage.

“Paper-Free billing” will take you to a page where you can add, remove, or change your email address for receiving an emailed billing notification each month.

“Payment Card payment” allows you to make a one-time payment to your account with a credit card or Visa debit.

The link for “Pre-authorized payments” will let you add, remove, or update your pre-authorized payment information for your monthly billing.

“Change password” allows you to update your My Account password, as well as update the email address associated with the online account.

Lastly, you will see Receiver Refresh, which is the same as the “restore missing channels or Pay Per View orders” link mentioned previously.

Now that you’re aware of all that Shaw Direct’s My Account feature has to offer, we encourage you to explore it and fully enjoy our services that are now at your fingertips! Check out and try My Account today, and as always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave us a message below!

*rg

The Shaw Direct and Xplornet Anywhere Bundle

One of the great things about Shaw Direct satellite service is how accessible it is; whether you live in the city, on a farm, or in the furthest reaches of Canada, you can enjoy your favourite show or a classic movie.  While you can still enjoy television living outside of an urban centre, high speed Internet can be another story altogether. This is why we’re so happy about our recent partnership with Xplornet!

As you may be aware, Shaw Direct and Xplornet began a partnership in May. Anyone who subscribes to Shaw Direct is eligible to receive a 5% discount on their Xplornet services. So, you can get crystal-clear HD along with high speed Internet regardless of where you live in Canada with the Anywhere Bundle. If you’re interested in finding out more or signing up, you can fill out this form to request a call from the bundling team.

A bit of background about Xplornet: Like Shaw Direct, Xplornet Communications Inc. is a proudly Canadian-owned and -operated company, headquartered in Woodstock, New Brunswick. They’ve been around since 2004 and were originally named Barrett Xplore Inc. Their belief is that everyone in Canada should have access to broadband-speed Internet, and we agree!

Xplornet is also Canada’s first national 4G network provider. This means that by the end of this year, they’ll be able to provide speeds of up to 100 Mbps! You can check out their current 4G coverage areas here.

So, what happens if you wind up opening an account with them? The installation process is actually pretty similar to ours; in fact, a lot of Xplornet installers are also Shaw Direct installers!

When the installer gets to your home, they’ll find the best location install the dish (with a clear view towards their satellites, so no trees or buildings in the way). Once their assessment of your property is complete, they will mount the dish, and align it to ensure you’re getting the best signal possible. They’ll ground the dish, run cables, and seal any holes. Once this is done, they will hook up your modem, make sure everything is activated, and test your system. That’s all it takes!

You’ll still get two separate bills from Xplornet and Shaw Direct, and if you need to troubleshoot your Internet, or change anything with your Xplornet services, you will have to contact Xplornet. We are happy to get the ball rolling if you want to open an account with Xplornet, though! Just let us know, and we’ll help out.

Question of the week: 

Some people are computer gamers, while some love their tablets; what’s your favourite online activity?

*rg