The problems below have been described by many TBB users with a SHAW Cable Broadband connection.

•Experiencing Call Drops

•Terrible voice quality on your calls - you typically hear the other person, but they hear your choppy voice

These problems can occur at any time. You may make a perfect call, and the next one degrades to the point where you have to hang up!

The reason for the problems are due to SHAW's network topology, and nothing to do with Primus TBB. In other words, SHAW has a network with LOAD-BALANCING or TRAFFIC-SHAPING that causes severe JITTER at times. This HIGH JITTER is not usually a problem for most internet protocols like file transfers. However, it is often FATAL for VoIP!

When you have choppy voice on your line, you should immediately Determine the JITTER on your ISP connection.

Generally, if you have High Jitter (>50ms), calling TBB Tech Support is NOT going to resolve any problems and they will not be able to do much for you, apart from perhaps letting you vent.

You may first want to try some possible solutions:

•Ensure you have a free modem upgrade to the Motorola Surfboard.

•Call SHAW and see if there are too many subscribers sharing your local neighborhood segment. Complain forcefully and politely.

•Ask SHAW if you can try their EXTREME service free for 14 days to see it this improves things.

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User "Kris Kroeker" reported that a free SHAW upgrade of his Motorola Cybersurfer modem to a Motorola Surfboard modem (DOCSIS) resolved the problem considerably - without using the QoS Enhancement or Extreme. In this case, the modem was creating JITTER conditions that affected his TBB service.

Some TBB users have indicated that an upgrade to SHAW EXTREME resolved the problems. Other have also tried the SHAW QoS Enhancement (for 3rd party VoIP like Primus & Vonage customers) at $10/mth, with mixed results. Others have even suggested that SHAW QoS and SHAW EXTREME are the same thing, although this is not true. This was miscommunicated by SHAW CSRs early on before the QOS feature was actually introduced. There does seem to be evidence, however, that the Shaw Extreme service actually includes the QoS Enhancement by default, so users who are paying for both Shaw Extreme AND the QoS Enhancement may be paying double.

User "Kenmo" calls the SHAW QoS feature the SHAW VoIP TAX! It can also be interpreted as a mechanism to get users to switch to SHAW's own higher priced, fixed, VoIP service.

BBR user cgycable has submitted the following information in response to Kenmo's comments: