Cogeco → [Niagara] Cogeco FALSE advertising US TV stations going off air

I just received a letter in the mail from Cogeco marketing the other day. No less than 5 times did it remind me that in February, 2009, all US television stations will go off the air.

The TRUTH IS that all US television station ANALOG SIGNALS will go off air. US stations already have their digital transmitters operating so anyone that does not want satellite or cable could still receive over-the-air signals.

The two ways of doing it are:

1. IF you are ready to upgrade your (power hog) CRT TV, purchase a new model with integrated HD receiver, as opposed to those that are marked "HD Ready", and connect your existing antenna to it. It WILL work, I've seen it work on a friend's HDTV. You DO NOT need to go out and buy some new fancy dancy HD antenna for hundreds of dollars even though the sales person will tell you it won't work unless you have one. That's hogwash. Having said that, the new antennas are specifically designed to receive the UHF frequencies for HD and you will get better reception if you are far from the transmitter (ie on average more than 40km direct line of sight)

2. If you have no intention of upgrading your TV at this time (you think it's perfectly OK to give the electric utility lots of extra money on that CRT power hog), then take a drive over to the US and go into any big box store's audio visual department and ask them for a digital to analog converter. I was told yesterday that one major US chain sells them for about $50. (See note at bottom about how you might be able to buy one at $40 off). You simply connect it between the TV and antenna and it will convert the UHF digital signals that are now being broadcast to the analog signal that your TV needs.

BTW, Canadian TV stations will also be taking their analog transmitters off the air in 2011. Good 'ol CRTC asleep again and not forcing the switch at the same time, that's YOUR tax dollars "not" at work.

SO, what's the bottom line. Yes, this only affects a few and unless you are like me that does not even own a television, hence Cogeco targeting me because I live near the US border with no less than 8 US stations and I only have their Internet service, they think that I MUST be getting my TV over-the-air. THEN...they try to insult me by assuming that I don't know that the US stations really are not going off the air, hence their blatent FALSE ADVERTISING.

COME ON COGECO, wake up! Do you think that your customers are stupid? Will this make me file a complaint with the CRTC and various other government regulators that monitor ethics in the marketplace? Will it make me call the major media? No. But here's what it will and HAS done:

I am now even MORE resistant to buying Cogeco's TV service. If I decide to purchase an HDTV, and I think I will after Christmas when the prices fall through the floor, I will likely go with signals over-the-air or possibly satellite.

Oh yes, and Cogeco, my parents have your Internet service, thanks to me but their TV is satellite. They have been thinking of bundling your Internet+TV. They received the same letter and I suggested they take their time in making any decision. They live at Lake Erie right across from Buffalo where they can get a lot of US stations and I have told them what I've said here, the most cost effective solution for their TV watching is over-the-air. They will still be able to get it when they buy their new TV in the new year.

Nice try, Cogeco. You only fooled yourself and your shareholders on this one.

$40 off converter?

If you are fortunate enough to have a relative the lives in the US, phone them before you buy and ask if they have purchased or are going to purchase the converters. If not or they only need one, the US Gov't is making available $40 off vouchers for US residents, max two per household. They can be printed from the Internet but your relative will have to go to the FCC web site to order it. THEN you print the coupon, take it to any retailer and they give the $40 discount at point of purchase. Vouchers are NOT available in Canada or to non-Americans.

I think you need to read it back over again

It says that Over the air stations are going off air

Would have been better off asking that in a question, instead of writing out that long, embarrassing, erroneous rant.

WiFi, this was just discussed here - »[Cable TV] The February 2009 event

I received the same letter and felt that it was very misleading as well. If it confused me (who is very informed with these sorts of things, and who already knows what's going on) then I'm sure that it would really confuse consumers who haven't been following developments at all.

I didn't see that thread and I did not embarrass myself, you only think I did. There are comments here that resonate my feelings so it has validity, thanks just the same.

This letter was VERY clear that it said, "Over-the-air stations will be going off air on February 17, 2009". They are NOT going off air. The ANALOG transmitters are going off air so that the spectrum can be reclaimed by the government for other services. These stations all have HD signals being transmitted "over-the-air" now. Americans are not being forced to switch to cable or satellite. They can purchase a digital converter so that they can still receive the TV signals "over-the-air" on the TV sets they own now without having to purchase new sets.

What I said was that it was misleading that Cogeco was telling customers that these stations would be going off the air. If they were honest, they would have said that the analog stations were going off the air.

It's just another part of their arsenal of unethical tactics to recruit new customers, especially digital...same way as they are forcing their analog customers to switch to a higher cost digital service IF the customer wants to keep the same channels. BUT...if that customer does not buy a new TV, the overall quality will not change. It's all a money grab.

Ahhh, you lost me in your ranting. Now I see what you were trying to say with this smaller explanation.

I don't know that I see this as being a big, nefarious, money making conspiracy... proactively taking advantage of the situation with clever wording, sure.

I wouldn't mind seeing a copy of this letter, have a scanner handy?

DrDog: Except that should read Analog Over The Air stations are going off air. Plenty of stations already broadcast Digital OTA signals and those are not going off air. I expected better from you.

Urbanriot: Please, what else could it be? Beyond the direct sell to non-cable subscribers, it's a way for existing cable customers to indirectly sell Cogeco services to non-subscribers, especially those with rabbit years. "Hey ma, I just got a letter saying you won't be able to watch Eyewitness News on Channel 7. You should get cable from Cogeco".

In a little bit of defense of Cogeco...some of the first ads on TV regarding this mentioned the same what your letter claims. Maybe there was a typo, missed word or maybe not, so in turn some people read into every single detail just so they have some fuel to bash cogeco. I have yet to see this letter so I wont comment further on regards to what it says.

I also do not see Bell or any other provider marketing their services, Once again like many other things; Cogeco is ahead of the game whether right or wrong on the message that letter is trying to present.

Just my 2 cents.

I have the letter in front of me as I type this, and the first sentence reads:

"In February 2009, all U.S. channels are going off the air. That means you won't be able to get your favourite shows anymore if you use an antenna."
It also has a little window off to the side that says, "Here are some of the stations will lose after February 17, 2009 if you keep using an antenna:" and has the logos for NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox.

It doesn't really apply to me since I use ExpressVu here in Fort Erie.

So they probably could have added a "just" in there to be completely honest, as in, "you won't be able to get your favorite shows anymore if you use just an antenna." Yea, it's a little shady, and definitely scare tactics for old people that have no idea what's going on. Not sure where I sit on this one...

By the way over the air stations are not going off the air, they will just no longer transmit analog signals. They will continue to transmit Digital only over the air instead of split analog and digital.

»www.dtv.gov/ has the full story.

And analogue to digital converters are available in Canada so those people who have existing TV antennas and even rabbit ears will be able to continue using them.

As it is is you can get HD off the air IF your TV is a FULL HD TV whether the station is american or not. I know, a friend of mine uses antenna when that satellite provider bugs from time to time.

WOW yea that is kinda of confusing...

Just as long as you're nitpicking, it's the ATSC receiver they need, not an "HD receiver".

I think what people are trying to say (that are saying that the ads are misleading) is that Cogeco definitely makes it sound like you need cable and that you can't get TV over an antenna at all.

i.e. "You won't be able to get your favourite shows anymore if you use just an antenna" still implies that you can't get your favourite shows anymore if you just use an antenna (yes, that verbatim), which is patently false. Obviously, I doubt Cogeco is making this bulletin so that they can make the public aware that they can purchase a DTV box so that they can continue to receive (and watch) the signal, so it's quite clear that it was purposely misleading in order to drum up business. To view the letter as anything else is fairly naive.

I would imagine that someone at some point will catch a bit of heat for letting the letter through, as Cogeco seems like a credible and trustworthy company otherwise.

I work in consumer electronics sales (and thus TVs, and thus HDTVs) and is a customer asked me, "Do I need to buy a new TV to continue watching my shows on antenna?" then I would be lying in order to get them to purchase a new TV. The same principles apply here.

Like I said, this sort of thing is something that I have to deal with nearly everyday from the public, and this is definitely misleading.

pretty sketchy on Cogeco's behalf

First a disclaimer...I know nothing about Cable TV!

That said I have asked some questions internally and I/forum should be getting some answers next week hopefully. From what I understand it's just confusing wording, we're not suggesting anyone has to rush out and buy a digital box and any confusing wording to that affect wasn't intentional. BUT I or one of my co-workers will update the thread next week.

I think what everyone is hinting at is: "Cogeco" and possibly other cable providers.. are being shady about the US 2009 event.

They make it appear that once it happens, the **ONLY** option is to get television from them.

It's sad actually.. morally, they should have made it clear that these channels would be available for **FREE** once they acquired a pay-once DTV converter.

Perhaps the advertising dept. at Cogeco was uniformed.. but it does sound like they're trying to bully people into purchasing their services.

..oh, and they should also make it clear that analog cable television will also to have those channels!

If any of you understand French you would know that quite a bit of the terms used are almost literal translations of the French terminology, which would lead to confusion.

Example:
You won't be able to get your favourite shows anymore if you use just an antenna.

Translation into French:
Vous ne pourrez pas acceder a vos emissions preferes en utilisant votre antenne.

Should have read:
You will not be able to access your Favourite TV Shows using your existing antenna setup.

Poor translation? I think so. I don't think it was intentional though.