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What Bell isn't telling you about Fibe TV

Update: This week, we switched back to Rogers after spending far too long using Bell's crappy television service. For those with Bell, read and weep. For those considering Bell, think twice even if you hate Rogers. RS


I've always been an early technology adapter.
I had a Betamax. That tells you everything (if you're over 50 at least).
My first computer was a "Portable". It weighed 40 pounds and I had to lug it around town on a gurney. I've been through probably 15 computers in my lifetime. Apple is the best. It's also too expensive so I have a piece of shit HP, the one I'm writing this blog on.
I've had cable, internet and now Netflix.
American Netflix. That's how far ahead of the curve I am.
I get all the newspapers for free. How? I disabled my cookies so they can't track me when I'm on the newspaper sites. Even the New York Times hasn't cottoned on to that trick.
Hahaha. That will be a fifty buck consulting fee.
Being an early adapter, I signed up for Bell Fibe months ago. It's only being advertised now, I suppose because the company was trying to get the bugs out.
I got Fibe because I hate, hate, hate Rogers. I've been in a titanic battle with Rogers over a cellphone bill which has now cost me $1,200. I will never, ever, buy a product from Rogers again.
At least that's what I said a few months ago.
I'll admit to being tempted to return to Rogers because Bell Fibe sucks.
Why?
First, you have to set up the regular channels you want to watch on a list, which is fine if you watch the same thing every week. I like a little variety, but try finding a channel you don't normally watch. By the time you do, the show will be over.
As an English subscriber, I'm pissed that the first 100 channels on the box are in French and the service announcements are bilingual.
What is this? An Air Canada safety demonstration?
The other thing I hate is you can't find the movies -- or series -- on demand unless they've just come out. If you want to see something that over two months old, you have to search for it.
My smart daughter Marissa calls this "counter-intuitive".
I call this lame and cheap. Bell wants you to buy the entire current Mad Man season. You don't get to watch it for the hundreds of dollars you pay them already.
But the real reason Bell Fibe sucks is because...it shuts off at least once during every show. And it shuts off usually at the very end of the show. So if you're watching Dexter live, it stops working at the moment in the finale when Dexter drives into a hurricane. A blue screen comes up with a friendly note saying Fibe has stopped working and if you are continuing to have problems, please call the following number.
It doesn't of course, stop working, I mean. It only stops working when you're at the end and want to see how a show turns out. Or if you're watching the X Factor and the kid you're rooting for is about to find out if she's got the hook.
I am not kidding.
It's so bad, I've taken to taping all the shows I want to watch to make sure I don't miss the ending. Or the middle.
Funny how it never stops working during a commercial about how great Bell Fibe is.
They should have called it Bell Died.
Anyway, I'm still going to keep it but only until I figure out how to go off the grid.
Any suggestions are welcome.
 

Comments

  1. - I hate rogers
    - I hate my new bell fibe tv
    - My fucking daughter who is 7 hates it because it's not made by apple.
    - I can't speak more than one language.
    - Rogers sent me a "last minute deal"
    Biaised article with no argument when straight to the trash.

    ReplyDelete
  2. In case you did not know:

    First, you can't just watch Bell Fibe on a new 2nd TV, you have to pay for installation ($75+ $50) then get a wireless box for $7 a month.

    Second, if you have the Bell TV app on your phone or pad, it doesn't mean you can connect it to your 2nd TV's HDMI to watch! You will get a "No" message!

    Basically Bell is no longer better than Rogers and both will rip you off left & right.

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    Replies
    1. Yes you can get the fibe tv app and a fire stick. But no good American channels. Just a bunch of horrible Canadian TV. Why cant Canada make a good tv show :(

      Delete
  3. I hate Bell. I terminated my phone service after 30 years of them monopolizing the market, and now they have installed a HUGE electrical panel for their Fibe subscribers in the area directly in front of my house. I live in a so-called “heritage” zone in old Lachine, where residents must adhere to strict codes regarding the exterior of their homes and properties in order to comply with aesthetic standards. I must pay good money for special permits for any renovations, yet Bell can come into the neighbourhood and feel free to add to the mess we already have along our streets, ie wires galore, transformers, etc. I have complained to both Bell and the city of Lachine, but my hopes are not high that I’ll be successful in reversing the decision to install a large ugly panel which will likely affect my property value. Like I said, I hate Bell.

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  4. In Canada I like only the Bell Fibe TV service. The customer service is working perfect.

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  5. You don't have to buy anything from Rogers, because clearly, you steal. You are stealing programs on American Netflix. By the way its adopter, not adapter. That'll be a fifty buck consultation fee...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. 'Stealing' from American Netflix. Boohoo!!! If one is paying a Netflix subscription and discovers that Canadian Netflix only has 50% to 60% as many shows as its US counterpart then it's time to action VPN (virtual private network) service to assure Netflix that one actually streams from Bugtussle, Iowa. I don't think many people will be terminally upset at the prospect of countless thousands of Canadians using a VPN for US Netflix reception. Netflix is onto this and fights tooth and nail against VPNs so it can be a lifelong struggle - but psychologically satisfying after all the decades of paying for monopoly/monopsony services. (Note: my VPN can't get past Netflix but those who are dedicated can still do it). Just note - feather - that there is virtually no loyalty left in the world for content providers . . . just isn't.

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  6. I pay for everything. Touche on the adopter. Shall I make the cheque out to unknown?

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  7. I hate Fibe TV all my local channels are impossible to find.No call display on the TV.Public TV used be Buffalo which is better now it is Detroit which sucks.Even if you buy a better package it sucks and if you look through the channels that offer more it's not any where near comparable to Rogers.Line up of channel is terrible all the forgien channel firsts then the rest are way down in the 1200's.I feel like they released this long before it was perfected.But I got a deal I could not refuse in comparison to Rogers.Rogers seems to favor their new customers at the cost of it's longtime customers by putting the cost on them to make up the difference of getting more to sign up.Though I am sure Bell does the same.Great customer service that is for the tried and true customer that has paid on time and been loyaled.So they both suck in someway!Plus Rogers phone was crashing and they could not fix it for days.I have heart disease and need that phone 24/7 for emergencies but they still do not get it.I guess they would if something happened and it was a case of law suit. In closing some of the best channels are gone in favor of the terrible ones that show nothing but killing and reality TV.I live in my own reality I don't need to see others problems!There is enough killing on the news and I do not need to be brainwashed into thinking death is okay and means nothing.TV is garbage.There is a massive lack of entertainment and learning on it.The news is bias there is more interesting things on youtube.So the hell with cable or fibe I am just paying for garbage and repeats.I can watch what I want when I want on the internet.Which enhances my knowledge and does not makes me some mindless zobie.

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    Replies
    1. All you haters are too dumm to figure how to work it properly, I bet you all still have VCR's....

      Delete
  8. Got Fibe TV a couple of months ago, part of a bundle with cell and internet. Got noticing that I was lacking a great many channels: Comedy Network, HGTV, History, TSN channels, plenty more. I take a look on the website at the 'Good' package (which is what I have) and all of these missing channels are listed as being available. I should be getting them and should have been getting them all along. I try 3 different live chats-in all 3 cases the person on the other end quickly informed me there were no technicians so they were ending the chat and abruptly disappeared. So I call. The Customer Service guy initially tells me that none of these 'good' channels I want would be available on the 'good' package. I give him credit for lack of tact (aka: BS). He said 'Yeah, the channels that people would actually want won't be available on the 'good' package'. I explained to him that, according to the Bell website, they ARE all being advertised as available. He searched the same page I saw it and then excused himself for a couple of minutes. When he came back, I got the explanation that Fibe now, because of the big, bad CRTC bullying them into an even worse 'basic package' has a 'Good 1' and a 'Good 2' package. And that the channels I want are only on the 'Good 2' package and that the site just hasn't been updated. But the thing is, none of those channels were on my lineup long before the CRTC decision AND there is still no mention of this mysterious, elusive 'Good 2' package. Bell's Fibe TV is basically false advertising to people. And this should surprise nobody. They do business like criminals.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Got Fibe TV a couple of months ago, part of a bundle with cell and internet. Got noticing that I was lacking a great many channels: Comedy Network, HGTV, History, TSN channels, plenty more. I take a look on the website at the 'Good' package (which is what I have) and all of these missing channels are listed as being available. I should be getting them and should have been getting them all along. I try 3 different live chats-in all 3 cases the person on the other end quickly informed me there were no technicians so they were ending the chat and abruptly disappeared. So I call. The Customer Service guy initially tells me that none of these 'good' channels I want would be available on the 'good' package. I give him credit for lack of tact (aka: BS). He said 'Yeah, the channels that people would actually want won't be available on the 'good' package'. I explained to him that, according to the Bell website, they ARE all being advertised as available. He searched the same page I saw it and then excused himself for a couple of minutes. When he came back, I got the explanation that Fibe now, because of the big, bad CRTC bullying them into an even worse 'basic package' has a 'Good 1' and a 'Good 2' package. And that the channels I want are only on the 'Good 2' package and that the site just hasn't been updated. But the thing is, none of those channels were on my lineup long before the CRTC decision AND there is still no mention of this mysterious, elusive 'Good 2' package. Bell's Fibe TV is basically false advertising to people. And this should surprise nobody. They do business like criminals.

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    Replies
    1. Then they should update it on their website.

      Delete
    2. Report them .they didnt help with bringing out a cheap package .they manipulated them to get more money .

      Delete
  10. You can here check the latest channel list on Bell Fibe [updated], if you are not sure about the channels.

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  11. If your so ahead of the curve why the hell would you pay such a crazy amt of money for fibe tv service? Pay one time for an apple tv or android box. Jailbreak it and u can watch whatever u want for free. Why do people pay for television? You know who pays. People who are definately not ahead of the curve

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  12. Welcome to Canada where bell and Robbers control everything. We pay highest cell phone bills of any developed nation, and they lie to get you to switch. Rogers called said I could get 5 mb of data read my phone bill im covered for 1.. I wrote down everything they told me so I know they lied. I thought Canada was a good country untill I went to Japan. We are a joke

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  13. I recently go Bell Fibe. Was told it would be better and more reliable than satellite. Were they wrong. Every few minutes I lose the signal. I've lost count how many times I've called and no one so far has been able to figure out the problem. I agree with the author. Bell Fibe SUCKS...if you're considering it. Don't.

    ReplyDelete
  14. 2000 channels and I get 5 of them... good luck figuring out which ones tho. I'm canceling in the morning

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  15. I WAS going to get Bell Fibe today - based on all I've read here, I think I'll stick with my antenna, and ROKU 3, (which gives me netflix, crackle, etc.,and 1400 channels -most of which I don't watch obviously -but there's a lot of variety).I get to choose the channels I want to access on a regular basis, and I always have the option of picking others. My only complaint is that I don't get all the regular cable channels I'd like, but still, I watch good quality TV and movies basically for free! (BTW, the ROKU device was only $109 two years ago at Walmart. No monthly fees, no mysterious 'taxes', access fees or other 'surprise' charges! Initially, I was only looking at Fibe to improve my internet speed for Voip, but even that seems like asking for trouble! (Maybe I'll try smoke signals...lol...?)

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  16. It's amazing that you claim to be 'pissed' about the 100's being in French and bilingual adds. Then again, maybe not.

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  17. Lol you may have had an issue with that service but should have had a tech out to diagnose the problem. Fibe TV should never cut out randomly.. Macs are terrible so your not really ahead of the curve by falling into the name brand.. as someone who builds computer and works for bell I can honestly say you are behind in times if your still running cable and not wireless. Don't watch the first 100 channels if your not french.. easy as that lol. I find a lot of older people hate bell because they cannot figure out how to use it properly. Everyone under the age of 30 and that KNOWS tech obviously goes for bell. The receivers are loaded with Microsoft and the TV is run over the internet. Changing your ip settings to watch American Netflix is also easy to do lol and by the way it's illegal.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. but 'seniors' are the fastest-growing demograph, well out-pacing the under-30s.

      Delete
  18. Actually we have had the same problem for ONE FULL YEAR. Each time they have a different reason. Could be high traffic and they have to switch the signal...it will work for a little while and then internet and TV cut right out. Blue screen. When we first switched over to Bell (not that we wanted to but Rogers wouldn't honor the loyalty rate as they had for my parents for over 40 years because they claimed we already had a discount. NO. What they did was put an unauthorized charge on our account of over $400 that we never knew about. A rep discovered this and removed it. That is not a discount. That is a reversal of unauthorized charges). Anyway, we switched to Bell. Then shortly after we get a phone call saying 'Bell will be in your area doing digging in order to receive FIBE'. We thought it was a joke and a nonsense message because they said we have Fibe in our area and can have the service. So basically they took our money to most likely pay for this digging and really damaging our property on top of it. And when the F.O.T.A.S van came on April 8 and did something final, all of a sudden our TV and internet had the smoothest service and connection. Never a glitch. Twelve days later, it started to glitch (which seems to be about the time they may have received a note about that)...and the fact that we didn't allow anyone to both coming because we KNEW it wasn't an internal wire broken inside another wire, as they kept saying it was. THEY can manipulate their servers and signals...and seems they are. I have never seen such garbage service, especially with Bell.

    And whoever said it is the older ones who don't like Bell...that isn't true. The service is literally garbage. And they don't seem to be listening.

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  19. Man, do me and my 4 kids hate Bell Fibe TV. And man oh man do we miss The Devil We Know,... Robbing Rogers. Here's why:
    1. Netflix shows lag, freeze, skip, multiple times a minute. It's not a speed problem as my boys test for that - I don't care what causes it as long as Bell technicians were trained well enough to trouble shoot it. They're not. So, no more Netflix viewing on the big screen;
    2. The classic Rogers channel numbers so familiar to us and to my guests are replaced by a maze of channels in the 1200 to 1800 range that, 2 years into it, we just can't remember or memorize. By the time we scroll up to the correct channel we've missed the first couple of minutes of our show. We know CTV is on channel 8 - not channel 1201. And bell does have a search option but that too takes time. So "annoying!!!", as my daughter will say;
    3. Bell Fibe packages have changed - less is offered per package and their prices recently rose by about $4 a package;
    We do like the crisp HD picture and quick response time when using the remote.
    These crazy channel numbers have brought daily frustration into our living room and the boys even went out and bought an HD Antenna so we could get off the grid entirely and be done with this. It works so well!! Amazingly clear picture but we so far have only been able to get about 17 channels. The boys want to try placing it on the roof but I don't want to give up traditional cable.
    Workarounds / Tricks / How to beat the system ??

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  20. I loving my 500 channels on settv on 3 devices for 20$ US a month!
    https://www.setvnow.com/

    ReplyDelete
  21. as I am an Indian i used to watch Indian TV channels streaming from one place and i have got all the Indian TV packages"with best news channel

    ABN News

    ReplyDelete
  22. Do not fear. Bell know the end is near. Remember Block Busters...that is the eventual hell for Bell. Customer service is down the drain. Recently charged for NHL Live package...no offence but I hate hockey. I have to pay because of third party billing. It feels like bell has resorted to extortion and racketeering to make money...DumbBell good riddens when you belly up....crooked company

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete
  24. Not sure if you have tested Acanac, been using it from past few months and found it better the ones you have mentioned in your post. You can check their affordable packages at https://www.acanac.com/internet-ontario/.

    ReplyDelete
  25. You can try https://www.vmedia.ca/en

    ReplyDelete
  26. Our bell installer said if you order channels and then cancel them before billing they are free anyone try this?

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love fibe tv. I only watch things I tape. I can watch what i like anytime I want and skip over all the commercials. Yes I do not have all the channels but told them what was important to me and they delivered. I dont know why you young techies cant figure out how to use it. I am a very illiterate computer user and I am 76 yrs old. What is wrong with your computer that you keep having these problems. Oh by the way I do not have an expensive computer or large expensive tv.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Almost may 2019 and bell fibe is still just as bad if not worse with the random cutouts. Cant believe that this is a product they can actually sell. It feels like such a rip off.

    ReplyDelete
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