Beware Bell Expressvu

SteveinBC

New Member
Dec 12, 2005
9
0
1
BC
I've just taken the afternoon off (without pay) to meet the Bell Express Vu installer at our house. Naturally, he didn't show up. We have a Shaw HD box, and were going to change to Expressvu based on recommendations of the sales guy at Future Shop.

I tried to call their installation line -- a recorded message said the wait would be over ten minutes. I waited almost 40 before losing patience and hanging up. The only other company that's ever kept me on hold that long is Air Canada.

I'm just on my way out the door to return the Expressvu kit, and to get my money back. This is the worst service I've been subjected to in many years.....

Grrrrrr....! Getting grouchy in old age.....! :evil:
 

bevvyd

Electoral Member
Jul 29, 2004
848
0
16
Mission, BC
Steve, last year when I was looking at Satellite companies, RadioShack advised that they had not sold a Bell ExpressVu package in about a year and a half due to their bungling of packages. I went with Star Choice, but you have to make sure the people before you pay their bill or no satellite service until that bill is paid.

Now that cheeses me off.
 

Finder

House Member
Dec 18, 2005
3,786
0
36
Toronto
www.mytimenow.net
My friend works for them and they have a huge call centre. But I know when I tried to get a job there myself I had to go threw hoops of automated choices and or voice boxes. =-(
 

Guy Dumont

New Member
Jun 27, 2006
1
0
1
If you have no choice but to go to Bell expressvu, make sure you buy their cheapest model.
I bought their 5800 model $500 18 months ago and it blew up on me yesterday. I went to their store yesterday and was told that they do not repair this model. That I have to buy another one since their guarantee was over. While I was there someone else came up with a 5800 that had blowned up also but lucky for me it was within a year.
On top of that, it also blew up my tv (transistors etc) because it heats up so much that the guy that came in at the store with his 5800 brought his powerbar that smelled burned rubber

I was using also a safety bar and I know there was no power surge because my dvd and vcr are still working

I had to buy another decoder but believe me the day that the cable company comes to my new house (new development) I will be switching eveything including the telephone to them.
 

Canucklehead

Moderator
Apr 6, 2005
797
11
18
Re: Power bars....

Do not buy the cheap ones, they are only effective against the large surges but useless against the smaller day to day ones and these smaller ones are the ones that over time will cut the life span of <insert electronic device here> drastically. $50 - $60 for a power bar may seem excessive and costly but keep in mind the thousands of dollars of equipment plugged into it and the math is pretty straigth forward.
 

tamarin

House Member
Jun 12, 2006
3,197
22
38
Oshawa ON
Star Choice is the only way to go. The company's been taken to court lately by a large cable delivery outfit in Ontario. Reason? Unfair competition! The charge does have a ring of truth. Because Star Choice allows a subscriber to purchase several receivers identically configured, more than a few Star Choice subscribers share their bills with their neighbours down the street or across town. All the 'neighbour' has to do is acquire a Star Choice dish, align it and the receiver he gets from the initial friend fires up the system immediately. How can you compete with a company that allows a subscriber to easily halve or third his monthly costs?
 

dekhqonbacha

Electoral Member
Apr 30, 2006
985
1
18
CsL, Mtl, Qc, Ca, NA, Er, SS,MW, Un
SteveinBC said:
I've just taken the afternoon off (without pay) to meet the Bell Express Vu installer at our house. Naturally, he didn't show up. We have a Shaw HD box, and were going to change to Expressvu based on recommendations of the sales guy at Future Shop.

I tried to call their installation line -- a recorded message said the wait would be over ten minutes. I waited almost 40 before losing patience and hanging up. The only other company that's ever kept me on hold that long is Air Canada.

I'm just on my way out the door to return the Expressvu kit, and to get my money back. This is the worst service I've been subjected to in many years.....

Grrrrrr....! Getting grouchy in old age.....! :evil:

I guess you are simply unlucky. 8)
 

DurkaDurka

Internet Lawyer
Mar 15, 2006
10,385
129
63
Toronto
Re: RE: Beware Bell Expressvu

tamarin said:
Star Choice is the only way to go. The company's been taken to court lately by a large cable delivery outfit in Ontario. Reason? Unfair competition! The charge does have a ring of truth. Because Star Choice allows a subscriber to purchase several receivers identically configured, more than a few Star Choice subscribers share their bills with their neighbours down the street or across town. All the 'neighbour' has to do is acquire a Star Choice dish, align it and the receiver he gets from the initial friend fires up the system immediately. How can you compete with a company that allows a subscriber to easily halve or third his monthly costs?

Account sharing is illegal, starchoice, expressvu whoever.
 

DurkaDurka

Internet Lawyer
Mar 15, 2006
10,385
129
63
Toronto
Guy Dumont said:
If you have no choice but to go to Bell expressvu, make sure you buy their cheapest model.
I bought their 5800 model $500 18 months ago and it blew up on me yesterday. I went to their store yesterday and was told that they do not repair this model. That I have to buy another one since their guarantee was over. While I was there someone else came up with a 5800 that had blowned up also but lucky for me it was within a year.
On top of that, it also blew up my tv (transistors etc) because it heats up so much that the guy that came in at the store with his 5800 brought his powerbar that smelled burned rubber

I was using also a safety bar and I know there was no power surge because my dvd and vcr are still working

I had to buy another decoder but believe me the day that the cable company comes to my new house (new development) I will be switching eveything including the telephone to them.

Do you leave your TV sitting on top of the PVR? I cannot think of any other way yuo would have heated your TV up with it. The PVR has a harddrive in it also, you should be giving it ample space to vent & cool.

I work for Bell ExpressVu's technology dept and I test the 5100,5800 & 5900 daily, next to the 3100, they are the most stable receievers in my opinion.
 

jazzzy bb

New Member
Jan 28, 2007
1
0
1
5900

I have a 5900 model and have been using it for over 2 years now. It works great, doesnt overheat, records all my favorite programs, and cant complain. Customer service sucks, but I know how to get around that... Feel sorry for you whiney complaining customers, maybe you deserve ****ty service... lol
 

karrie

OogedyBoogedy
Jan 6, 2007
27,780
285
83
bliss
It always makes me chuckle to see these old threads dug up: I can just imagine being dead and gone twenty years from now, and people pulling up some old complaint I posted on the internet, to agree or argue with me about my faulty stove or some such thing. lol.
 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 14, 2006
19,576
113
63
Vancouver Island
I've just taken the afternoon off (without pay) to meet the Bell Express Vu installer at our house. Naturally, he didn't show up. We have a Shaw HD box, and were going to change to Expressvu based on recommendations of the sales guy at Future Shop.

I tried to call their installation line -- a recorded message said the wait would be over ten minutes. I waited almost 40 before losing patience and hanging up. The only other company that's ever kept me on hold that long is Air Canada.

I'm just on my way out the door to return the Expressvu kit, and to get my money back. This is the worst service I've been subjected to in many years.....

Grrrrrr....! Getting grouchy in old age.....! :evil:

Well, maybe you could look at the positive side of that, as there are so many customers that, they
are that busy. As a very satisfied Bell ExpressVu customer for a long time, I suggest you don't give up, as it will be worth it.
I get top rate help from tech support anytime I have any trouble at all, which isn't much, and the
programming is the best.
I now have HD and their package is good too, and improving all the time.
 

MikeyDB

House Member
Jun 9, 2006
4,612
63
48
I've had a Bell phone (service) for fifty years. If there'd been anyone else with a similar utility,I'd have signed up with them.

With all due respect Durka Durka, Bell has enjoyed a monopoly on telephone service for so long it's made them forget what customer satisfaction and service really mean. De-regulation is a sham in Canada and Bell Canada if it can be avoided should be.

From their cell program to their internet service, it almost seems that Bell prefers an adversarial approach with its clients.

Anything to do with bells....churches,trolley cars, fire alarms....be careful!
 

mapleleafgirl

Electoral Member
Dec 13, 2006
864
12
18
34
windsor,ontario
I've had a Bell phone (service) for fifty years. If there'd been anyone else with a similar utility,I'd have signed up with them.

With all due respect Durka Durka, Bell has enjoyed a monopoly on telephone service for so long it's made them forget what customer satisfaction and service really mean. De-regulation is a sham in Canada and Bell Canada if it can be avoided should be.

From their cell program to their internet service, it almost seems that Bell prefers an adversarial approach with its clients.

Anything to do with bells....churches,trolley cars, fire alarms....be careful!


we have expressvu. i dont think my mom has any problems with it.
 

MikeyDB

House Member
Jun 9, 2006
4,612
63
48
Mapleleafgirl

Wonderful! You can thank hard workin grunts like Durka Durka for that...

I just which he'd get off his duff and take over the business office....
 

Toro

Senate Member
I've had a Bell phone (service) for fifty years. If there'd been anyone else with a similar utility,I'd have signed up with them.

With all due respect Durka Durka, Bell has enjoyed a monopoly on telephone service for so long it's made them forget what customer satisfaction and service really mean. De-regulation is a sham in Canada and Bell Canada if it can be avoided should be.

From their cell program to their internet service, it almost seems that Bell prefers an adversarial approach with its clients.

My sentiments are the same. When I first lived in Ontario, in 14 months, Bell screwed up 11 times, from losing my deposit to installing the jacks in the wrong room. I couldn't believe it.
 

temperance

Electoral Member
Sep 27, 2006
622
16
18
Too Bad ,Iagree with your riff with the auto mated system but I have learned to find out the by pass number like press "0" to get operator



We have the whole bundle ,its ok some people out in the middle of no where have'nt much choice ,I think I might of asked for a discount ,and they might offer it if communication between the contracter and bell express vu was astray ,Im surprised they didnt ask for cell number and or you got a call directly from the installer -also I remember a special number we had to call that day they came if there was a problem -before hand to confirm --I mean they are a
"communications company "

Dont they contract out the service install techs ?--

the next time we moved
we hook it up ourselver --not that bad ,in the summer --lol