SHAW Expands 200 Channel Digital Cable to Provide Greater Coverage
(Whose box?)
$100 Million Investment Offers Service to Most of 1.5 Million Customers
01/13/99 Business Wire
(Copyright (c) 1999, Business Wire)
CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 13, 1999--Shaw Communications(TSE:SJR.B.) (Alberta Stock Exchange:SJR.B.) (NYSE:SJR) (Alberta Stock Exchange:SJR.A.) SHAW Communications today announced the expanded availability of its digital cable service to additional markets served by the company.
With this expansion, SHAW will offer digital cable to most of its 1.5 million customers.
"SHAW has now invested $100 million in the latest digital technology to offer superior quality programming, pictures, sound and service for reasonable prices," said Peter Bissonnette, Senior Vice President of Operations for SHAW. "We offer a superb programming line-up that gives consumers tremendous flexibility and choice."
SHAW Digital Cable is currently available across the company's service area in Ontario (including Scarborough, Pickering, Richmond Hill and Barrie), as well as in Western Canada. The installation of new digital technology equipment was carried out during the past two years to ensure SHAW could offer signal and picture clarity as crisp as possible. Digital compression of signals allows SHAW to give the most information, entertainment, news and sports to customers.
"Our digital cable service is also allowing us to offer a greater range of ethnic programming options, such as Odyssey or TV Japan," stated Bissonnette. "We offer the choice of purchasing or leasing the set - top box, depending on the customer's preference."
"SHAW offers the most reliable digital television service in the marketplace. Digital cable TV is totally different from watching conventional TV," stated Bissonnette. "It offers superior sound and picture quality and clarity, as well as almost 200 channels of viewing and listening options. Unlike other digital options, our service is unaffected by weather or blocked by trees or other obstructions," added Bissonnette.
The service also includes SHAW's Digital Cable Navigator, a feature that allows viewers to watch one channel while browsing at the same time to check out other programs. It also allows people to search for specific programs by title and day. People can also bookmark an upcoming program and be reminded on-screen to watch it. Parental guidance is another option with the Digital Cable Navigator. A parent can set restrictions on programming by ratings and titles or plan the programs that are preferred for children to watch.
SHAW's Digital Cable also offers a two-way interactive service. Over 85 per cent of digital customers can order Pay Per View automatically without having to use their telephone to call ahead. The service also offers Digital Music Express, with 30 channels of commercial-free CD-quality music ranging from classic hits to the latest releases in rock, jazz, symphony and more, available 24-hours a day.
SHAW Communications Inc. is a diversified Canadian communications company whose core business is providing cable television services to approximately 1.5 million customers. It also has significant interests in radio broadcasting, television networks and direct to home satellite television services, as well as providing telecommunications and paging services to individual and business customers.
CONTACT: SHAW Cablesystems G.P. Peter Bissonnette, 403/750-4631 or Shaw Communications Inc. Christina Rodmell, 416/920-3506, ext. 262
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