SCREW SHAW | Collective Network Node

The Great Assimilation

For decades, Shaw was the "Western Alternative"—the Calgary-born giant that stood against the Toronto telcos. Then, the merger happened. Now, that iconic Blue is slowly being bled out for Rogers Red. They promised "Better Connectivity" and "Lower Prices," but anyone with a mailbox knows the only thing that changed was whose logo is on the top of the collection notice. Screw Shaw isn't just about the service; it's a funeral for the last bit of competition we had in the West.

BlueCurve to Ignite: A new name for the same hardware that still needs to be unplugged once a week.
The Freedom Mobile Split: The messy divorce that left customers wondering who actually owns their signal towers anymore.
Shaw Go WiFi: The only useful thing they ever did, now slowly becoming a memory as the login screens change.

My Ignite modem's Wi-Fi password was reset without notice during a firmware update. My smart home was offline for 3 days.

— Firmware Surprise

I was promised a 'smooth transition' to Ignite. The technician arrived, said 'this will be complicated,' and rescheduled.

— Smooth Rescheduling

Shaw's technicians wore shoe covers in your house. Rogers' do not. Small detail. Tells you everything about the cultural merger.

— Shoe Cover Analysis

My building's Shaw master contract doesn't apply to Rogers. Rogers won't honour it. The building manager is furious. I am also furious.

— Contract Void

Shaw was an imperfect company, but it was ours. Western Canada's. Now it's a red logo on the same old wire. Progress, apparently.

— Western Canada Elegy

Rogers announced 'investing $2.5 billion in Western Canada after the Shaw merger.' My neighbourhood still has single-lane DOCSIS 3.0.

— $2.5 Billion and Counting

Shaw had a shaw.ca email for 20 years. Rogers is sunsetting it. It's on my business cards, government forms, and family speed dial.

— 20-Year Email Eulogy

The Rogers merger made Western Canada lose its last independently owned broadband network. Past tense.

— Telecom Eulogy

A Tribute to Disconnection

Western Canada used to have a choice. Now, we have a monopoly with a blue coat of paint. Whether you're in Vancouver, Edmonton, or a small town in the Kootenays, your data is now part of the Rogers Borg. Resistance is futile, but complaining on the internet is still free (for now, until they add a 'Satire Access Fee' to your bill).