[GoJaysGo]

Rogers and Shaw unveil shomi, a Made-in-Canada video-streaming service to rival Netflix
Rogers and Shaw unveil shomi, a Made-in-Canada video-streaming service to rival Netflix

Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. have revealed more details about their much anticipated subscription-based video-streaming service, announcing on Tuesday that a beta version will be available to their customers in the first week of November at a price of $8.99 per month.

In the face of competition from so-called over-the-top services such as Netflix and Hulu, Rogers and Shaw have unveiled their own version, named shomi, providing exclusive access to hundreds of movies and television series.

According to media reports, the two communications giants have signed deals worth over $100-million with leading U.S. movie studios and distributors including Warner Bros., NBC Universal and 20th Century Fox.

�We keenly understand the media landscape is rapidly changing and that viewers are looking for greater flexibility when it comes to what they watch and how they watch it,� Barbara Williams, Shaw�s senior vice-president of content, said in a statement. �Shomi is our first step into the new world of content streaming and we�re so pleased to be able to bring this made in Canada service to the market.�

Shomi will be available initially on tablet, mobile, online, Xbox 360 and set top boxes. It will feature prior seasons of popular TV shows and films including Modern Family, Sons of Anarchy, Sleepy Hollow, Shameless, Chicago Fire, The Strain, and American Horror Story.

At launch, the shomi catalogue will feature 14,000 episodes and titles, 11,000 hours of TV shows, 1,200 movies, and 340 TV series.

Rogers and Shaw own equal portions of the new operation, which will function as a standalone entity and have it own management structure.

Shomi website:
shomi | A New Kind of Video Streaming Service

shomi will be available on web, tablet (select iOS� & Android�), mobile (select iOS & Android), select Rogers and Shaw cable boxes and Xbox 360� with more coming soon.

[NamelessStar]

interesting, i hate to support rogers...... specially after all the trouble they have caused me but i might actually look into this.

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[theRock1975]

The apk will run just fine

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[Ment]

So their edge on Netflix is what, more Canadian focused content?

[anon(3066922)]

I had the same thoughts as you. I am now a shaw customer and really happy. 12 years of Rogers and constant frustration. I moved and got shaw and haven't had an issue or slow down in 1.5 years. If possible you should switch

interesting, i hate to support rogers...... specially after all the trouble they have caused me but i might actually look into this.

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[BCITMike]

Fail. They must not be aware of all the Canadians using services to access US Content.

But if they have the last two seasons of Trailer park boys, I'll subscribe.

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[ezapper2]

Rogers should be making an app for BlackBerry! This would basically kill netflix in Canada! Or at least for any BlackBerry users!



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[koool1]

Meh. Unless they have something better than Netflix I'm sticking with Netflix.

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[NamelessStar]

I had the same thoughts as you. I am now a shaw customer and really happy. 12 years of Rogers and constant frustration. I moved and got shaw and haven't had an issue or slow down in 1.5 years. If possible you should switch

can't switch a cell phone if it was possible i would trust me, only reason i'm with rogers right now is contract soon as its done i am done with them.

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[mfreedmn97]

Meh +1. First of all unless mistaken the service while similar to NF is not like it all. Sub fees, fees/show, and, it's Rogers. I'd not subscribe to it for that reason alone.

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[paranee2]

R they going to support BlackBerry or what is not, then again ditch to thr dark

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[anon(1049620)]

Meh +1. First of all unless mistaken the service while similar to NF is not like it all. Sub fees, fees/show, and, it's Rogers. I'd not subscribe to it for that reason alone.

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Ditto. Rogers does very little very well, and I don't want to support them anymore than I have to. Netflix suits me just fine.

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[robsteve]

So their edge on Netflix is what, more Canadian focused content?

They will have access to shows that Netflix does not have. In other words, shows that are licensed in Canada to the Canadian broadcasters and Netflix has no right to broadcast. Opposite to more Cananadian content, but more US Broadcast shows that are licensed to the Canadian broadcasters and Netflix has no access to in Canada.

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[shabbs]

This is doomed from the start.

[just_luc]

This is one time where I'm not disappointed by lack of a BlackBerry App.. BlackBerry doesn't make a tablet.. who wants to watch TV on a phone?

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[BCITMike]

This is one time where I'm not disappointed by lack of a BlackBerry App.. BlackBerry doesn't make a tablet.. who wants to watch TV on a phone?

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Thinking fail.

HDMI, DLNA, Miracast.

[Tre Lawrence]

This is one time where I'm not disappointed by lack of a BlackBerry App.. BlackBerry doesn't make a tablet.. who wants to watch TV on a phone?

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A lot of folks talk up hdmi.

[just_luc]

I suppose that's valid.. but there's a dozen easier ways to watch at home. Miracast is unwatchable for video.. i'm not one for leaving my phone plugged in to hdmi, I want it with me.. I'd use a tablet, a spare PC, a console or a set top box long before I used my phone to stream to my TV.. My opinion only of course.

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[Tre Lawrence]

I suppose that's valid.. but there's a dozen easier ways to watch at home. Miracast is unwatchable for video.. i'm not one for leaving my phone plugged in to hdmi, I want it with me.. I'd use a tablet, a spare PC, a console or a set top box long before I used my phone to stream to my TV.. My opinion only of course.

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Fair point. Can't argue. I wouldn't want to use my phone as a source either.

[Ment]

I suppose that's valid.. but there's a dozen easier ways to watch at home. Miracast is unwatchable for video.. i'm not one for leaving my phone plugged in to hdmi, I want it with me.. I'd use a tablet, a spare PC, a console or a set top box long before I used my phone to stream to my TV.. My opinion only of course.

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How about if the service was sold with a Blackberry compatible Chromecast type HDMI dongle. That would make more distribution sense.

[Tre Lawrence]

How about if the service was sold with a Blackberry compatible Chromecast type HDMI dongle. That would make more distribution sense.

Now we're talking...

[just_luc]

Chromecast or easycast or similar devices work because the content isn't actually streaming from your phone. Your phone is just the remote.

I wouldn't be surprised to see shomi on Chromecast at some point. Might need to gain a little momentum first though.

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[ezapper2]

How about if the service was sold with a Blackberry compatible Chromecast type HDMI dongle. That would make more distribution sense.

Use miracast and Playon. It's built into the phone.

Chrome cast sucks! Even with android/apple devices

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[playbookster]

Isn't that why we run android apps?

The Gif Exchange C001B7B16

[anon(1152406)]

I hate Rogers so much that even if the service is decent I won't subscribe to it.

They will probably find a way to screw you one way or another.

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