Canada's Shaw Communications, Inc. (Calgary, Alberta) this week announced the launch of Shaw Gig WiFi, leveraging the latest in-home technology to give customers the faster speeds, lower latency, and more consistent WiFi signaling they need to connect all their devices.
Available currently, the Shaw Gig WiFi service taps into the strength and capacity of the new Shaw Fibre+ Gateway 2.0 modem — the provider's new WiFi 6-certified modem capable of delivering gigabit WiFi download speeds in the home. With WiFi 6 technology, Shaw Gig WiFi connects multiple devices more efficiently than before, giving all members of a household the ability to connect at the same time with reduced buffering and data slowdowns.
“As Western Canadians continue incorporating more connected technology in their home to work, game and stream, they may be surprised that having dozens of connected devices has propelled their household into the super-user category, requiring access to a more efficient high-quality broadband connection,” observes Paul Deverell, President, Consumer, Shaw Communications.
Deverell adds, "By leveraging WiFi 6 technology through Shaw’s new Fibre+ Gateway 2.0 modem, Shaw Gig WiFi offers better quality connections and connectivity throughout the home while supporting increased demand for speed and bandwidth today and into the future.”
As cited by a Shaw statement:
The rise of connected devices in the home continues to increase, with an estimated 423.1 million devices set to enter Canadian households by 2023 versus 245.6 million in 2018, according to Cisco. While many Canadian homes have multiple connected devices, users can experience network slow-down and congestion issues as their laptops, smartphones, smart light bulbs and security cameras all compete for WiFi bandwidth.
Designed with bandwidth-heavy applications in mind, the WiFi 6-certified Shaw Fibre+ Gateway 2.0 modem supports the growing number of connected devices in the home by giving customers consistently fast WiFi.
As the next-generation standard for WiFi, WiFi 6 offers: faster throughput speeds on compatible devices; smarter WiFi coverage that results in lower WiFi latency for fast cloud and online gaming; and greater power efficiency for longer battery life for WiFi-connected devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
Shaw calls itself the preeminent Western Canadian provider of Gig speed internet, "with ultrafast gigabit download speeds available to over a million more homes than TELUS," as contended by a statement from the provider. The launch of the Fibre+ Gateway 2.0 modem comes just after Shaw was named by Ookla’s Speedtest Intelligence as Canada’s fastest fixed broadband provider, as noted by the provider.
Shaw's press announcement continued:
As of today, Shaw Fibre+ Gateway 2.0 is the only WiFi 6-capable modem available from a Western Canadian internet service provider. According to network equipment testing conducted by Kyrio, a network testing lab, Shaw’s Fibre+ Gateway 2.0 demonstrated better throughput and lower latency than TELUS’ WiFi Hub. More than 50% of all consumer premise equipment will support WiFi 6 by 2024 according to global tech market advisory firm ABI Research.
“The deployment of WiFi 6 capability marks a once-in-a-decade upgrade of WiFi technology,” comments Zoran Stakic, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer, Shaw Communications. “The launch of the Shaw Fibre+ Gateway 2.0 ensures customers on our fastest internet plan get the most out of our Fibre+ network at a time when they are relying on our technology like never before.”
Shaw customers living in larger homes or homes built with signal-blocking materials, such as concrete, can also add next-generation Shaw Fibre+ WiFi Pods to reduce WiFi dead spots and create their own household mesh WiFi networks.
The Shaw Fibre+ Gateway 2.0 modem is available to all new and existing Shaw Fibre+ Gig 1.5 customers in the majority of neighborhoods in Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg. Shaw Fibre+ Gig 1.5 is also available in smaller cities Shaw serves, such as Dawson Creek, B.C., Banff, Alta, and Burnaby, B.C.
More information regarding product availability can be found by visiting shaw.ca/gigwifi.