When I first read Tom's comment, I did a little looking around and quickly realized that getting local TV where OTA (Over The Air) reception isn't feasible does not leave you a lot of choices. In fact, at that time, I could not find anyone but Shaw and TELUS who provide local Edmonton channels to those of us who live in Edmonton.
Yesterday, as I noticed my $117 monthly bill from Shaw, with no TV at all, and the minimum phone and Internet for my needs, I decided to look at my alternatives. Earlier today, while checking out phone and Internet offerings, I finally found someone who seems to provide local TV service:
vmedia.ca.
I'm not sure that I would call it a "catch", but you need to switch to their Internet service to get their TV service. Prices seem competitive with the third parties, and the total monthly price is much cheaper than TELUS and Shaw, even factoring in the upfront cost for the Internet modem.
For my own purposes, it is my landline telephone requirements that it seems that only Shaw and TELUS currently provide in my area. My Home Security provider, ADT, requires a true landline, not a public Internet-based equivalent, or I have to install a dedicated cell phone service as backup for my home security system. I also want a landline for its superior reliability, especially during a disaster, and better 911 service.
Were I to make the decision today, I would opt for TELUS for a landline because it is $7 cheaper than Shaw for minimum with Voice Mail. Plus, I am still free to choose Cable or DSL Internet from a third party, as choosing Shaw would leave me only DSL from a third party. For Internet, I would choose vmedia, only because it is the only one (besides Shaw and TELUS) that would allow me to add local TV in the future. My Shaw $117 bill would be replaced by a total bill of $79, plus $150 in up-front costs, which equates to $4/month over 3 years. Total savings: $34/month.
I'll update this post if I find any other possibilities.