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The year is 1994 and the US service Directv® begins service in the United States. Canadian DTH Company ExpressVu Announces that they too will have a service available by the summer of 1994. Canadians are excited about the prospect of finally having an alternative to cablevision. Expressvu begin to distribute dealership territories to satellite dealers in Canada. Many dealers are excited and begin to spend money on advertising, showroom improvements etc. Summer 1994 Expressvu announces that it will not be able to meet its original deadline and moves its launch date up to December 1994. Dealers are disappointed, but still continue to spend money on the prospect of this exciting new opportunity. Afterall its backed by BCE, one of Canadas' largest corporations. Customers begin to get tired of waiting and begin to purchase "grey market" satellite systems and services from Directv® and USSB®. A much heated debate begins in Canada regarding the legality of the US services in Canada. Winter 1994 Expressvu again announces it will not be meeting its deadline. By now several thousand US "grey market" dishes have emerged. Expressvu begins seeking intervention to stop the importation of the US dishes into Canada. Winter 1995 Over a year from the date of original scheduled launch and Canada still had no DBS service. By Now over 100 000 US dishes were estimated to exist in Canada. Winter 1996, Over 2 years later and still no Canadian service. Now over 250 000 US dishes are estimated to exist. ExpressVu has also files several injunctions and restraining orders against some of the larger distributors in Canada in an effort to curb the flow of US dishes into Canada. Canadians become excited again when it is announced that another company Starchoice, will be offering a service within 6 months to Canadians. Expressvu issues a plea to Canadians to wait for them to launch while filing with the CRTC to block the licensing of Starchoice, further resulting in un-necessary delays for a Canadian service. Spring 1997, 2 1/2 years after ExpressVu first promised a service, Starchoice launches a test service. Shortly after, the decision to merge with Shaw Communications is made. Shaw will merge, transferring the Homestar transponders to Starchoice. AlphaStar Canada receives a licence also and promptly begins a Canadian service called AlphaStar Canada. Starchoice launches a limited service in Summer 1997. Two months later, AlphaStar goes into receivership, and then goes off the air, resulting in several thousand people losing money on equipment and prepaid programming. Fall 1997, 3 years after first promising a service, Expressvu launches and promptly begins a campaign to "get even" and begins to pull out the stops suing dealers and distributors selling the US services. Winter 1998, ExpressVu drops out of the law suits due to dealer and consumers launching a nationwide boycott against them. WIC and ohers coninue to pursue it. Fall 1999, ExpressVu continues to take legal action against dealers that sell U.S. Based dishes, including a large $15 Million suit again Tedmonds Satellite. Expressvu contends that they will take action again "all illegal competition" meaning also the large C-band dishes that have been in Canaada since the late 1970's.
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