Instead, Shaw said it will follow the lead of several U.S. cable companies with Wi-Fi networks.

It is already talking to Cisco Systems Inc. to supply equipment for a Wi-Fi network debut next spring.

"It has the potential to extend all of our current services [television, home phone and Internet] outside of the home, including TV everywhere," company CEO Brad Shaw told financial analysts on a conference call.

The next generation of Wi-Fi technology, 801.11ac, will have throughput of 1 Gigabits per second, company officials told financial analysts on a conference call. However, that technology isn't in the current devices people use.

The move surprised some industry and financial analysts.