If Uverse gets neither a thumbs up nor thumbs down
What gets a thumbs up? Money is an issue! Thanks!
What gets a thumbs up? Money is an issue! Thanks!
Review: AT&T U-VERSE
- Thread starter Scott Greczkowski
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Nightmare
I should have known based on how hard it was to get them to install DSL (see post by omegahelix "Cant-get-installers-to-come" on dslreports.com) but I ordered U-verse a month ago. The installer showed up Saturday at 8:30AM and was at my house for 8.5 hours. I am close enough to the "VRAD" box as the crow flies but, apparently, the lines snake through my neighborhood and add too much distance. He tried to hook me up anyway, switching the lines over at the box and clipping the feed from my satellite dish (killing TV, DSL and phone service). The lineman showed up and verfied that the lines were "clean" (no "bridge taps") but he was also the one to notice that the line zig-zags through the hood and has small gauge wire in at least one point.
The installer was on the phone most of the rest of the day with AT&T corporate, trying to get them to take me from a dual HD feed down to one HD feed to get a signal boost (which would also mean I could only watch one HD program at a time). I was told it could take some time so the tech left me overnight to look at the blinking red light on the gateway box he installed.
At 8:30AM Sunday, installer number two showed up an immediately informed me that installer #1 should never have hooked me up or disconnected my satellite until there was a good strong signal at the outside of the house. That would have saved him and me the bulk of our wasted Saturday. Installer #2 told me he could only call the line guys back out and they might be able to get it working. I declined and told him to put back my satellite, DSL and plain telephone service. It was at this point the installer told me he didn't know how to hook up a Dish Network satellite system and that, if I recalled the terms of service, they were not obliged to do it anyway. This contrasts with what the reps on the phone told me...that there is a 30 day risk-free trial and that, if I was unsatisfied, my old services would be put back by AT&T.
At this point AT&T had trashed my television service and didn't have the knowledge or desire to hook it back up. After calling b.s. on them, he agreed to give it a try and, between the two of us, we got it working again on one tv.
Both of the installers mentioned that they would "take a hit" on their timesheets; #1 because he had stayed at my house too long when management policy is to call in the line guys and leave and #2 because putting back the things that they broke is non revenue generating. Apparently all AT&T cares about is getting as many people installed as possible.
Take all of this into consideration when thinking about going AT&T.
I should have known based on how hard it was to get them to install DSL (see post by omegahelix "Cant-get-installers-to-come" on dslreports.com) but I ordered U-verse a month ago. The installer showed up Saturday at 8:30AM and was at my house for 8.5 hours. I am close enough to the "VRAD" box as the crow flies but, apparently, the lines snake through my neighborhood and add too much distance. He tried to hook me up anyway, switching the lines over at the box and clipping the feed from my satellite dish (killing TV, DSL and phone service). The lineman showed up and verfied that the lines were "clean" (no "bridge taps") but he was also the one to notice that the line zig-zags through the hood and has small gauge wire in at least one point.
The installer was on the phone most of the rest of the day with AT&T corporate, trying to get them to take me from a dual HD feed down to one HD feed to get a signal boost (which would also mean I could only watch one HD program at a time). I was told it could take some time so the tech left me overnight to look at the blinking red light on the gateway box he installed.
At 8:30AM Sunday, installer number two showed up an immediately informed me that installer #1 should never have hooked me up or disconnected my satellite until there was a good strong signal at the outside of the house. That would have saved him and me the bulk of our wasted Saturday. Installer #2 told me he could only call the line guys back out and they might be able to get it working. I declined and told him to put back my satellite, DSL and plain telephone service. It was at this point the installer told me he didn't know how to hook up a Dish Network satellite system and that, if I recalled the terms of service, they were not obliged to do it anyway. This contrasts with what the reps on the phone told me...that there is a 30 day risk-free trial and that, if I was unsatisfied, my old services would be put back by AT&T.
At this point AT&T had trashed my television service and didn't have the knowledge or desire to hook it back up. After calling b.s. on them, he agreed to give it a try and, between the two of us, we got it working again on one tv.
Both of the installers mentioned that they would "take a hit" on their timesheets; #1 because he had stayed at my house too long when management policy is to call in the line guys and leave and #2 because putting back the things that they broke is non revenue generating. Apparently all AT&T cares about is getting as many people installed as possible.
Take all of this into consideration when thinking about going AT&T.
Last edited:
This is your FIRST POST here?
Not trying to defend bad installers, but why did you let them cut your satalite cable before you had the service completely installed?
The DEMAND for Uverse is overwhelming; its not ATT trying to force this on anyone..
My install took 8 hours, and until everything worked, I kept my Dish/Comcast/Cable modem hooked up...
Sorry you had a bad experience, but that is the exception, and not the norm..
Not trying to defend bad installers, but why did you let them cut your satalite cable before you had the service completely installed?
The DEMAND for Uverse is overwhelming; its not ATT trying to force this on anyone..
My install took 8 hours, and until everything worked, I kept my Dish/Comcast/Cable modem hooked up...
Sorry you had a bad experience, but that is the exception, and not the norm..
I did the same. Kept my DISH up and running until the U-verse was good to go. Just to make sure, I waited until the next day to call DISH and cancel. By the way, my install took about 4 hours. The phone part wasn't working right and a tech showed up the next day and had that going in about 15 minutes. That was early Oct., haven't had any issues since.
something strange about someone making this kind of post as his FIRST ONE, especially, on a SATELITE forum...
Nothing strange about it at all actually. I had bad experiences with AT&T and I wanted to tell people about it. I had read a review about the service on this very forum before the installers came so it seemed a natural place to post.
As for why I "let them" disconnect my "satelite" before they had a good signal...they didn't ask and I didn't take it upon myself to follow the installer around all day asking him what he is about to do before he did it.
Anyway, I'm glad the service worked out well for you guys. It sounds like it is nice once it gets hooked up.
How Far Away?
Great forum, I've picked up a lot of info.
I was wondering how far away from the VRAD is too far?
I've clocked the distance to the house at 7/10 of a mile. I have no idea how many branches are coming off it. My neighbor had Uverse installed but we have no idea what the reception or bandwidth would be like. The neighbor doesn't have HD.
Any thoughts would be appreciated,
Randy
Great forum, I've picked up a lot of info.
I was wondering how far away from the VRAD is too far?
I've clocked the distance to the house at 7/10 of a mile. I have no idea how many branches are coming off it. My neighbor had Uverse installed but we have no idea what the reception or bandwidth would be like. The neighbor doesn't have HD.
Any thoughts would be appreciated,
Randy
well, it depends..if you are hoping for full bandwidth/2 hd streams, I believe the max is usually around 2900 feet, around a 1/2 mile..
if you are farther, you can still get the service, but you may have to be on a different profile, and only get 1 hd stream at a time..
Best thing to do is call them, and set up a visit..you'll never really know until they come out and check the lines in your neighborhood..
if you are farther, you can still get the service, but you may have to be on a different profile, and only get 1 hd stream at a time..
Best thing to do is call them, and set up a visit..you'll never really know until they come out and check the lines in your neighborhood..
Usually, they mount them on the ground, not on a pole...
Is that something new in your area? Because if it has been there for awhile,and you do not have uverse in your area, it probably is NOT a VRAD..
Is that something new in your area? Because if it has been there for awhile,and you do not have uverse in your area, it probably is NOT a VRAD..
well, it just may be that is how they do it in your state..have you called att to see if it is available in your area yet?
It does look like a VRAD, but, as I said before, I have never seen one on a pole before..
It does look like a VRAD, but, as I said before, I have never seen one on a pole before..
But keep checking.AT&T is very secretive about this. If you start to see additional panel type equipment (VRADs) similar to the pictures that have been posted in previous posts, also installation of new underground cables, then you would know that they are laying out the network. In some areas they add these VRADs alongside other existing telephone panel equipment. I have seen clusters of four Panels together.
Hope this helps.
They've been very secretive here in Nashville. They're trying to keep Comcast at bay until they finish the whole city. There have been a couple of news stories about U-Verse, but nothing very specific. One newspaper article did have a list of VRADs, and one was a block away. I saw it, and it looks like it's ready! :up
ATT UVerse Disappointment
I had the same problem as the guy above. After wasting 4 hours of my Saturday morning, the installer said that I was too far from some box in my neighborhood to receive service. That information was surprising, because I had received numerous mailed flyers stating that I was able to receive service. Then I had to spend 30 minutes holding for an ATT Uverse specialist to cancel my service (ironic, since I never had service to begin with). Then the specialist said that she could not cancel my non-existent service. She did assure me that I would not be billed though (thanks for the "courtesy"). No doubt I will receive a bill later this month. I did request money for wasting my time, but she declined. Then I had to spend the next 30 minutes trying to un-cancel my Comcast cable.
In sum, ATT Uverse was a tremendous waste of time and frustration. My advice is to not waste your time--just recycle those misleading brochures and stick with Comcast or whoever you have.
Also, from a business prospective, why place those V-rad boxes in places where there is incomplete coverage, especially in a densly populated area (like where I live)? What's the point? ATT is just going to piss more people off and further ruin their brand. Mindboggling.
I had the same problem as the guy above. After wasting 4 hours of my Saturday morning, the installer said that I was too far from some box in my neighborhood to receive service. That information was surprising, because I had received numerous mailed flyers stating that I was able to receive service. Then I had to spend 30 minutes holding for an ATT Uverse specialist to cancel my service (ironic, since I never had service to begin with). Then the specialist said that she could not cancel my non-existent service. She did assure me that I would not be billed though (thanks for the "courtesy"). No doubt I will receive a bill later this month. I did request money for wasting my time, but she declined. Then I had to spend the next 30 minutes trying to un-cancel my Comcast cable.
In sum, ATT Uverse was a tremendous waste of time and frustration. My advice is to not waste your time--just recycle those misleading brochures and stick with Comcast or whoever you have.
Also, from a business prospective, why place those V-rad boxes in places where there is incomplete coverage, especially in a densly populated area (like where I live)? What's the point? ATT is just going to piss more people off and further ruin their brand. Mindboggling.
It has been stated elsewhere in this forum that you should never cancel your existing service until you are satisfied that your new service is up and running.
U-verse does provide additional competition, hope that helps to get you a lower price for your Comcast service.
I have Uverse DSL Elite package for $35/month and get 6mbps down and 1 mbps up. I switched from Time Warner's Road Runner Standard package for $47/month and got 7mbps down and 512kbps down because of the price.
Well, Time Warner and my employeer have partnered up now to offer me Road Runner Business Class at home for $38/month and has 8mbps down with 1.5mbps up. For $10 more I could get 15mbps down with 2mbps up (not important at this moment though).
When I had Road Runner before I wan't displeased with the service, just the price. I have had Uverse DSL now for about 3 months and think it's ok. Not nearly as fast but, was saving money every month. My questions are this:
1. Is it likely that at&t will compete for my business by giving me the Max package 10mbps down with 1.5mbps up for $35/month that I am paying now to keep me as a customer?
2. Should I jump on this deal from Time Warner? There are no commitments, equipment to buy, and this is not a promotional rate. My price decreases as more people sign up. I also get 5gb of online storage.
3. Why the hell is at&t customer service closed at 6:00 pm on a weeknight? How is this good service? Anyone who works during the day is sol dealing with at&t or what? This is almost enought to not even bother with at&t any more.
Any help is greatly appriciated. I'd like to move on a solution by weekend.
Well, Time Warner and my employeer have partnered up now to offer me Road Runner Business Class at home for $38/month and has 8mbps down with 1.5mbps up. For $10 more I could get 15mbps down with 2mbps up (not important at this moment though).
When I had Road Runner before I wan't displeased with the service, just the price. I have had Uverse DSL now for about 3 months and think it's ok. Not nearly as fast but, was saving money every month. My questions are this:
1. Is it likely that at&t will compete for my business by giving me the Max package 10mbps down with 1.5mbps up for $35/month that I am paying now to keep me as a customer?
2. Should I jump on this deal from Time Warner? There are no commitments, equipment to buy, and this is not a promotional rate. My price decreases as more people sign up. I also get 5gb of online storage.
3. Why the hell is at&t customer service closed at 6:00 pm on a weeknight? How is this good service? Anyone who works during the day is sol dealing with at&t or what? This is almost enought to not even bother with at&t any more.
Any help is greatly appriciated. I'd like to move on a solution by weekend.
I have had Dish for years, and AT&T DSL Elite. Everything was fine until about a year ago my DSL speed degraded by 80%, and would 20% of the time stop working.
When I called them out they said it was my inside wiring, and would need to rewire my entire house at a significant cost. I told them my phone service had no problem, and my DSL had been fine for years.
It was then that I dropped AT&T, and went with Comcast for my internet. Speed is excellent, without any dropouts in my experience
I see now that UVERSE is offering free installation and no contract, so I am thinking about trying them again, and there is NO way I would drop my existing services until I was sure things were working
When I called them out they said it was my inside wiring, and would need to rewire my entire house at a significant cost. I told them my phone service had no problem, and my DSL had been fine for years.
It was then that I dropped AT&T, and went with Comcast for my internet. Speed is excellent, without any dropouts in my experience
I see now that UVERSE is offering free installation and no contract, so I am thinking about trying them again, and there is NO way I would drop my existing services until I was sure things were working
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