U-verse for Internet and phone - good idea?

[Ilya]

I am thinking of switching my phone and Internet service to U-verse.
It sounds like I can get higher speeds for less money, compared to what I am currently paying for my landline and DSL.
Is it a good idea? Is someone using U-verse Voice now, and how is it working for you?
I don't need U-verse TV, as I just signed a new 2-year contract with Dish.

Sent from my iPad 3 using SatelliteGuys

 

[isaacmorseMI]

If you have a good cable company I'd highly recomend looking at them.... If there's no decent cable internet then U-Verse might be a nice upgrade.

Sent from my iPad 2 using Forum Runner

 

[Zorak]

I did what you said and internet is faster but the wireless gateway is limiting and buggy....

 

[lern4483]

I am thinking of switching my phone and Internet service to U-verse.
It sounds like I can get higher speeds for less money, compared to what I am currently paying for my landline and DSL.
Is it a good idea? Is someone using U-verse Voice now, and how is it working for you?
I don't need U-verse TV, as I just signed a new 2-year contract with Dish.

Sent from my iPad 3 using SatelliteGuys

I have phone, Internet and tv.
Love the speed of Internet. Absolutely
No issues with phone. Quality is excellent on
Both.

 

[Ilya]

How reliable is their Internet? Any problems with streaming video?

Sent from my iPad 3 using SatelliteGuys

 

[Zorak]

To be clear, I think the phone/internet/tv services gets different hardware for in the house than just the phone and internet customers. The old 2-wire wireless router for internet and phone will drop attached devices requiring periodic reboots. It also is only 802.11g and it is very hard if not impossible to bridge some other device for internet connection in lieu of this router. So you make some compromises when you go only with voice and internet. AT&T customer support sites carry additional documentation from users on this issue.
P.S. - Actual internet and speed is fine. Wireless is not optimal.

 

[Bongu]

I have a review in these forums that might interest the OP. Not meaning to slam ATT, but I will not stay with them.

Sent from my Timex Sinclair using SatelliteGuys

 

[Ilya]

To be clear, I think the phone/internet/tv services gets different hardware for in the house than just the phone and internet customers. The old 2-wire wireless router for internet and phone will drop attached devices requiring periodic reboots. It also is only 802.11g and it is very hard if not impossible to bridge some other device for internet connection in lieu of this router. So you make some compromises when you go only with voice and internet. AT&T customer support sites carry additional documentation from users on this issue.
P.S. - Actual internet and speed is fine. Wireless is not optimal.

Do you have to use the wireless router that they provide? Or can you turn the wireless portion off and use your own router connected via Ethernet? 802.11g would be a deal breaker for me.

Sent from my iPad 3 using SatelliteGuys

 

[isaacmorseMI]

Do you have to use the wireless router that they provide? Or can you turn the wireless portion off and use your own router connected via Ethernet? 802.11g would be a deal breaker for me.

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According to this thread on the AT&T Forums, you can.

Using my own router, is this possible? - AT&T Community Support

 

[lern4483]

How reliable is their Internet? Any problems with streaming video?

Sent from my iPad 3 using SatelliteGuys

Very reliable. I run Netflix, vudu , Hulu, amazon.
No issues whatsoever.
Very fast download speeds.
No contract. Give it a try. You don't like it. Get rid
Of it.

I've had them for about three years. Ever since they arrived to south Florida.
They have gotten the kinks out.
I'm very happy with their service.

 

[Mochuf]

I had U-verse for a number of years for internet and phone, but I dropped them last year for a cable provider. U-Verse was very reliable. But I get faster speeds and less overhead for a lower price. U-verse lets you use your own router, but not your own modem. You'll save addtional money by using your own cable modem. As far as tv, I never had U-Verse tv service. But after watching tv at my sisters house, who does have U-Verse tv, forget it. HD pq is sub-par compared to my Dish HD pq while SD is about the same. If you have a choice between cable and U-Verse, go with cable. If it's a choice between U-verse and dsl, then go with U-verse.

 

[Satwatcher]

I just dropped Uverse internet and phone. I went with Charter Duo. $50.00 a month plus taxes. NO modem rental! I was paying for 12 meg download on Uverse, I now get 30plus meg download on Charter.

 

[Randamin]

I tried looking up which speed tiers were available for me on u-verse
and I got a laughable 768kbps while on DSL the speed tier is 3Mbps. At that slow of a speed no phone or TV is offered either.

In terms of cable I currently use time warner but the way they take long to respond to service calls leaves a sour note if I would want them for internet. Such was the case when a tree branch fell and took out the cable and telephone. At&t came the next day to re-string while TWC did not come until 3 days later.

So while the cable option may be faster with faster speeds it does not feel as reliable when compared to DSL.

 

[berck]

So while the cable option may be faster with faster speeds it does not feel as reliable when compared to DSL.

What are you defining as 'reliable'?

When I had AT&T DSL (pre Uverse), I had tried the 3 & 6 Mbps. At 3Mb, I rarely saw my download rate above 1.5Mb, and it was typically at 1Mb. With 6M service, I normally saw between 3 to 4Mb rates. Nothing higher, and sometimes a little slower.

We now have Comcast, or Xfinity, and my data rate tier is 16Mb with speed boast. The majority of the time I test the link, I get between 20 to 25Mb. 4-9Mb higher than the advertised rate. Every now and then, I'll see it slower, but that rate can be between 3 to 8Mb. Not seen often, but its generally associated with bad winter days.

Upload rates are fast as well under cable. I typically see 4Mb.

 

[LER]

I also see great speeds with my TWC Ultimate Internet (nee Wideband, 50 meg down, 5 meg up), and I get them.

When I had U-Verse, I would get the 18 Meg down, and 1.5 Meg up, but that's as fast as they would offer in my neighborhood, and they had no timeframe, if ever, for the 24 meg/3 meg.

I voted with my wallet.

 

[DodgerKing]

I would never pay for phone service when I have decent internet service. There are so many free or very inexpensive VoIP options now.