AT&T (U-verse)

[demonikal]

Not a question. Just a note to anyone that has AT&T U-verse as their internet service provider...

We had an older U-verse gateway/router that was capable of 802.11b/g connections via WiFi. Being that both our mobile phones, my laptop, my mom's Chromebook, and likely anything network-related bought in the future would be 802.11n or -ac, etc., I wanted to upgrade our gateway.

I knew that U-verse had Wireless-N gateways available. I knew that every new AT&T U-verse customer received one when they signed up for internet service. What I found out was that regardless of the fact we have been with AT&T for internet since like 2003, they required that we pay the $100 for the new gateway

My sister's two roomates work for AT&T. I talked to one of them personally about if there was a way I could get a reduced price on that gateway. He said I could get it for free and would be given a full 12 months of promotional monthly billing for internet plus a $50 giftcard. He told me I simply had to call AT&T and tell them that I was canceling service. He said they would do everything in their power to keep me, in spite of the fact that I wouldn't be canceling in the first place, and then all these "gifts" on top of the free gateway would ensue. It was NOT that easy.

To make this already long story short, I had to re-explain myself with reasons, explanations, and bickering back and forth with 4 different AT&T U-verse representatives on the phone. The last time I was put on hold, I had had it. When the guy got back on the phone, I didn't even let him talk. I got really angry and made him realize this was the worst customer service I had ever gotten from them. And he caved. There was someone sent out to our house within a week to install the gateway. However, the rep had told the techinician that our lines were not functioning correctly. I had never said this. So, more b.s. with the technician, although only because he was given false testimony for why we wanted a new gateway. I was brutally honest with the tech and he was totally cool with it

I admire that AT&T doesn't fire back at Comcast on advertisements on radio and television. That's very professional, especially considering that AT&T will have the gigabit internet connections before Comcast does and then the tables will be turned in terms of who has the fastest download speeds. It's professional that they don't fight back regardings ads. But, they're just as bad apparently regarding trying to please you. I guess you got to lie in order to get what you want

...oh, and I didn't get any of those other promotional gifts my sister's roommate had mentioned...

 

[johnb35]

UHM....ATT will never have speed close to what comcast offers.

 

[Darren]

I've been pretty happy with our Uverse. It's pretty slow, but we only pay for 6mbps down. They offer speeds up to 45mbps, which isn't bad at all, but still won't compete with some other ISP's. It's reliable and the router that came with it is pretty good. My dad has to call them every once in a while and can sometimes get our monthly fees adjusted to the "promo" pricing you get for the first 12 months. I think he talked his way in to free HBO for a while too, but I'm unsure how.

There's good and bad customer experiences with every company, it really is down to who you get in contact with. We've had really crappy AT&T employees and really good AT&T employees. Same with Cox when we used to get TV through them. It just varies.

 

[demonikal]

UHM....ATT will never have speed close to what comcast offers.

Perhaps you've heard of Google Fiber? AT&T is apparently going to have those speeds before Comcast. This is also apparently one of the reasons they don't fight back in their ads. One, because they apparently signed an agreement with Comcast to allow them to do it. Two, because apparently they're gonna blow them out of the water with Google Fiber speeds - and then it will apparently be Comcast trying to catch up on speeds.

Then again, this is all words from two AT&T employees. I'm sure there is a lot of "talk" around the water cooler. Notice I said "apparently" a lot. I guess I should have written that in the first post.

 

[Darren]

I expect to see a drastic change in the internet speeds offered over the next 10-15 years. Speeds under really 20mbps will mostly disappear when people finally start realizing that 3mbps or 6mbps doesn't really cut it anymore for anybody that uses the Internet for more than basic webpages. The fact that I manage to share 6mbps with 3 other people in my house is crazy. If my parents stream something in the living room then my game is laggy in my bedroom. Brother is downloading a game and my entire browsing experience goes to a standstill. It's pathetic. I live in an urban area with close to half a million people and this crappy internet costs over 40 a month. What's even MORE annoying is that ATT could up us to the 45mbps speed for virtually no effort on their end. Everything is installed, they just have to up the speed limit so to speak.

 

[tremmor]

i have ATT and had Comcast. all i can get. Mines fast and i have fiber optics. also pay for a higher speed. Im unhappy with both is because ya have to play a game and fight because of charges that always go up. As comcast does so does ATT. ya have to play a game with them. almost to a point to switch back to comcast then in a couple years fight about charges and switch back to ATT. goes on all the time. its the game. Funny neither will negotiate prices. they will say give ya HBO etc for 6mo. then ya have to call back and cancel the premiums. as i do.