US Telco Support > AT&T > AT&T U-verse > Review AT&T U-Verse

reply to justin

Re: Review AT&T U-Verse

I don't have Uverse, but with Comcast rolling out Docsis 3.0 and free upgrade to 12/2 HSI, I no longer look forward to Uverse getting to my town. They can call me up when they finally decide to run fiber to my home.

reply to justin
I just had Uverse installed on Saturday and here is my review:

I was quoted that the installer would arrive between 2 and 4. At 3:45, he called and said he would be there at 4:15, but he didn't get there until 4:45. He came in for a while and looked around and such, then left for about an hour. He came back and stayed another 4 hours for the install.

I ran some ping tests before he turned off my old internet (Roadrunner) and compared it to the pings from Uverse. Roadrunner had faster pings for all sites except one (yahoo I think). All other pings were about 15-30 ms higher than Roadrunner's.

The deal breaker was gaming over the connection; if I had lag, I was going to cancel Uverse immediately. I asked the installer how far away I was from the node and he said about 375 feet, which was great news. He actually said that my connection was the second best internet connection that he has ever done. I played some games and didn't notice any lag at all, so I am completely happy with the net connection. I got the 6mb down speed, which is all that is really needed for gaming and I am happy so far.

On to the TV: The service is certainly better than Insight's since the standard definition resolution is 720 for Uverse and 480 for Insight. The whole online functionality thing is kind of overrated; I don't really use the net to manage my recorded shows since you can't see which episodes are reruns and which are repeats when browsing the online listings. I didn't like Insight's HD package since you had to pay a monthly fee for a HD box and pay for HD service; it was a huge rip off. There are about twice as many HD channels for Uverse as there are for Insight in the standard HD package (no movie channels or anything).

I have seen an installer in my neighborhood almost every single day this month installing someone else's Uverse. It truly is the best service on the market right now, and I think IP TV is here to stay, As long as you aren't over 1000 feet from the node, you should be good. Also beware of the fact that if you have an old house and don't have ground wiring installed, they will have to do some rewiring (and it's not free). This didn't happend with me, but by boss canceled his install appointment because of this reason.

Pros:
* Cheaper service
* Dedicated download speeds
* Online functionality
* Record 4 shows at once
* Standard Definition shows are better than normal cable

Cons:
* Long install time
* Rewiring may need to be done for older homes
* Slightly higher pings for gaming

My suggestion: Allow shows to be streamed to a computer when you are away from home. That would be an awesome addition to functionality!

reply to justin
Our install date was 10/17/08 for the U-Verse complete service. We have their broadband, TV and Internet. The techs did a hack job and used the existing very old Com Cast wiring so they came back within days to rewire three rooms and all outdoors wiring with Cat 5 cable. The router continued to drop and try to reset so we would loose all three functions. A third call and visit found that we were at the extreme limit of 3,000 feet from the "Cross Box" and the fix was to reduce our impulse signal from the pole to our router. Now the TV only freezes up, ghosts, phone line drops, and the computer line once a day rather than all day every day. We can only record one TV channel not the four as advertised. I again called "Level Two" tech support and they agreed that the engineers would have to decide IF they wanted to upgrade to a more powerful cross box. If they do not non of the new signed customers in my area will be able to stay with the U-Verse program. Shame because the price is better than Com Cast with better technology but if it doesn't work what can we do? Also the fiber optic cable only runs to their cross box and not on your street or to your house.
WARNING... If you are considering the U-Verse service have them measure the distance from the cross box to your home. If you are at 2,500 feet or more I suggest that you wait until they have many unhappy customers and have to upgrade the cross box before you have to suffer as we are.

Pieter Klein
Branford, Ct.

The limit is 3000' and it depends on the gauge wiring you have in the area. FTTN, fiber to the node, is the most typical install which is fiber to the crossbox. FTTP, fiber to the premise, is only in new areas.

It's not really about upgrading the crossbox but the technology. U-Verse isn't for everyone. Even if the techs measure the line which they do. Until it's up and running that's the true test unfortunately.

reply to justin
Here's my review.

My install was scheduled for today, 12/1/08, between 8AM and 10AM. Two TV's, one HD, the other SD, internet and voice. The installer showed up at 8:15AM. I was pleasantly surprise at that.

He came in, double checked on what was to be installed, looked around, and started on the job. At first he was going to use the existing exterior Comcast cable, but decided he didn't like what he saw. Years ago when this was a brand new subdivision, The cable company at that time, MediaOne, came around doing what I call a hack job. Instead of rapping the house with the cable, they sloppily through it over the roof from one side of the house, laying it in the rain gutter, to the other side of the house to the connector. The AT&T installer removed all the old cable and installed new cable.

TV and internet install went very smoothly. Voice took a little longer. I'm not exactly sure what the problem was, but the installer worked with a tier two tech for about a half and hour. At one point, while waiting for the tech to get back to him, the installer went over the features of the TV portion of U-verse. So that worked out pretty good as far as I was concerned. Finally after about six hours, the installer was on his way.

I was very impressed with the installer. He was very helpful. He answered several questions that I had. Very polite.

So far I'm very happy with my U-verse service. The picture quality is great. My computer is running great. I got the 10 megs package. I really can't tell the difference between this and Comcast as far as browsing speed, and log on speed. U-verse Voice is working fine.

Ok, now I need to get back to the TV, so I can try to soak in all the new stuff with the TV and the remote. I've got a feeling I'll be back here asking a few questions.

reply to justin
U-Verse came today at around 830 am finised at 12:40 pm.
Internet such cox was alot faster. my newsgroup downloads at 1.7 megs a sec average now cox was 2.1-2.3 megs a sec. I'm a bit dissapointed I thought it would be faster than cox. As for tv i got U100 I don't watch T.V. at all so I don't care.

reply to justin
o yah I was about 1000 feet away from box

reply to justin
I took a $150 incentive to try ATT Uverse. I have TimeWarner for Roadrunner at 6M down/512K up. It took about 2 months to get Uverse installed after about 7 visits. The picture is pretty good, but only 1 HD stream at a time as I live at the edge of their network box. So much for Uverse DVR. Best Uverse HDTV quality is still about 10-15% inferior to over the air HDTV for watching football. Seems that Uverse is a bit less compressed than TimeWarner at my Dad's IMO.

More importantly, the ATT rep said their internet would be faster and more consistent. I am not seeing that. Ping times to my office via VPN are 3-4 times longer with ATT (45-115ms)than Roadrunner(18-20ms). Also, the speeds are on par with what I had with Roadrunner (about 5800K down/ 500-800 up (faster upload with ATT at cheaper plan). I don't see an upside to Uverse internet, and if anything some slow down on ping times. These were local pings by the way. Finally, while waiting to get Uverse, I asked TimeWarner for a faster connection option, and they offered 22M up/2M down for about the same price I was paying if I signed 2 year contract. During my 60d trial I actually got on average about 11M down/1.5M up which was pretty darn good. I don't think the elite Uverse at 10M down/1M up will beat that, but I will call ATT and find out if they will upgrade for same price (I don't see myself paying $50/m for the Elite).

I find this unimpressive compared to what I have read about Verizon FiOS. Verizon please save me from TW and ATT! I feel like both companies are holding back/monopolizing technology too much for maximum profits (particularly TW). I will probably go back to Roadrunner, get rid of cable TV and go with OTA plus MediaPC DVR complimented with Netflix bluray rentals and instant Netflix. Hope this helps and good luck everyone!

U-verse has a Max18 plan which is 18/1.5.

reply to justin
I had my service installed last weekend, 12/6/08. Two TVs and internet. No problems at all during install (other than not getting my HD service upon install, my mistake when ordering over the phone). I'm in Santa Clarita, Ca. Install took 1.5 hours...

This is for the U200 package with HBO ala carte and basic internet.

When I first moved in here they were canvassing the area informing folks they had just finished running new fiber optics in the area and trying to sign up new customers. I declined and went for free "off air" service provided by the management and signed up for Roadrunner for internet (all through TW). I had just come from TW HD service with Roadrunner at my previous residence for 125.00 bucks a month and decided to save some money.

Well, I lasted about 4 months without HD and decided to look into FIOS. Not available here. Looked at AT&T and was pleasantly surprised at the cost difference for similar service I had already had with the added bonus of DVR over TW. Decided to give it a shot...

The difference over "off air" service was stunning regarding picture quality. The difference over my previous "digital" cable was equally stunning as well (regarding SD). We are talking night and day. The PQ over my previous TW cable HD is definitely deiscernable as well. I'm very, very satisfied and saving close to 40 bucks a month compared to my previous HD service through TW.

I don't need mega bandwidth for internet service and only have the 1.5mb service but I do get every bit of what I'm paying for.

I had some pixelization my first night on one HBO channel but nothing since then. The on screen guide/menu is the only weakness so far. You can dig into a menu and have no means of going "backward" other than starting all over again. Annoying but something that can be fixed (I would hope) and something I can live with.

Throw in the DVR with the capability to watch on any TV in the house and the capacity to record up to four programs at once (and program from the internet) and this simply kicks TW's arse.

Nice to feel I'm actually getting something for my money these days. Hopefully we will continue to see some "NEW" competition and we will actually have some choices instead of what we have grown accustomed to...this is your neighborhood, this is what you get (o:

This is for the U200 package with HBO ala carte and basic internet.

reply to justin
Had my install done, 12/12 and definitely owe my installer many thanks for dealing with the 15F temperatures outside. He called when he was 15 minutes away, a nice touch, and arrived at 3:15 in the 2-4 PM time slot.

The installation was challenging, as I requested I keep the Dish network intact in case I need to shut off the u-verse. This necessitated some creative intermeshing between the two. We discussed and ended up running CAT 5 from the phone drop, he used a "biscuit" instead of waiting for NID to be installed, to the RG in the next room over. That required a hole in a 5 walls. Then took CAT 5 back to the computers, and ran coax outside and spliced into the Dish cabling. A huge improvement as I was able to take some machines off wireless and hardwire them.

The pictures are excellent. I quickly was frustrated by being only able to schedule recordings from the DVR and not the STBs but overcame it by scheduling from the web, which is easier than the remote anyhow (iPhone compatibility would be a nice addition). Music channels on U200 were cool. Internet speed is fast and clean. Setup of the TVs was a breeze.
--
"Out beyond fields of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there." Jelaluddin Rumi

reply to justin
Upgraded from AT&T DSL to the UVerse 200 service plan.
Here is what I was given in my contract:
6MB broadband speed...
$100 rebate CHECK (not a gift card)...
FREE installation...
Able to cancel the digital TV portion within 30 days (I was required to "bundle" the 6MB / TV in order to qualify for the UVerse service!), and STILL keep the 6MB speed...
EVERYTHING IS IN WRITING!

Installer was fantastic; excellent in knowledge of product, what needed to be dones, etc. He ran a NEW twisted pair from the interface box mounted outside my house to where I wanted the equipment installed (in my audio-video studio). Rather than having to take the time to reconfigure my Linksys router (which is the same IP addy as the 2-Wire UVerse "controller"), he GAVE me TWO 10/100/1000 GB 16-port switches so that it would be easier for me to tie all 24 PC's here together in a "cleaner looking" setup! Yes, GAVE THEM TO ME! Tech didn't ask for any equipment back, either.

Gave me 13 ALL NEW Cat5-E 25' cables, in my choice of colors, so that I could more easily keep track of which "set" of PC's were going into the switches.

Total setup time was about 5 hours, as he needed to get me the best set of "on the pole" wires, as our Village's phone wiring is very old (40 years in most areas!); the ONLY problem encountered was after the hookup was completed, AT&T did not open the correct port at the Central Switching Office, so nothing would go through. It took about 1.5 hours to get that issue resolved.

Otherwise, smooth install, total professional job, took the time to make sure I had the best of everything, and I was blown away at the speeds I've been getting... even during a lt of rain and very cold weather here the past 2 weeks, I have NEVER gone below 5.84 MB, using 6 different testing sites and both low ad high "time of day usage"! No problems noted, no outages, no loss of service even for less than 1 minute.

When I cancel the digital TV portion this next week, my bill will be $39/month, which is an excellent price. I can upgrade my speed to 10MB for $5 more/month, and even go to 20MB for $15 more/month. Not a bad offer.

10.0 out of 10 in every category; not a single negative (with the exception of the Central Office not initializing the correct port the first time around.

ONLY NEGATIVE (nothing to do with SERVICE) is the 4-6 minute "startup time" the 2-Wire modem/controller takes to go from a power-off state to being able to get on the Net. Luckily, I have APC UPS's on all my equipment, as we get a lot of quick power dropouts every morning around 8 AM... that would certainly be a problem with the "controller" because of it's long "getting ready" issue. It takes that long because of how secure the UVerse system is. It has to perform about 12 total "security checks" so that the service cannot be "hacked" in any way. Great for the end-user, bad for those with short patience issues!

Cheers to all from The Surgeon Of Sound!

reply to justin
Just had U-Verse TV and internet installed (12/15). I live in Huntersville (Charlotte Metro Area), NC.

The job: 3 TV's, 1 wired PC, and 2 wireless PC's

Technician (A+) - installation was about 4 hours, but the tech knew what he was doing and was very helpful. He called 30 min before coming and was right on time. He handled all of the wiring outside the house then focused on the inside. This included changing the cable-terminations and installing the new hardware. He also established the wireless link to one of my PC's when I could not (something to do with windows XP not recognizing the wireless signal). This was entirely a PC-issue, yet he worked with his PC expert over the phone and got the job done in just a few minutes. When he was done, he demonstrated the remotes & User guide, showed how to program a show from the internet, and even programmed the remotes for each TV (so you can mute/turn on/off, etc). This is something I usually have to do and I hate doing it.

TV Picture/Features (A- for content & picture quality, B+ for features) - I replaced 3 DVR's with the Home DVR and 2 additional receivers. Not being able to schedule a recording, or even view scheduled-recordings from the receiver is a bit frustrating. You also can't pause/rewind live TV. I will need to get used to that. You would think that AT&T would at least offer everything that Cable TV offers. Other than the little annoyances re: the technology, the overall quality of the picture is quite good. Changing channels is also quick and the preview is a nice touch. Special A+ rating for the expanded program descriptions in the guide. Time Warner was truncating the program text, and omitting cast names, to an absurd level. I also like being able to schedule programs from my pc (I just wish I could also do it from the regular receiver).

Internet (C+) - I ordered the Max (10Mb) package to replace my DSL (which was getting about 6.5 Mb down on average). Unfortunately, for whatever reason, I can not get 10mb, I can not even get 6.5 Mb, and I am now averaging about 4.5Mb. This REALLY ticks me off. The tech checked with his boss and since the line had already been inspected & optimized, they could only recomend reducing my order to the 6Mb internet package (which the tech did for me). Huge disappointment - I certainly did not expect to LOSE SPEED with a new service offered by the same company from which I had DSL. Also, despite the claims, the wireless service from the 2Wire RG is no better/stronger than the Linksys wireless G router I had previously. Overall - not very satisfied with U-verse internet.

I hope this helps.

reply to justin
I have had AT&T U-verse (TV, Phone, Internet) for several months now. It(TVand Internet) requires a tremendous amount of SERVICE. The TV freezes when I change channel, but the sound continues. AT&T service has sent out three(3) techs in the last six weeks. Each visit took me several phone calls each with 1 to 2 hours on the phone to schedule. No fix. The fourth tech (Level 2) was scheduled on 12-16-2008 no one showed up, no one called?????????
The AT&T landline is the only thing that has worked through this. I have sent AT&T e-mails about the service problems. NO REPLY.
When the TV picture works it is better than cable and Satellite.

I was asked via PM how much for the service plus install. Here is my response:

i got u200 + HD with 3 tvs and 6/768 internet, no phone. i haven't received the first bill yet so can't speak to the price after taxes. before taxes, the calculation is on the website. it should be around $100. installation was free.

As far as the installer was concerned, the CAT5 was already present, though he may have advised me where to drill My advice is remember the installers have a tough job, especially in winter time, acknowledge it, and they will treat you fairly.

I took some time to talk with the installer as he worked and learned some interesting things. While they are union, the contract they got is not very good. They make up for it by being able to book overtime. The IL schedule is tight which indicates to me they are doing very well. My lead time to install was 3 weeks. Each installer is dispatched after they complete an assignment, so there is no guessing which installer you may get.

In the last week here are my likes/dislikes:
When tech arrived, I mentioned AT&T DSL and it had not been cancelled. A not as quick as it should have been phone call sorted it out.

tv picture clear as a bell. no drops on anything. scheduling works on everything except simpsons and good eats (no original air date means every episode gets recorded. YMMV). no setup from the non-dvr receivers stinks. more than compensated for by their website if you have a laptop. it is easier to schedule on the website than using the remote.

internet: had to DMZ my router to get back to my old network config. when it started up it even offered to do it for me. pings for games were 30s within chicago (used to be 20s), and ~100 to somewhere in canada.
--
"Out beyond fields of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there." Jelaluddin Rumi

reply to justin
AFTER 4 NO SHOWS TO INSTALL U-VERSE WE WERE FINALLY INSTALLED ONLY TO HAVE OUR PHONE LINE DISCONNECTED. SINCE OCTOBER 3,2008 I HAVE HAD A HOLE DUG IN MY BACKYARD FOR 10 DAYS WITH NO ACTIVITY @ SITE TO CONTINUAL NO SHOWS FOR REPAIR. IN 3 MONTHS, MY SERVICE HAS BEEN DOWN 7 TIMES. I AM CURRENTLY ON HOLD TO REPAIRS FOR NUMBER 8. EACH TECHNICIAN STATES "I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY DIDN'T FIND THIS BEFORE".

Care to drop me an e-mail? click on my name on the left and it should give you an address.

Thanks
david

reply to NC Joe
Did you by chance ask their plans for rollout? I've check on their availability site for people I know all over Clt and Huntersville in populated areas and I've yet to find one place in which it's available.