http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r21686387 en Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:12:18 EDT Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:12:18 EDT http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21686387 omegahelix : I should have known based on how hard it was to get them to install DSL (see »Can't get installers to come) 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. If there are any AT&T fanboys listening...I'm not looking for a resolution here. I am not interested in wasting any more time trying to get the service.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21686387 Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:43:31 EDT