ctceo
Premium
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN
clubs:
 ·magicjack.com
 ·AT&T U-Verse
 ·Comcast
 ·AT&T Midwest
 ·HughesNet Satellit..
2 edits | reply to ctceo
Re: Unbundled but contracted
Ok, here's the scoop. I was offered the following, contrary to what I was quoted in previous phone conversations with at&t. One thing that I've come to learn about them is they WILL lie to you to keep you happy for the moment at hand. I was told that I could get the 6mb package for $34.99 if I chose to discontinue the home phone service, Now it's mysteriously $10 more since I've been using my magic jack.
According to the rep I spoke with the prices are as follows:
$34.99 for 6mb
$29.99 for 3mb
$24.99 for 1.5mb
$19.95 for 768kb
OR
+$10 if you are going unbundled. One exception though is that the 768kb package is the same price with or without home phone service. There was no mention of contracts.
Just spoke with a rep in "Retention", who claims there is only a 1 year contract on unbundled DSL service in 768 plan. I was however offered a $5 credit for the next 12 months as a "Retention Credit". So that would bring the 6mb package to $39.99 WITHOUT phone service for the next 12 months.
Does this seem anti-competitive or what?
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ctceo
Premium
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN
clubs:
·magicjack.com
·AT&T U-Verse
·Comcast
·AT&T Midwest
·HughesNet Satellit..
1 edit | reply to ctceo
Hearing me talk about the MJ a lot recently, and my friend having told us he got one prompted my GF to buy a MJ yesterday. After having set it up, which took all of say 15 minutes to get right. It seems ok, for what it was worth ~$35.00 + tax.
Right off I had a bit of a problem getting the intended PC to even see it. I plugged it in, it flashed a blue LED inside the MJ then nothing happened. I let it sit there for about 4 or 5 minutes, still nothing. I unplugged it, restarted the system, and plugged it back into the same USB port and viola it recognized, took about 3 minutes to do it's installation of a USB CD & HD device and to complete it's auto-update/install process, after filling out a brief application (about another 7 minutes) I was up and running with a local number.
Pros:
Price, Features & a simple install (excusing the initial glitch of course)
Cons:
Doesn't work well with sub-1.5 mb DSL packages or when you are using up bandwidth elsewhere. 3-Way calling feature is set up differently then the standard analog phone, as a result it's a bit cumbersome to use. Doesn't play nice with fax machines either. It's Popup ad window is a bit intrusive, and can be downright annoying when playing games, but is easily remedied by using fast user switching, and giving it it's own account.
Overall a NEUTRAL rating of 2.5 of 5 for this one, but lemme use it for a month or three then get back with you, since I only just installed it yesterday.
BTW,
I have yet to call AT&T to cancel my analog service, I'll likely hold off on that for a few weeks, just to be sure the service is stable.
--
Would you like your ISP to govern how much you can use the web in a month? Well it might happen if we don't do something NOW! »www.ipetitions.com/petition/PMDBI/ |
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ctceo
Premium
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN
clubs:
·magicjack.com
·AT&T U-Verse
·Comcast
·AT&T Midwest
·HughesNet Satellit..
2 edits | reply to wayjac
I was told by 2 separate reps that if I unbundle, it will require a 1 year contract regardless of speed. I'll have to call back and have a talk with them.
Edit to add:
Seems that when I asked to be downgraded to the 768 package the system put me at 384/384 for some reason. However 1 phone call, 1 transfer, 1 disconnect, a call back, another transfer, and all told about 95 minutes, I had the problem fixed. |
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wayjac
Premium,MVM
join:2001-12-22
Indy | reply to ctceo
The only dsl direct package that requires a 1 year term is the basic package
dsl direct express, pro and elite packages are "no term required" |
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ctceo
Premium
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN
clubs:
·magicjack.com
·AT&T U-Verse
·Comcast
·AT&T Midwest
·HughesNet Satellit..
| reply to wayjac
I was told that when I decide to discontinue landline service, I would have to agree to a 1 year dsl contract. When I do drop the landline, I will be able to afford getting the 6mb package again because the MJ is so much more cost effective at this point, but not until then.
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wayjac
Premium,MVM
join:2001-12-22
Indy
·AT&T Midwest
| reply to ctceo
"unbundled loop" is the phrase the phone company used for dsl without phone service years ago.
There is a dsl direct basic package 768/384 (dry loop) priced at $19.95 with a one year term
There is also a lineshared basic package 768/384 priced at $19.95 with no term
Since you still have att voice service I think you purchased the lineshared basic package and that may or may not get disconnected when you end the voice service |
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ctceo
Premium
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN
clubs:
·magicjack.com
·AT&T U-Verse
·Comcast
·AT&T Midwest
·HughesNet Satellit..
1 edit | reply to d_l
I have standard unlimited local calling, call waiting, & the newly renegotiated 768 down package for $19.95/mo. When I get my MJ and cancel my local landline service, the DSL will unbundle from the landline and require a 1 year contract regardless of speed.
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Would you like your ISP to govern how much you can use the web in a month? Well it might happen if we don't do something NOW! »www.ipetitions.com/petition/PMDBI/ |
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d_l
Barsoom
Premium,MVM
join:2002-12-08
Reno, NV
| reply to ctceo
Do you mean switching to a dry line DSL instead of unbundling? If so, I thought the only dry line plan that required a 1 year contract was Basic and that the other plans were mandatory contract free? I wonder if you could even get a contract with some sort of bonus feature, e.g. discount, free modem, etc., on them if you requested one? |
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ctceo
Premium
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN
clubs:
·magicjack.com
·AT&T U-Verse
·Comcast
·AT&T Midwest
·HughesNet Satellit..
| At&t will allow me to unbundle my DSL if I agree to a 1 year contract.
I'm seriously considering this move because I am no longer able to keep my phone bill under the allotted portion of our fixed income, and have had to start pulling from other bills, and begging for credits (complaining about the littlest things) to make ends meet.
I'm weighing a Magic Jack vs. Skype, and currently the favor sit's heavily in favor of MJ.
I feel that forcing a contract in lieu of unbundling is anti-competetive, but what have ya, Ma bell dances to the beat of it's own drum.
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Would you like your ISP to govern how much you can use the web in a month? Well it might happen if we don't do something NOW! »www.ipetitions.com/petition/PMDBI/ |
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