said by JMD :Yeah, I don't think the problem is my modem since they sent us a replacement and that didn't fix it.
Is it possible it could be a physical wiring problem? I would think a damaged cable or bad/noisy termination would result in a loss of DSL sync, not just a PPP session drop.
Regarding AT&T tech support, does anybody know a magic word to break out of Tier 1's troubleshooting flowchart? Do I have to fill out a blue presidential prisoner release form?
I already said (based on your posted symptoms) that it did not sound like a physical problem over which you have any control.
If you want to register with this site, you can post your problem in the
AT&T Direct forum. You need to register because the techs communicate with you via this site's IM feature. Also, be sure to read (and follow) the instructions on the forum home page so that your problem will get the proper handling (and not get shuffled to the back of the queue). I mention this, because it may take a couple of days before you hear back from one of the techs, and if you get impatient and go back and make additional posts in your thread before one of the AT&T techs starts processing your problem, it will definitely delay getting help.