AT&T U-verse → AT&T Uverse is killing me

So I moved to Farmers Branch, TX. I previously had Verizon FIOS and boy let me tell you, I miss the crap out of it already and it's only been 1 day. AT&T U-Verse has monthly data caps and is horridly slow.

Right now, for some dumb and unexplained reason, AT&T won't let me have the 24Mbps plan. I can only get the 18Mbps one. The tech that came to install my service said there is no technical reason why I shouldn't be able to get 24Mbps, since I'm right next to the "node". Any attempt to ask why I can't get the 24Mbps service from sales reps fails every time.

The 1.5Mbps upstream I think bottlenecks everything. Remote Desktop sessions feel horrible and websites take longer to load up. Just feels slower all around. I also notice that when I go to my router's firmware webpage, on the home tab it shows my "Broadband" as 25Mbps down 2Mbps up. That doesn't reflect the real speeds I'm seeing on speedtest.net at 18/1.5.

Anyone have any explanation for this strange runaround I'm getting? Any idea how I can get the 24Mbps service? I don't think contacting AT&T through frontline support is going to work at this point.

Thanks in advance.

First how was your new service installed, self-install or did a tech do the install? There are still a number of reasons that you can't get 24/3 beyond just an install issue but it is the best place to start. Also what type of gateway did you get, 3800, 3600, 3801 or ?

The 25/2 Broadband information you see on the RG is reporting the U-verse profile not your HSI package. Since you are on a 25/2 U-verse service profile, you can't get the 24/3 HSI package. The max you currently qualify for is the 18/1.5 tier. The HSI tier is always lower then your profile. So to get a 24/3 HSI tier you have to be provisioned on the 32/5 service profile.

Now let's see if you qualify for the 32/5 service profile. You can post here in this thread additional information but you fastest option might be to just post in the AT&T Direct forum or by sending an email to uversecare@att.com with the information listed in the posting rules / guidelines below.

Sales can only go by what is listed in the system. Follow this link and post to the AT&T Direct forum after you review the posting rules / guidelines »Posting Rules - AT&T Direct ( U-verse information is listed at the bottom of this page )

Direct Thread: »AT&T Direct

Just follow the information at the top of the page and don't update or modify your post once you create it, wait for one of the techs to respond.

Dave

Sorry for the lack of information, I'm not an expert at all in these things so please forgive my ignorance.

When I go to my router's firmware page it says 3801HGV (for my gateway model). Also, a technician came out to install everything.

So I'm assuming a service profile represents the maximum available real bandwidth based on hardware capabilities of the network setup at my location, correct? If not, could you explain this?

Based on the posting rules section you linked, I need to mention any contacts I've already made with AT&T on the issue as well as provide my BAN (account number), contact number, alt. contact number, and details of the problem. I am further assuming the DSL section on that page does not apply to me.

Thanks for the info and I'll send out an email as you have instructed and see what they can do for me.

I think i that editing your post there is OK. What you don't want to do is to reply to your original posting there. I agree that posting into ATT Direct forum would be good. Be a little patient. Give it a day or two.

voidpointer: If the caps bother you, you must be doing an unusual amount of file transfers. Try shutting off your servers (torrents or whatever) and shut down your other computers before repeating your speed tests. Do the testing with a computer that is wired to the modem rather than connecting with WiFi.

Also, consider this speed test as an alternative: »speedtest.comcast.net/

I'm not doing any heavy network activity. This is mostly a latency issue for me. Coming from 70/25 network speeds with FIOS, I notice a significant increase in latency with a very small 18/1.5 uverse network. The upstream is especially bad, I don't mind the downstream so much. If I could get 5Mbps upstream I think that would make all the difference in the world.

Don't worry about knowing all the information in your first post. Since you have a 3801HGV then you have the VDSL version of U-verse and you can ignore the DSL information in the posting rules / guide lines for the direct forum. You only need to provide the U-verse requested information that you listed in your reply above.

A service profile is just that, a profile that is set based on a number of factors. It will always be a subset of the Max available bandwidth. The highest currently widely available service profile is 32/5. If you look at this page on your gateway then you will be able to the Max User rate download that is currently available on your line. It will give us an idea of your lines ability to support a 32/5 service profile.

»192.168.1.254/xslt?PAGE=C_1_0

You should see something like:

Current Rate: 32200 kbs 5040 kbs
Max Rate: 58502 kbs Not Available
Current Connection:
Current Noise Margin: 23.0 dB Not Available
Current Attenuation: 18.0 dB Not Available
Current Output Power: 14.3 dBm -8.8 dBm

Note: They only show the download not the max upload. There are also some other stats that show the signal levels on your line.

This will give us a clue as to if your line will support the 32/5 service profile.

Dave

Here is the information you suggested I review in the router firmware page you linked:

DSL Line RJ-11
User Rate 25309 kbs 2036 kbs
Max User Rate 54798 kbs Not Available
Noise Margin 19.9 dB Not Available
Attenuation 10.8 dB Not Available
Output Power 13.7 dBm -19.8 dBm

Protocol G.993.2
Channel Interleaved
DSLAM Vendor Information Country {65461} Vendor {CXSY} Specific {12291 }
Rate Cap 25312 kbs
Attenuation @ 300kHz 5.0 dB
Uncanceled Echo 0.0 dB Ok
VCXO Frequency Offset 0.0 ppm Ok
Final Receive Gain -6.0 dB Ok
Excessive Impulse Noise 0 Ok

Yes coming for FIOS, you will notice a real latency difference. U-verse is provisioned only as interleaved service and as such there is a minimum of about 15 ms delay that you don't see with FIOS or the FTTH version of U-verse. Also just a reminder the fastest currently available HSI is "up to 3 Mpbs" when using the 24/3 HSI tier.

Dave

Your numbers look good enough to support moving you to a 32/5 service profile. The techs via the direct forum or via sending an email to uversecare@att.com should be able to help you get switched.

Dave

Not to get your hopes up too much, but AT&T is close to launching upgraded speed tiers in the next couple months, starting in the DFW market first. From what I can gather there will be a new 45Meg gateway profile rolled out to eligible lines and customers on the 24Meg plan will be bumped to 30Meg and 18 will bump to 24Meg. You will also be able to order 45/60/75Meg, as well. They will use VDSL pair bonding on a new RG, supporting 2 VDSL connections on a single DSL port to achieve the higher speeds.

Regardless, I think I would feel exactly the same in your situation having had FiOS. Verizon's territory stops just on the southern edge of Frisco which is about 6 or 7 miles south of me. :/ But I came from Ohio, where all I could get was 6/512 ADSL. So it has actually been a nice step up to the 24/3 package. I do a lot of multi-point video conferencing for work and it makes a huge difference having that upstream bandwidth.

So I contacted them at the email you suggested and I'm on 24/3 now! I notice the speed difference big time. Thanks so much to all of you for your help.