US Telco Support → AT&T → AT&T U-verse > Forced to switch to U-Verse. Lots of questions.

Forced to switch to U-Verse. Lots of questions.

I currently have DSL 6mbit. On Wednesday, the 3rd, I got a call from AT&T saying that if I didn't switch to U-Verse my DSL would go away "soon" (I asked: "tomorrow, next week, next year"; she said, "it could be tomorrow"). So I finally agreed to take the U-Verse.

Here in 94115 I'm pretty sure U-Verse is currently IP-DSLAM (TV is not an option) (if that makes a difference in anything here).

The order is listed in their system as "self-install", but I've also been told I will have to stay home to let the technician onto the premises sometime between 8am and 8pm on Monday, the 7th (we live in a three-flat building and the demarc and NID are behind a locked gate).

I've been told that DSL will be turned off as soon as the tech enters the premises. However, it looks like the equipment has not yet shipped and I doubt that AT&T is going to ship overnight with Saturday delivery.

So what happens if the tech arrives on Monday and I still don't have the U-Verse equipment? Will I be without internet until the equipment arrives?

The order status online shows the order as "self-install" (I wasn't given an option), but I've also been told that a tech will have to come out. If it's a self-install, why the tech?

Also, I have a grandfathered static IP address. When the rep called and forced me to switch she said that "nothing on the account changes, except now you're on U-Verse". I asked her whether I would keep the same static IP and she said, "Yes." When I've been in chat with U-Verse to get some questions answered, I was told that I would be assigned a dynamic IP. So who is right?

Currently, there are no more viable copper pairs coming from the curb onto the premises (building with three flats). The copper pair with my DSL + voice goes into the DSL splitter outside (not sure of the model, it's as old as the DSL line and I've had that since the year after DSL arrived in San Francisco). One wire pair comes off of the splitter and is hooked onto the posts in the NID that serve my voice jacks (the NID is the old-style "posts on a bar" not the newer "looks like a wall jack"). The other pair from the splitter is spliced onto a wire-pair that only runs (with some splices along the way) to the jack where the DSL modem is located. Will that setup work for U-Verse?

Here's the current connection info from the 2wire DSL modem I'm using. Does it look like I'll actually be able to get 12mbit? (That was the only tier I was told I could switch to. (I asked for a lower tier and was told it wasn't available).):

Current Rate: 6016 (down), 768 (up)
Max Rate: 8532 (down), 1060 (up)
Noise Margin: 15.0 dB (down), 15.0 dB (up)
Attenuation: 28.6 dB (down), 18.0 dB (up)
Output Power: 19.6 dBm (down), 11.9 dBm (up)

Distance guesstimate to CO is less than 4,000 feet (possibly closer to 3,500) -- not "as the crow flies", but fairly close (CO is six blocks away on the same street).

Also, do the U-Verse modems work when the signal is on the outer pair or will I have to rewire the jack? (My first DSL modem was the Alcatel 1000 which used the outer pair; the 2wire is also using the outer pair.)

So, yeah, I guess that's a lot of questions. I think the forum rules said I was supposed to call AT&T to get the answers to all U-Verse questions and not ask them here. But I hate making phone calls, so I hope someone can help me out.

First, Static IP installs are never self install, always full tech, as far as I am aware (I could be wrong -- there is no reason they can't be self installed, as long as the block is provided as well as the instructions for accessing the modem GUI to code in the info)

Second, Statics never migrate from old DSL to U-Verse - you get a new block of IPs with statics on U-Verse

I believe the NVG510 will work inner pair/outer pair, as long as you use a 2 pair cord. Worst comes to worst, go to home depot/buy online a 2-line breakout adapter where it takes a 2-line inner/outer pair wired jack and breaks it out to 2 female jacks, one with line 1 on inner pair, and one with line 2 on inner pair

At that distance, you should be solid on 12 Mbps, depending on inside wiring

A tech is dispatched even on self installs to run a cross connect at the SAI (if needed), check/inspect the drop and the NID/Demarc/MPoE/IT & tag/ID the circuit, and verify the ADSL2+ signal @ the NID

If the tech arrives before the equipment does, you could ask the tech for a modem, but he/she should bill $100 to provide one of the truck -- you would then return the shipped one when it arrives. Otherwise, once the circuit has been switched to the IPDSLAM @ the CO off the ATM DSLAM, it does not switch back.

If you do not want the 12 Mbps speed (if you want less), after your service is up and working, call into Sales & change your package, or you can edit your account online as well

If the "self install" requires customer access for the tech to check/test, you should be able to call AT&T to narrow the window to a 2 hour window, but it would need amended, as the standard "self install" window is 8 am-8 pm. This is not completely uncommon with MDUs