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maestro7
join:2004-08-31
Loganville, GA

1 recommendation

maestro7

Member

Watch the editorial bias, please.

While I very much enjoy -- really, rely upon -- DSLReports.com to keep me up to speed on the latest in the (predominantly wireless) industry, I'd recommend you dial back the anti-AT&T/and/or/incumbent bias *just* a bit.

Why?

Because as of 6/4/2012, I received this response from AT&T over my question concerning Atlanta expansion of U-Verse.

Further, I have followed up numerous times since then -- specifically at my local AT&T store -- and they continue to say that while my area is "green" for service, rumor has it that AT&T won't be investing in additional resources to make additional hookups any quicker.

Nobody at AT&T that I've ever talked to has ever said that the expansion was stopping, and that story line has never changed.

I would also advise that while AT&T's fiber rollout is likely largely complete, that just gets the glass to the nodes at the local level. There are still plenty of hookups to be made to the final, last mile to the curb.

My few cents.
betam4x
join:2002-10-12
Nashville, TN

2 edits

betam4x

Member

"Sure, we are expanding all the time, keep paying us and eventually we'll get to you."

Once upon a time they told my mother that she would have DSL by the end of the year. That was 6 years ago. She's still on dialup. I had her escalate it up 2 years ago to the office of the president, who proceeded to tell her exactly the same thing.

AT&T deserves all of the criticism they get and I think it's ridiculous in this day and age that there are locations in our country without access to dsl, cable, or wireless.

Mojo 77
@jillyred.net

Mojo 77 to maestro7

Anon

to maestro7
So wait...because some support tech blew a little smoke up your butt to keep you as a customer you think AT&T hasn't stopped U-Verse expansion?

From the CEO this year:

“Our U-verse build is now largely complete, so we have in place an IP video and broadband platform that reaches 30 million customer locations, which gives us significant headroom now to drive penetration...“We have been apprehensive on moving, doing anything on rural access lines because the issue here is, do you have a broadband product for rural America? And we’ve all been trying to find a broadband solution that was economically viable to get out to rural America and we’re not finding one to be quite candid.”

With the exception of some franchise obligations AT&T's landline broadband expansion has stopped. Because a tech support and some boob at an AT&T store claimed contrary doesn't make it so, and it certainly doesn't suggest "editorial bias."

The FCC doc mentioned in the story clearly outlines how they're paving the regulatory way to actually do the exact opposite -- start shutting down lines:

»prodnet.www.neca.org/pub ··· 2att.pdf
maestro7
join:2004-08-31
Loganville, GA

maestro7

Member

Mojo 77:

Heh, I don't smoke, and I don't like it second-hand, either

No. For us, cable is absolutely out of the question for a host of reasons. Further, our experience with AT&T's DSL has been nothing short of boring -- no price changes, no outages, just plain, boring service. And my family sees that as a good thing.

Unfortunately, it is stuck at 3MB down, which I'd love to increase to a mere 6MB, but we're not so unhappy that we'd immediately switch to cable.

Clearly, you never went off site to read the history of the forum thread that I initiated on AT&T's forum, so I'll excuse that bit of ignorance on your part.

Regardless, as far as anyone that works at AT&T with whom I've spoken, certain story lines haven't changed (and with more than 8 direct communications each with a different person of varying degrees of intellect and technical prowess, that means they're not lying). Notice that I never said that AT&T would *not* stop in the future; I am saying that today's article on DSLReports.com severely intimated that suggestion, which was my main point.

buddahbless
join:2005-03-21
Premium

buddahbless to maestro7

Member

to maestro7
said by maestro7:

Why?

Because as of 6/4/2012, I received this response from AT&T over my question concerning Atlanta expansion of U-Verse.

Further, I have followed up numerous times since then -- specifically at my local AT&T store -- and they continue to say that while my area is "green" for service, rumor has it that AT&T won't be investing in additional resources to make additional hookups any quicker..

HAHAHA ROFLOL..... Truly your being sarcastic right? As I hope your not that naive to believe them. The fact you, yourself said.. "you checked in with them numerous times" and have no upgrade yet should point you to your answer. Thats like ATT telling you After you just purchased a new smartphone on a 2 yr contract, you come home to find out there is absolutely no service in your home and barely any outside, and when you call them they A rep says to you " Just wait try it out for 30 days you will have great service by then were sure of it!". ( notice how the return window is now only 14 days but the reps will tell you to try it for 30!).

I don't and wouldn't believe ATT as far as I can throw them and I do have there DSL service so Im hardly Bias, Its down more than up, can't get over 3mpbs yet there service checker when you sign up says 6mbps is available and has said that since 2006, and my bill is always hit with sticker shock as there always hitting me with overages! Go to cable you say? Can't! They wont run it to my area, flat out said NO!

Mojo 77
@speakeasy.net

Mojo 77 to maestro7

Anon

to maestro7

Regardless, as far as anyone that works at AT&T with whom I've spoken, certain story lines haven't changed (and with more than 8 direct communications each with a different person of varying degrees of intellect and technical prowess, that means they're not lying). Notice that I never said that AT&T would *not* stop in the future; I am saying that today's article on DSLReports.com severely intimated that suggestion, which was my main point.

Yes, they are, they're just doing it in unison and reading the talking point from a folder. CAPEX has dropped, network investment has dipped, U-Verse build outs have stopped (with the exception of franchise obligations) and now they're looking to sever lines. None of that is opinion, it's fact supported by documentation and AT&T executive on-the-record-statements.

Perhaps you're excusing this lying because you hope they're not feeding you a line of bull, but they are.
maestro7
join:2004-08-31
Loganville, GA

maestro7 to buddahbless

Member

to buddahbless
buddahbless:

I believe what I can see insofar as my bill and my service is concerned. If AT&T decides that they are definitely not going to expand service, then my family will need to weigh our options; AT&T has not said any such thing yet.

Regarding cellular service via AT&T, once again, our service with them has been boring. No price changes, no outages, next to no dropped calls -- just promised service for the past *decade*.

Regarding DSL billing, the only thing I can speak to is my own bill and my own experience with AT&T. I've never -- never -- had a problem with any corrections (and there have been less than a handful from time to time over the past 7 years) to what were obvious deviations from promised service on our line.

Once again -- my point is the blatantly biased reporting of this article on DSLReports.com, not the efficacy of DSL, Cable, or other service, nor whether or not AT&T, in fact, is going to continue or *not* continue expanding their DSL-based services.

CylonRed
MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
·Metronet

CylonRed to maestro7

MVM

to maestro7
My area is 'green' as well - in fact 500 ft away on EITHER side of my house, are a number of houses on U-Verse but no one in my section can get U-Verse. they will sign new folks up either side of my house - but not my house. U-Verse has been available to these other houses for 2 years.

Shadow01
Premium Member
join:2003-10-24
Wasteland

Shadow01 to maestro7

Premium Member

to maestro7
said by maestro7:

buddahbless:

I believe what I can see insofar as my bill and my service is concerned. If AT&T decides that they are definitely not going to expand service, then my family will need to weigh our options; AT&T has not said any such thing yet.

This is exactly why you will never get a true answer from att. If they tell you the truth. You may leave for greener pastures.
exyzl
join:2012-05-31

exyzl to maestro7

Member

to maestro7
I agree that there is often bias in news. Perhaps often is better said 'almost always' (if not 'always'). That's unfortunately how it goes. To be fair, I have a few issues with AT&T but only one is a problem and it's more like just an inconvenience.

Perhaps writing this is a bit of a waste of time but if it helps anyone, then so be it. There's some things you can do to make it easier to deal with them (by a lot). See the part that starts with Suggestion (below).

To those who suggest that AT&T authorizes speed profile 'scams' and such:

Until recent times I could only get 1.5Mbps. I've been on 3.0Mbps for 2-3 years. But not only does their database say I can't get anything faster, I have had techs tell me that it would be better at 1.5Mbps. And I couldn't get Uverse until this year (middle of the year). And indeed still only 3.0Mbps.

Suggestion: You should always ask for the name AND (in the case of AT&T, at least) userid of each and every employee you're talking to on the phone (say, when ordering something or getting help). Write it down and include the time and date. Then, if they actually do say you can get faster than you can and you find out, here's a thought: report them to the company. On the other hand some of them aren't as 'bright' as others and do not understand things as well (technical or otherwise). There's also been database issues (hence why they can do further tests to see what your location can really sync to). And as for those who know enough to even understand speed profiles, if you're not testing the line fairly soon, then you're part of the problem too.

Rather than complain (only) about any issues you should do something about it. Like, say ask for the userid and name (as I suggested above). That is the best way to work with them. It's also helpful to have your own records on these types of things. If you don't ask for that and you don't even know what time/day a certain event happens, how can they really just believe you? Not only could it be a misunderstanding of the customer and employee, it could be any other of things that aren't so malignant as you may believe. It would be bad for them to just take your complaint and then fire the person. They'd have a lawsuit on them for one thing, and it's not even right (and isn't that something some say they are guilty of - wrong doing?).

Basically, rather than fight them or even be rude, you should be professional. I get it how annoying they can be with some things (and any other company even). I have had tier2 support drive me up the wall. Example: I wanted them to unblock port 25 and they told me port 25 isn't the right port (I actually said smtp in addition because that's what their program shows as far as I'm aware). They told me repeatedly I should be using a different port. Yeah, if I wanted to use _their_ mail server. Obviously I wasn't talking about that. So after however many minutes of time lost I asked to be connected to someone who could help (since they weren't able to). Better to be transferred than having to call over and confirm account and such all over again. But not only was the person new to the company, they made sure they understood the problem, even did research, and found the solution. They even told me the tool they use for it.

The only real problem with AT&T that I have ever had is quite ironic but I don't even know who to suggest the issue to (to have it fixed). Their support/sales lines are so mixed up that I often get to the wrong department or even going back and forth between the same departments. Some times I have been put through loops by employees. It's very, very annoying but even then if you say something a different way or even have them stay on the line (or whatever), then you'll find that they aren't trying to be nasty. Sure, I'd also love fiber but the fact I have 3.0Mbps where i am is amazing itself (and I most certainly don't expect them to dig through yards to lay cables, or anything of that nature). And as far as expansion: I don't have details but supposedly there is something (newer) being looked at to help expand their service. Will it happen? Who knows how/when. But would you prefer they don't look at any option at all? And actually, when I got Uverse this year, they were in my area actually installing quite a few Uverse accounts in the area.

Good faith example (on AT&T)'s part. A home about 2-3 blocks away from me had a homeowner that was moving (AT&T didn't know that part). The home owner was of course fine with having an easement allowed - he was getting paid for it, after all. Then when he moves and the new owners find out, AT&T actually did everything they could to resolve it. They spent extra money, time and effort to move it to a place that wouldn't be a problem for them.