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tlange55
join:2010-10-19
Waukesha, WI

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tlange55

Member

UVerse discount negotiation time - "Forced" Internet Reduction 45Mb to 25Mb?

It's that magic time for me where I go looking discounts for my UVerse bundle. As usual, a frustrating time. I have had 45Mb internet service for the past couple years. It has worked fine. Well now, AT&T Customer Loyalty folks, in conjunction with what Customer Loyalty called their "Engineering" team says that I can only get 25Mb speed as my connection can only support a max of 33Mb. So, they won't even consider giving me 45Mb anymore.

Yet, every speedtest I run, even the AT&T test gives me a download speed of 50+Mb.

I check my address on AT&T's site, like a new customer would, and it quotes me 25Mb. I check my neighbors on each side of me and it quotes them 50Mb.

Any thoughts on what's going on here?

Thanks, - tim


Shadow01
Premium Member
join:2003-10-24
Wasteland

3 recommendations

Shadow01

Premium Member

Vrad is oversold and they are rate limiting new connections to avoid causing more issues for existing customers? Once the rate cap is placed in the sales computer, your ability in the real word has no affect on what sales says. For them it s a cut and dry answer on the screen. If you rebundle to get a discount, you will have a nearly impossible battle to keep your speed due to the computer generated cap.
krusebear
join:2017-03-21
united state

1 recommendation

krusebear to tlange55

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to tlange55

Re: UVerse discount negotiation time - "Forced" Internet Reduction 45Mb to 25Mb?

This happened to me I had the 24 mbps and they said I could only get 18. They then came out with the 25 package and all the sudden I was eligible for that.

gadawg
join:2006-01-27
Louisville, KY

1 recommendation

gadawg to tlange55

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to tlange55

Re: UVerse discount negotiation time - "Forced" Internet Reduction 45Mb to 25Mb?

Contact the social media group. Twitter @ATTCares. Are you talking to retentions?
tlange55
join:2010-10-19
Waukesha, WI

2 recommendations

tlange55 to Shadow01

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to Shadow01

Re: UVerse discount negotiation time - "Forced" Internet Reduction 45Mb to 25Mb?

Thanks for the insights, Shadow. So, it sounds like this is a bit of a virtual cap they are putting on connections and may or may not really reflect any actual over-committing of bandwidth to customers. From a biased existing customer standpoint, I'd rather have them cut-off new UVerse accounts in my area and take care of their existing customers.
tlange55

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tlange55 to gadawg

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to gadawg

Re: UVerse discount negotiation time - "Forced" Internet Reduction 45Mb to 25Mb?

Hey GADawg, thanks for the comments. I am talking to the Customer Retention team, which was renamed the Customer Loyalty team a while back. I'll try out that @ATTCares (kind of) Twitter and see what they say.
Skiff
join:2017-08-22
Louisville, KY

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Skiff to tlange55

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Re: UVerse discount negotiation time - "Forced" Internet Reduction 45Mb to 25Mb?

probably just need to re-verify your service address info to correct your bandwidth profile on the sales system side of things

Well Bonded
join:2015-10-17
Naples, FL

Well Bonded to tlange55

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to tlange55
said by tlange55:

I'd rather have them cut-off new UVerse accounts in my area and take care of their existing customers.

Yes of course, you first and the heck with everyone else.
tlange55
join:2010-10-19
Waukesha, WI

6 recommendations

tlange55

Member

No, Well Bonded, I didn't say that. I am sorry that you read that into my comment. If a VRAD is full then quit adding new customers to it. Don't penalize existing customers by trying to squeeze more new clients onto a maxed-out VRAD. (I wonder if AT&T will ever mention to me that the VRAD is full?)

Shadow01
Premium Member
join:2003-10-24
Wasteland

Shadow01

Premium Member

No, they have no obligation to do so. The profile is either available for sale to you or it is not. They have no guidlines in place to give you detailed reasons why. They are directed by management to say it is not available to your address.
tlange55
join:2010-10-19
Waukesha, WI

4 recommendations

tlange55

Member

Perhaps a clarification is in order here. I have been a Uverse customer for about six years. The last two years I have has 45Mb with no problem. Now that it's renewal time I can no longer get 45Mb. That is what seems wrong. I am not a new customer, I only referenced that "is Uverse available at my address" screen on my initial post.

Well Bonded
join:2015-10-17
Naples, FL

1 recommendation

Well Bonded to tlange55

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to tlange55
said by tlange55:

Don't penalize existing customers by trying to squeeze more new clients onto a maxed-out VRAD.

But if you are cancelling to try to renegotiate a better price, then you are a new customer.

(I wonder if AT&T will ever mention to me that the VRAD is full?)

No there is no reason to do so.

"Today, every time our customers access their content, we use one or all of the following technologies to connect them — wireless LTE, Wi-Fi, satellite, IP networks and fiber optics."

"But our customers should neither know nor care about any of this."

Randall Stephenson
CEO AT&T
Well Bonded

Well Bonded to tlange55

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to tlange55
said by tlange55:

Now that it's renewal time I can no longer get 45Mb. That is what seems wrong. I am not a new customer, I only referenced that "is Uverse available at my address" screen on my initial post.

If you had let the agreement auto-renew the profile should not change.

Shadow01
Premium Member
join:2003-10-24
Wasteland

3 recommendations

Shadow01 to tlange55

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to tlange55
said by tlange55:

Perhaps a clarification is in order here. I have been a Uverse customer for about six years. The last two years I have has 45Mb with no problem. Now that it's renewal time I can no longer get 45Mb. That is what seems wrong. I am not a new customer, I only referenced that "is Uverse available at my address" screen on my initial post.

To get a retention discount they basically rework your account in a similar way as would a disconnect and then a reconnect. Why? Because that is the way the system was designed by the company that built it. That reconnect action pulls up the limited offers available now, not what you had previously. That is why they can't offer you the 45 you have on a retention discount. Their system just doesn't show that profile as available for them to select. Imagine a web page with web links and some of the links are grayed out. That is what they have on there screen. The ability for the rep to bypass just isn't there. They would have to be able to make that grayed out link active so it could be used. They don't have the ability to bypass the programming of the sales station they are using.
Shadow01

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Shadow01 to Well Bonded

Premium Member

to Well Bonded
said by Well Bonded:

said by tlange55:

Now that it's renewal time I can no longer get 45Mb. That is what seems wrong. I am not a new customer, I only referenced that "is Uverse available at my address" screen on my initial post.

If you had let the agreement auto-renew the profile should not change.

But the auto renew will not get him a retention discount.

Well Bonded
join:2015-10-17
Naples, FL

1 edit

1 recommendation

Well Bonded

Member

said by Shadow01:

But the auto renew will not get him a retention discount.

Understood, but that is a choice one has to live with, get a discount and drop to a lower tier of service or do nothing, pay the bill and keep all as is.

Well sort of, AT&T can still by the TOS, bump a sub to a lower tier, but then the sub can push for a discount.

ham3843
join:2015-01-15
USA

2 recommendations

ham3843 to Well Bonded

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to Well Bonded
said by Well Bonded:

"Today, every time our customers access their content, we use one or all of the following technologies to connect them — wireless LTE, Wi-Fi, satellite, IP networks and fiber optics."

"But our customers should neither know nor care about any of this."

Randall Stephenson
CEO AT&T

That's a very arrogant and condescending attitude isn't it?
It's things like this comment that give CEOs and their company a bad name. Nice going Randall.

Plenty of customers should and DO care, as the quality of service
can and DOES vary GREATLY depending on which product the customer uses.

I would bet if this customer had FTTH instead of FTTN he wouldn't be losing his speeds would he?
LOL

Shadow01
Premium Member
join:2003-10-24
Wasteland

1 recommendation

Shadow01

Premium Member

said by ham3843:

said by Well Bonded:

"Today, every time our customers access their content, we use one or all of the following technologies to connect them — wireless LTE, Wi-Fi, satellite, IP networks and fiber optics."

"But our customers should neither know nor care about any of this."

Randall Stephenson
CEO AT&T

That's a very arrogant and condescending attitude isn't it?
It's things like this comment that give CEOs and their company a bad name. Nice going Randall.

Plenty of customers should and DO care, as the quality of service
can and DOES vary GREATLY depending on which product the customer uses.

I would bet if this customer had FTTH instead of FTTN he wouldn't be losing his speeds would he?
LOL

And yet record profits....

Well Bonded
join:2015-10-17
Naples, FL

3 edits

4 recommendations

Well Bonded to ham3843

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to ham3843
said by ham3843:

That's a very arrogant and condescending attitude isn't it?

Not at all, it reflects the truth of the industry, the average customer could care less about the underlying technologies, all they want to do is utilize the service they subscribe to and have it delivered at a fair price.

Believe it or not, most people actually have a life outside of the internet and do not have the time to worry the trivial matters which their children loose sleep over or spend countless hours on the phone with tech support arguing about frivolous things like ping times or a so called missing stream or such.

And guess what, the companies that understand that continue make record profits year after year, something the kiddies living in their parents basements simply lack the business acuity to figure out and probably never will.

I would bet if this customer had FTTH instead of FTTN he wouldn't be losing his speeds would he?

And that's bet you would lose, because at the end of the day it really doesn't matter.

Consider this, AT&T has around 17 million high speed internet subscribers, in comparison to that how many complaints do you see posted here?

The total amount of complaints is so small it immeasurable, yet those complainers believe AT&T's world should revolve around them, well that is never happening, nor is anyone at AT&T listening to the advice of those very small ants, AT&T will continue to run the business as they have and they will continue to be very profitable all the while ignoring a rather noisy, but extremely small minority of people who can only see the world from their point of view, a view that totally miss's the larger picture of running a multinational company.

tdar
join:2004-04-05
Alpharetta, GA

1 edit

3 recommendations

tdar to Well Bonded

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to Well Bonded
said by Well Bonded:

"Today, every time our customers access their content, we use one or all of the following technologies to connect them — wireless LTE, Wi-Fi, satellite, IP networks and fiber optics."

"But our customers should neither know nor care about any of this."

Randall Stephenson
CEO AT&T

Sorry that IS a very condescending attitude. You might remember that his predecessor said that no one needs more than a 6 Mb connection so the condescension seems baked into the office.
You may not intend to, but the posts in this thread and the ones on 6 HD streams you have posted in the last 2 days adopts the same condescension.
In Randal's case he is also just wrong. Customers do in fact very much care. Not just the ones here, that I admit are not like the average customer, but in general they do in fact care how service is delivered- because it affects what service is available and how (or well) that service works.

How do we know this? When Verizon began to offer Fios they started a real estate boom in the areas that had service. So much so, that some of the major RE websites tell you in the listing IF Fios is available. Same for Google Fiber. We might not have ever had ATT Fiber if not for what happened in the Kanas City area with Randal and company getting their Asses handed to them (and Time Warner's ass as well), as people showed with their wallets that they very much care how service is delivered. In fact they would decide what house to buy because they care so much.

I for one am shopping for a new home and I am only looking in areas that have ATT fiber. I DO NOT want service to my home delivered wirelessly- Period. I also don't want it delivered on decades old copper. So I do very much care and I am one of Randal's quad play customers , so sorry he's just wrong. ( P.S. Please do not call me an ANT. That is just rude.)

Know what I don't care about (and most customers don't) ? His profits. Or his profit margin. Or if he has to use union techs or not. I understand he has to make a profit. I understand that his shareholders want him to make it as big of one as he can. I do understand business. I also understand what he (and now the company he is leading) don't seem to. If you want that profit, then offer the customer what he or she wants, price it fairly and offer great customer service. You'll get the profit you want and everyone will be happy and feel like they have won. It is really that simple.

Well Bonded
join:2015-10-17
Naples, FL

2 recommendations

Well Bonded

Member

said by tdar:

In Randal's case he is also just wrong. Customers do in fact very much care. Not just the ones here, that I admit are not like the average customer, but in general they do in fact care how service is delivered- because it affects what service is available and how (or well) that service works.

Hate to break it to you but 99% of the subscribers have no idea of how their services work or are delivered, as long as it works their happy and when it doesn't they call in a trouble ticket and get in line.

The mass's are used to that, ever been to a major theme park?

How do we know this? When Verizon began to offer Fios they started a real estate boom in the areas that had service. So much so, that some of the major RE websites tell you in the listing IF Fios is available.

Yea, dream on.

Same for Google Fiber. We might not have ever had ATT Fiber if not for what happened in the Kanas City area with Randal and company getting their Asses handed to them (and Time Warner's ass as well), as people showed with their wallets that they very much care how service is delivered. In fact they would decide what house to buy because they care so much.

Google fiber is so inconsequential, I seriously doubt the veracity of that statement.

I for one am shopping for a new home and I am only looking in areas that have ATT fiber. I DO NOT want service to my home delivered wirelessly- Period. I also don't want it delivered on decades old copper.

Again that is the exception not the norm, what actually counts are life's larger things like location, good schools, safe neighborhoods. The majority of RE buyers don't even consider broadband until long after the closing, I know when I bought my ranch out here broadband internet was not even considered, what mattered to me was location and price, everything else I can work around.

So I do very much care and I am one of Randal's quad play customers , so sorry he's just wrong.

Maybe in your single opinion but to the masses, he is spot on.

( P.S. Please do not call me an ANT. That is just rude.)

It's not rude, it is a reality and the sooner you realize it the better off you will be.

Neither you, nor I nor, anyone else is the center of the universe, now some may think they are, but one fine day they end up six feet below and the world continues to go on without them, or even remembers who they where and that is just how it is.

Know what I don't care about (and most customers don't) ? His profits. Or his profit margin. Or if he has to use union techs or not. I understand he has to make a profit. I understand that his shareholders want him to make it as big of one as he can.

And that is his task and so far he has done an excellent job of executing it.

I do understand business. I also understand what he (and now the company he is leading) don't seem to.

It's clear you don't understand how and why he is running the business the way he and board does, as such I doubt you actually understand what it takes to run a business as large as AT&T.

If you want that profit, then offer the customer what he or she wants, price it fairly and offer great customer service. You'll get the profit you want and everyone will be happy and feel like they have won. It is really that simple.

That might work at the local Ace Hardware, but it doesn't scale up to a huge multinational, where individual customers (residential/SMB) are just a number on a balance sheet and trying to keep everyone of them happy is a fast track to bankruptcy.
Well Bonded

Well Bonded to tdar

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to tdar
said by tdar:

Sorry that IS a very condescending attitude. You might remember that his predecessor said that no one needs more than a 6 Mb connection so the condescension seems baked into the office.

Who was that Ackerman or Whitacre, Ed wasn't much of a visionary but I would expect a comment like to come from Duane as he was way too conservative when it came to new technologies.

techguyga
Premium Member
join:2003-12-31
00000
ARRIS BGW210-700

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techguyga to Well Bonded

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to Well Bonded
said by Well Bonded:

That might work at the local Ace Hardware, but it doesn't scale up to a huge multinational, where individual customers (residential/SMB) are just a number on a balance sheet and trying to keep everyone of them happy is a fast track to bankruptcy.

I think John Legere would disagree with you.

»www.businessinsider.com/ ··· y-2017-8

I know you have been in the business for a long time, as have I. But it really pains me to see so many from senior leadership to rank and file that are stuck in 1985. In case you haven't noticed, it's not 1985 anymore, it's 2017. Times have changed, and so must business thinking. Those that are too stubborn or silly to embrace change will be left behind.

Well Bonded
join:2015-10-17
Naples, FL

Well Bonded

Member

said by techguyga:

I think John Legere would disagree with you.

Frankly who cares about a carefully crafted poll without the raw data being presented?

Note it is based on churn due to the comparison of different factors none of which can be actually compared without the questions asked and the raw data from the answers given, this is akin to using a J.D. Powers award to backup a claim of excellence.

I know you have been in the business for a long time, as have I. But it really pains me to see so many from senior leadership to rank and file that are stuck in 1985.

Problem is, while some of the rank and file is stuck in 1985 Stephenson is not and has made that very clear to the rank and file over the past two years, which is one of the reasons AT&T has set aside a huge pot of money to force or buy out the remaining deadwood Bell Heads.

2020 is fast approaching and those who don't get on board are going to find themselves transferred to a rocking chair over in Granny's Grove.

Conversely, get with plan and life will be both challenging, interesting and will pay very well.
ham3843
join:2015-01-15
USA

2 recommendations

ham3843

Member

said by Well Bonded:

Problem is, while some of the rank and file is stuck in 1985 Stephenson is not and has made that very clear to the rank and file over the past two years, which is one of the reasons AT&T has set aside a huge pot of money to force or buy out the remaining deadwood Bell Heads.

Randall must be stuck in 1985, as he's left most of his customers without FTTH, and most of those that have service can't get speeds any faster than 25 Mbps. FTTH IS the future of broadband, there is no way around it.

Well Bonded
join:2015-10-17
Naples, FL

1 edit

Well Bonded

Member

said by ham3843:

FTTH IS the future of broadband, there is no way around it.

So says you, technology and economics says otherwise.

But I doubt you could ever understand that.

So like a parrot you keep on squawking " screech FTTH is the future of broadband, screech FTTH is the future of broadband, screech FTTH is the future of broadband."

Would Polly like a cracker?


djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

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djrobx to Well Bonded

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to Well Bonded
said by Well Bonded:

"But our customers should neither know nor care about any of this."

I totally agree with this. I don't NEED fiber. If they can deliver something competitive another way, great.

The problem is that AT&T keeps trying to squeeze blood from a turnip in order to save a buck. Anyone with half a brain knew that their FTTN design wasn't going to cut it for very long, even with compression and VDSL technology advances that they were banking on.

Now because they were short-sighted, I have no real competitive option to cable. I have a choice between 300mbps cable or 45mbps U-verse with no plans from them to address it on the horizon. And I'm a "lucky" one with VDSL.

gadawg
join:2006-01-27
Louisville, KY

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to tlange55
Any updates tlange55?

dslwanter
20 years on this site
Premium Member
join:2002-12-16
Mineral Ridge, OH
·Armstrong
Ubiquiti UniFi AP-LR
Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X SFP

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dslwanter

Premium Member

said by gadawg:

Any updates tlange55?

I bet he regrets creating this thread. His issue was belittled, ridiculed, and blown up into yet another, doomsday sayer hijacked thread probably on it's way to being locked, yet again. As a former funhouse member, I am disgusted this is allowed to continue. It's every single thread he comments on.

Well Bonded
join:2015-10-17
Naples, FL

Well Bonded to djrobx

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to djrobx
said by djrobx:

The problem is that AT&T keeps trying to squeeze blood from a turnip in order to save a buck. Anyone with half a brain knew that their FTTN design wasn't going to cut it for very long, even with compression and VDSL technology advances that they were banking on.

At the time, it made sense, however the technological advances in DOCSIS nailed it's coffin shut as well as the idea of using the existing copper plant for distribution.

Now because they were short-sighted, I have no real competitive option to cable.

I truly believe that is going to change and not too far out in the future, AT&T would love to compete in the medium density (SFR) market but has learned the hard and expensive way FTTH is not the path to follow.

One solution is utilizing the existing xFITL fiber and copper power pairs to mimic cable with FTTN and coax to the prem, very short coax under 500 feet.

The existing fiber fed active electronics ONU's can serve 12/24 subscribers, convert them to nodes and gigabit/multi-gigabit service becomes a reality and the low cost causes the bean counters have an orgasm.

Another solution is a blend of FTTN and short range wireless for the last hop and the trials using LTE-LAA have proven gigabit speeds are quite achievable, while more expensive than the previous solution, the cost is considerably lower than FTTH and the advantage of self-installation keeps the bean counters heads from exploding and plays well with the nomadic tendencies of the SFR residential market and with fixed wireless waiting on 5G standards need not be considered.

In the end, the price to the subscriber drops while profits are maintained and that's a good thing.