Why AT&T annoys me

ScottM

ScottM

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iBazinga!
So i am trying to watch the Comedy Central streaming video highlight of the 10th anniversary of Monicagate and the buffering can be set to actually keep up with my slow 384kbps DSL data rate.

I finally decide enough is enough, I want faster speed Internet. So I got the AT&T web site and start the process of looking for an upgrade to my service. I find what I want and initiate the upgrade but according to AT&T's web site I don't have Internet service with them.

I figure their website billing app is somehow out of whack and I pull my phone bill to call them up. When I actually look at my phone bill I see that I am paying $39.95 a month for 384kbps service :hairraise::hairraise::hairraise:

I must have missed when they upped the price as it was $19.99 when I signed up.

I call and maneuver the human less menus and get a person who sounds like she is somewhere in North America. She actually sounds well informed too. She goes over the planes and nothing she offers me costs as much as what I am paying. I opt for the Elite plan and am going to get 1.5Mbps for $19.99/mo

It just irks me that they did not even try to offer me something cheaper to at least keep good will with a customer. I am seriously going to look now at putting cable back to my house , rip the satellite dish out and get Comcast to offer me service. That is is if I can convince myself that the horrors of Comcast would be anywhere, even remotely better than just being ripped of $20/mo by At&T, a pretty tall order if you ask me. If I do go Comcast that will be the end of my wired phone too. No reason for it. I barely use it outside of DSL service.
 
Scott -
We have the full compliment of Comcast products (tv, internet and phone) and have been pleased with the trouble free service the last few years.
I realize others have had different experiences so YMMV.
 
We've got the Comcast full boat as well. I'm pleased with it...Except for the "new customer incentive" of $29.99 per service (voice, data, tv) good for a year, but as an existing customer in good standing "Sorry, you don't get that discount".
 
gkainz said:
We've got the Comcast full boat as well. I'm pleased with it...Except for the "new customer incentive" of $29.99 per service (voice, data, tv) good for a year, but as an existing customer in good standing "Sorry, you don't get that discount".
Click to expand...

My neighbor has that Comcast triple play. Just in case you think that only AT&T let's the rates quietly raise, his Comcast bill "readjusted" to near $150 a month. He calls Comcast. "What kind of deal can I get? Can I commit for a lower rate? The usual Comcast customer prevention representative is hostile and rude. "What do you WANT? You can't get anything!"

Scott, AT&T is gonna roll out UVerse *real soon.* Uverse will be Comcast's worse nightmare. The video service rates are MUCH cheaper, the DVR is better (it could hardly be worse), the video has PC and mobile integration, and internet service will hit 10Mbs (UNSHARED!) eventually.

If Comcast management had a brain cell, and obviously they don't or they would have worked on the years of having the worst customer service, they would be scrambling to get customers on commitment.

If it makes you happy to change just to show you're mad, go ahead. Note that Comcast DOES require a one-year commitment for triple play. AT&T has no commitment, and in fact has a 30 day money back guarantee on UVerse.
 
We've got Comcast here. I have not signed up for the VoIP service for the simple reason that power goes out now and then, for periods longer than their optional battery backup will handle. My POTS line stays.

Digital cable, a package or two and broadband internet access is now up to about $150 / month. Ouch! I don't watch that much TV. But the broadband internet access ROCKS. My son has run a speed check and the local network is actually capable of 22 Mbps downloads (uploads are substantially slower). Any delays I see are due to the other end, nothing here. Far better access than I have at work. Used to be the other way around.

No real complaints with Comcast service here, either. You pays your money and you takes your chances.
 
I read earlier this week that Time Warner is test marketing a price plan that depends on how much data you stream- I think they are testing it in Houston.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
I read earlier this week that Time Warner is test marketing a price plan that depends on how much data you stream- I think they are testing it in Houston.
Click to expand...

Time Warner is no longer in Houston... They got taken over by ComCrap.
 
Comcast sucks. I have them currently - by default.

Adelphia was my internet provider until Comcast bought them. Overnight, and merely by virtue of the change of control, my monthly internet (only) bill went from 58 bucks to 71 bucks. No change in service, nada - just an almost 23% increase.

I complained several times but nothing was done. FIOS is now in our neighborhood and I am changing over this weekend.

ps. and the FIOS service will be bundled with my current phone service - my total overall Verizon cost will go up 5 dollars and I'll have phone AND internet.
 
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Here is a rule of thumb:

As long as there is no competition to that specific type of service, i.e., cable company v. cable company, the service will suck.

So, it's only a matter of which one sucks worse... Charter or Comcast. Until they are forced to operate side-by-side and such competition is not hendered by substantial fees required by governmental agencies, the lone company will simply suck to its maximum potential and there will never be a greener pasture for the consumer.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
I read earlier this week that Time Warner is test marketing a price plan that depends on how much data you stream- I think they are testing it in Houston.
Click to expand...

Word is that the cable companies pathetic infrastructure has no way to log your use. It's all captured in volatile RAM in your cable modem....soooo.....if you just power cycle the sucker routinely they have no evidence you even use the service.
 
KennyFlys said:
Here is a rule of thumb:

As long as there is no competition to that specific type of service, i.e., cable company v. cable company, the service will suck.

So, it's only a matter of which one sucks worse... Charter or Comcast. Until they are forced to operate side-by-side and such competition is not hendered by substantial fees required by governmental agencies, the lone company will simply suck to its maximum potential and there will never be a greener pasture for the consumer.
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure Kenny, just look at the wireless phone providers.
 
kevin47881 said:
I'm not so sure Kenny, just look at the wireless phone providers.
Click to expand...
Yep, I know. Rates seem to be going up somewhat. But, I'm quite certain it would be worse if choices were limited. I'd really be curious what is faced in the very rural areas where there might be only one or two providers offering service to that area.
 
From 10:30AM until 3:20PM (let's say 3:30 for the sake of argument)... 5 hours of my normal usage. I utilized Trillian, Xfire, Outlook, and Firefox. Time was spent on CNN watching news clips, Youtube watching video clips, various forums, and University websites. Totals?

kaqjwh.jpg



197.9 MB in 5 hours. 39.58 MB/hr

Let's say I use the internet for 8 hours a day. 316.64 MB/day

30 days usage... 9499.2 MB/month = 9.27 GB/mo = 4.27 GB over * $7.42 = $31.68 in overage fees - Guess I can't do the low end plan.

Now let's consider that I wasn't in my office for at least an hour (lunch):

197.9 MB / 4 = 49.475 MB/hr

395.8 MB/day -> 11874 MB/mo = 11.59 GB/mo.

Plus constant connection programs such as gaming or video conferencing will eat into a bandwidth limited plan like crazy.

Finally, I note that Time Warner pointed to the Bell Canadian plan to charge $7.50 for each GB over a 30 GB plan at $29.95, but yet TW is talking about plans between 5 GB and 40 GB with the higher plan being about $50 - $60. That's a bit of a pricing difference.
 
Nick, I understand loss leaders - no confusion there (well, ok, even at $29 I'm sure it's not a loss for Comcast). And, I don't have serious heartburn with it, just that approach in general.

I also wait until I get the "please please please come back - 75% off newstand" offer letters for magazine subscriptions before I renew them.

I'm ok with Comcast at the price I'm paying, but would be "more ok" with the new customer package. :)
 
SkyHog said:
D
So no, as an existing customer, Comcast doesn't owe you a thing. If you don't feel that your service is worth what you're paying for it, then stop paying and go elsewhere. That's the way freemarket works - you speak with your wallet.

And if Comcast offers you a retention offer of some sort...well, that is because they want to keep you as a customer (vs. obtain a new customer...remember, its harder to get a new customer than it is to winback a previous customer in most cases).
...
Click to expand...

Therein lies the rub! The DirecTV fanboys are saying that it's worth $200 to obtain a new customer. That translates into there must be the same or more value in keeping the customers you have....the loss of 1 worthless current customer = $200 to replace with new and at that you have gone nowhere.

So here we have a company that is facing actual and substantial competition for the customers for the first time which has the "wisdom" to keep the entrenched corporate policy of p*ing them off at every opportunity.

Short that stock.

(AT&T DOES offer a 25% rate discount to existing DSL customers that commit to a year. Which company is wrong? :dunno:)
 
kevin47881 said:
I'm not so sure Kenny, just look at the wireless phone providers.
Click to expand...

Specifically, Sprint, who just had to lay off several thousand workers because their customers are leaving like rats off a sinking ship.

Finally, their horrid customer service has come back to bite them in the @$$.

Oh, how I am going to enjoy watching them go down. :yes: :D :rofl:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Specifically, Sprint, who just had to lay off several thousand workers because their customers are leaving like rats off a sinking ship.

Finally, their horrid customer service has come back to bite them in the @$$.

Oh, how I am going to enjoy watching them go down. :yes: :D :rofl:
Click to expand...
:rofl: I do like that!

And, have you noticed how NASCAR has now switched to the...

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ?

Does "Sprint" really go well with cars that run at speeds in excess of 150MPH for three-to-four hours? It certainly seems contrary to the Sprint "service" program.
 
KennyFlys said:
:rofl: I do like that!

And, have you noticed how NASCAR has now switched to the...

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ?

Does "Sprint" really go well with cars that run at speeds in excess of 150MPH for three-to-four hours? It certainly seems contrary to the Sprint "service" program.
Click to expand...

SURE! And they do 150MPH driving WHILE USING THE CELL PHONE and telling the other drivers "Don't be rude! I'm ON THE PHONE!" :goofy:
 
mikea said:
Word is that the cable companies pathetic infrastructure has no way to log your use. It's all captured in volatile RAM in your cable modem....soooo.....if you just power cycle the sucker routinely they have no evidence you even use the service.
Click to expand...
That word would be wrong on many counts.

1. Cable modems have flash in them. Stored data stats could survive power cycles.

2. It would be no problem to poll the CM's on a regular basis to collect counter stats.

3. The CM isn't the only place to collect data transfer stats. Google: CMTS and packet shaping.


-Rich
 
rpadula said:
That word would be wrong on many counts.
Click to expand...
:yes: I am pretty sure, given the revenue opportunity, they will come up with a good way to measure that you won't be bypassing by unplugging your modem.
 
mikea said:
My neighbor has that Comcast triple play. Just in case you think that only AT&T let's the rates quietly raise, his Comcast bill "readjusted" to near $150 a month. He calls Comcast. "What kind of deal can I get? Can I commit for a lower rate? The usual Comcast customer prevention representative is hostile and rude. "What do you WANT? You can't get anything!"

Scott, AT&T is gonna roll out UVerse *real soon.* Uverse will be Comcast's worse nightmare. The video service rates are MUCH cheaper, the DVR is better (it could hardly be worse), the video has PC and mobile integration, and internet service will hit 10Mbs (UNSHARED!) eventually.
...
Click to expand...

beaujolais_nouveau-small.jpg


UVerse EST ARRIVE'
​
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-mon_att_0128jan28,0,2611073.story

Not only that, I got word that that my house is "GREEN" for UVerse! I get to be the first on the block. I'll tell my neighbor so he can be next.

https://uverse1.att.com

If anybody wants to sign up, and you hear you're green (you can check on the site) PM me.
 
To check availability, go to https://uverse1.att.com/un/unserviceableAdrSwitchingAction.do

While it says to not put modifiers on your address (e.g. DR, LN, etc.), when I followed the instructions it came back and said "We couldn't find the exact address" and listed the address with the very thing I was told to leave out!

And then I got an "AT&T U-verse service is not available for this address or phone number as entered." Ah well.
 
smigaldi said:
So i am trying to watch the Comedy Central streaming video highlight of the 10th anniversary of Monicagate and the buffering can be set to actually keep up with my slow 384kbps DSL data rate.

I finally decide enough is enough, I want faster speed Internet. So I got the AT&T web site and start the process of looking for an upgrade to my service. I find what I want and initiate the upgrade but according to AT&T's web site I don't have Internet service with them.

I figure their website billing app is somehow out of whack and I pull my phone bill to call them up. When I actually look at my phone bill I see that I am paying $39.95 a month for 384kbps service :hairraise::hairraise::hairraise:

I must have missed when they upped the price as it was $19.99 when I signed up.

I call and maneuver the human less menus and get a person who sounds like she is somewhere in North America. She actually sounds well informed too. She goes over the planes and nothing she offers me costs as much as what I am paying. I opt for the Elite plan and am going to get 1.5Mbps for $19.99/mo

It just irks me that they did not even try to offer me something cheaper to at least keep good will with a customer. I am seriously going to look now at putting cable back to my house , rip the satellite dish out and get Comcast to offer me service. That is is if I can convince myself that the horrors of Comcast would be anywhere, even remotely better than just being ripped of $20/mo by At&T, a pretty tall order if you ask me. If I do go Comcast that will be the end of my wired phone too. No reason for it. I barely use it outside of DSL service.
Click to expand...

And here we are 7 months later and they have dialed my back down to 400kpbs. I called the helpless desk today to see jsut WTF is going on. Wanna bet that they dialed back because the are BW limited in my area!!??

I am so going to look at dumping AT&T!!

I put in a request for a visit from a local ISP to get Canopy (by Motorola) wireless. I had hoped to wait it out until WiMAX was available in my area but I think that will still be another year even though Sprint is deploying it now with commercial service starting in the late third quarter.
 
Scott, see if you they *think* you're green for Uverse. You can get 1.5-10Mbs DSL with UVerse internet. Note that although it makes no sense to mere mortals, AT&T Uverse DSL Internet is not the same as AT&T DSL internet.

No, that will not be the end of your travails by a long shot until you see Mickey on your TV and pass a speed test....but it will still be better than Comcast internet.
 
smigaldi said:
And here we are 7 months later and they have dialed my back down to 400kpbs. I called the helpless desk today to see jsut WTF is going on. Wanna bet that they dialed back because the are BW limited in my area!!??

I am so going to look at dumping AT&T!!

I put in a request for a visit from a local ISP to get Canopy (by Motorola) wireless. I had hoped to wait it out until WiMAX was available in my area but I think that will still be another year even though Sprint is deploying it now with commercial service starting in the late third quarter.
Click to expand...

If you think AT&T is bad with their own service, they treat CLEC customers even worse. Ask me how I know....

If you can't get the wireless for some reason, go back and get a business DSL line from AT&T. You may have to pay for a business phone line, but you can do that quite cheap. Make sure they know that speed is critical for your "business". UNLIKE Verizon, my experience with AT&T's business office and biz tech support was good - not nearly as good as Cox Communications, but still good.
 
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