A Personal Consumer Report:
Carmel, Indiana
August, 2008
We decided to switch to AT&T U-verse from Bright House Networks and Road Runner High Speed Online with the hope of experiencing a more advanced television viewing experience and a more consistent internet experience during peak usage times in the neighborhood. This consumer reports that the television part of the equation eventually worked with only occasional picture freezes and the limitations noted below; however, installation was long and drawn out and the internet merely slugged along making something as simple as reading e-mail a burden.
Limitations You Need to Know
-Slow, inconsistent internet speeds via AT&T wireless gateway
-Long, multi-day installation process is common
-Rewiring of cable & phone lines typically required
-4 TVs can work at the same time (what if you have 6 TVs?)
-2 HD TVs can work at the same time (what if you have 3 HD TVs?)
-Large, external box required for each TV
-Compatibility issues with World of Warcraft (WoW)
-May not work with X-Box
-You are volunteering for technological experimentation
Make sure you ask about and understand the above AT&T U-verse limitations before you change from your current provider.
Moral: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
(AT&T installation and delivery of promised services is difficult and may never materialize - that's why they offer free installation, free first month, and $100 cash back enticing consumers to become guinea pigs of the U-verse experimentation and testing stage. Bright House Networks and Road Runner High Speed Online have a proven, reliable product - no beta testing on clients!)
Nothing is free . . . you'll pay handsomely with your time!
Bright House Networks and Road Runner High Speed Online delivering reliable, fast Internet.
"We even include a Wireless Gateway that turns your entire home into a wireless network."
What they don't tell you is the wireless network they install will not provide consistent internet speed nor reliability. The quality of our internet experience fell dramatically after switching from cable to AT&T U-verse. With Bright House Networks cable and our Linksys router, we received fairly consistent internet service except during peak usage times caused by "traffic" in our neighborhood cable area. After switching from Bright House Networks to AT&T U-verse, this consumer reports our internet experience became frustratingly slow and unpredictible at all times of day and night.
Bright House Networks and Road Runner High Speed Online delivering reliable, fast Internet.
History of Failed AT&T U-verse Installation
8/6/2008 - 8/20/2008
This consumer reports that after two weeks of service calls (each requiring an adult to be present in the home) and numerous hours on the phone with technical support, AT&T informs us that frequent and extreme inconsistency of internet speed (our experience = 365 kbps - 5.7 Mpbs; with an average speed of 2.1 Mbps from 12 speed tests, while contracted for 6.0 Mbps) on AT&T installed wireless networks is to be expected and is the best they can provide. This was apparently confirmed by an AT&T manager; however, the technician did not let me speak to him/her nor provide me with contact information for the manager.
Read a more detailed history of the failed installation and speed tests here
Note: A different technician was sent to our home for each service call. Although that meant reinventing the wheel each time, the technicians were professional and helpful. But don't let that fool you like it did me. I kept believing their reassurances that everything would be up and running smoothly with just a few more adjustments. I was actually ready to stick it out no matter how many service calls were required. In the end, my patience and trust was rewarded by finally being told by AT&T that they couldn't deliver as promoted.
8/21/2008
AT&T U-verse is out and Bright House Networks is IN. Bright House technician came today, reversed the cable changes AT&T had made (it was a little difficult since AT&T cut off all the labels which had identified which cable went to which room) and restored our Bright House cable and television service. The entire restorative process took 3 hours and everything is working wonderfully again - TV, X-Box, WoW, E-mail, IM, Web Surfing!! Read More Here
Bright House Networks and Road Runner High Speed Online delivering reliable, fast Internet.
