06-12-2012 11:53:27 AM
A representative from AT&T called trying to get me to upgrade to U-Verse. I told her that I wasn't interested, but she said that often people could get U-Verse for the same price as DSL. So, I listened to her explain to me why U-Verse internet would be better than my DSL. I mentioned to her that both my roommate and I have our own DSL, due to the fact that my roommate often uses bit torrent, and that made even just browsing the internet too slow for me when we were sharing internet. She told me the following things:
-While it's true with DSL that using bit torrent can slow down the internet for other people using the connection, with U-Verse, this is not a problem, because the technology is different.
-If you pay for 12Mbps, it isn't 12Mbps to the gateway-- ALL devices connected will have 12Mbps, even if another person in the house is using a lot of bandwidth at the same time.
-There is no usage cap.
-You can't get a dry loop.
What she said didn't sound accurate, and I wanted to make sure that we weren't misunderstanding each other. I explained to her that when a bit torrent client isn't configured properly, and is set to use too many connections, it's not the service that is the problem, it's that the router can't handle all the connections. So, wouldn't U-Verse, since it still uses a gateway, still have the same problem? She assured me that, no, it wouldn't. It's a different technology.
I said that if we got 12Mbps, that would be 12Mbps to the gateway, and then if my roommate and I were using it at the same time, we would both be splitting that bandwidth, and then asked her if that was accurate. She said no, all devices connected (up to a total of 11 devices) would each receive a full 12Mbps. She said it was NOT just 12Mbps to the gateway. I asked her why AT&T would do that, and she said (I'm paraphrasing), "It's so that our customers have the best experience."
When she told me you can't get a dry loop, I told her I already have one. She said that you can't get them anymore. The AT&T website says you can.
I told her I'd talk to me roommate about it, and she said she'd call me back next week. So, I talked to my roommate, and we decided that, if everything was like she said it was, we'd get U-Verse.
But we found it very hard to believe what she had told me. I didn't want to say that she was lying, because I had never looked into U-Verse. While I really doubted what she told me, I figured it might be possible that it worked in a completely different than anything I had heard about.
So, I called AT&T. A lady answered and I told her that I had some technical questions about U-Verse. She asked for my customer number, and I gave that to her. I asked her if she was in sales and if she would be able to answer technical questions, and she said she was a sales representative, but she could probably answer most technical questions, and if there was something she couldn't answer, we could get a technical support person on the line. That was good enough for me.
I told her about the claims that the lady who had called me had made, and she said that, as I had suspected, it was all incorrect. This lady was knowledgeable, courteous, and answered all my questions. A good experience with AT&T for once.
I explained to this lady that I had been lied to by AT&T people before (like when I first became a customer), and I wanted to know what I could do about it. The lady told me I could call the complaints department. She apologized, but said there wasn't a toll free number. It wasn't her fault, but it shows what AT&T thinks of their customers; AT&T has many 800 numbers, for everything but complaints. Alas, our telephone line in this house has no long distance service.
This incident, coupled with previous incidents (plural), has caused me to decide to take action. Something will be done. The easiest way for this situation to be resolved is for AT&T to do something. I would even be satisfied if someone from the complaints department would call me, listen to what I have to say, and then at least look into it, though I realize it would probably be very difficult to find out who the lady was that called.
If, as usual, AT&T doesn't care about it's customers, and does nothing, I will take action. And I will step up the action I take by orders of magnitude, until this is resolved. I lived in Thailand for 10 years, and the behavior demonstrated by AT&T is the kind of behavior I expect to see from companies in third world countries. It is totally unacceptable for a company the caliber of AT&T.
And if anyone would care to hear about the other bad experiences I've had with AT&T, during the year and a half I've I've been a customer with them, I'd be happy to relate them.
Thank you,
Brandon
06-12-2012 12:49:29 PM
06-12-2012 01:03:26 PM
If either of you are interested in more than just venting, you can send a message to Alex. He's a troubleshooter for AT&T that handles problems that get out of hand. He will have the appropriate people contact you within a couple days to address your issues. To see his reply, click the little blue envelope, upper right corner of this page.
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06-12-2012 01:23:55 PM
Hi, ghowell97. I just read your post about all the frustrating crap you've been through. I've been through similar things in the past (I'm not talking about the current issue). It's completely unacceptable.
You're right, there's not much point to this site. All we can do is tell our horror stories and gripe. We need to be more organized. We'd be much more effective that way. I'm looking into some things.
First, however, I'll contact Alex, since Computer-Joe was nice enough to mention him (thanks, Computer-Joe), and give him a chance to see if he can resolve things in a satisfactory way.
I'm glad you've at least got 1.5Mbps, and I hope you can get 6 without much more frustration!
Brandon
06-27-2012 09:24:52 AM
07-12-2012 12:51:50 PM
Agreed. I can not beleive they still refuse to help or answer. They are still messing up my bill!
07-30-2012 08:56:03 PM
After AT&T sending overage warning email to an email address that I did not have a password for until this past Saturday then tacking $30 onto an over priced service to begin with. After becoming aware of the new greedy tactics being deployed on our household Internet accounts I become to furious to even speak to them. My Internet bill doubled in two months and this is just broadband robbery! After being a loyal customer since 2006 with never a late payment and 2 iPhones with hefty plans and a land line along with their best Internet package for my area This is the kind of service they give us? It has taken alL day for me to get to the point that I have been paying AT&T in excess of $250 a month for all these years.
After this last hit with your billing for a service that is substandard to the competition I have chose to take my business elsewhere.your charges of $70 month for slow Internet caused me to no longer have any respect for at&t so charter will be installing their up to 30MB cable modem ( this is 5 times faster than your system) will also be installing their digital phone system with unlimited local and long distance 24/7 . Oh the data cap on the cable system is more realistic at 250GB per month instead of your 150GB YOU try to make us believe is enough. True digital homes use that much in 10 to 11 days. I am getting all of the services above along with 125 cable tv stations all for $89.97 a month. I am being switched this Thursday when the job is completed I will be shutting down all services with AT&T and put 2 of my iPhones on Verizon
I hope many customers like me will follow my plan, this is the only thing big greedy companies understand.
Cut their bottom line until they offer to play fair
Good bye AT&T Forever
Posted from Apple iPad
