U-Verse availability

riley's picture
riley

I currently have TWC and have been unhappy with them for years. I've been doing some research on U-Verse and I want to sign up, however, their website says that I cannot get service and so did the representative that I spoke to over the phone. I live in the town of Neenah off of JJ and CB (that intersection has a VRAD box). Homes down both sides of JJ for at least a mile west of the VRAD all get service as well as the homes on Dartmouth Ln, Harvard Dr and Yale Dr which are northwest of the box. I live in the new subdivision between those "Ivy League" roads and the VRAD box, yet I cannot get service. Does anyone on here live in the same area as myself with U-Verse or have any suggestions on how I can actually get the representative to send a tech to my house to verify if I can or cannot get service?

Posted January 11, 2010 8:02pm in
Anonymous's picture
 #

This is because Uverse's line

This is because Uverse's line is to sensitive and not strong enough to provide you with decent service because they can't support the bandwidth. So until this increase's your house may be out of reach. I've done their highest level of tech support and I'm aware of neighbors that live right next door or across the street from each other that can't get it. Why are you so upset with TWC? I have a good inside person that could help resolve your issues if you would like.

 
Mark's picture
 #

I too cannot get U-Verse,

I too cannot get U-Verse, according to their website. That is despite the fact that all the neighbors in all directions around my home are eligible. I'm guessing it's a website glitch, though I've never been able to afford U-Verse so I've never called to verify.

Not that this would necessarily be YOUR situation, but there are cases too where the website or customer service says you're eligible and they get there and find you're not. I had that at my last apartment. They were setting up tents in my neighborhood to sell it to people, but when the installer got there, he said there's no way I could get it because I was just at the outer edge of service for the hardware in my neighborhood and the signal wouldn't be sufficient. Again, that's an anecdote specific to my situation in that apartment building, but the availability isn't universal.

I, too, would be curious about what issues you're having with TWC. If you're like most I hear about, it's probably related to price. I too am paying through the nose for TWC, but doing the math for my situation, U-Verse would cost as much or more anyways, and I find the service way too limiting.

 
Anonymous's picture
 #

Uverse was perfect for my

Uverse was perfect for my situation. I only need 2 boxes. They gave me a great deal. I got $100 cash back. $20 off for 6 months and $19 off for a year. I have the U300 pack with internet. Some bundles are giving $300 or more cash back. The good thing is no contracts. You can cancel anytime. Same as Time Warner. They keep upgrading the DVR. I've heard more HD streams coming. I love the DVR. This coming from a ten year Directv customer, Dish for one year-paid cancellation fee, and most recent 6 month Time Warner customer. If you can get it at least try it. You can always go back to another provider. I've had Uverse for 8 months. If prices go way up, I will look elsewhere. But this is the best service I've hsd so far.

 
Mark's picture
 #

If you don't have a lot of

If you don't have a lot of TVs and don't watch/record a lot of HD programs, I could see U-Verse as a decent option. My parents have it for their two TVs without HD service and are happy with it. Don't get me wrong... I love the service. I love the technology. It's just way too expensive and restrictive for my needs.

And regarding more HD streams, AT&T has been promising more HD streams for a while now but so far they haven't materialized.  They were talking back in fall of 2008 that they'd have a third HD stream in 2009, but I guess that never made it.  Even if it did, they were going to have to dial down the HD bitrate to facilitate it, so that would likely look terrible.

 
Anonymous's picture
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What are all the services you

What are all the services you currently have and around the monthly rate your paying for them?

 
Mark's picture
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My total Time Warner monthly

My total Time Warner monthly bill right now is about $140. That includes digital variety channels, two HD DVRs, 7 Mbps Road Runner, HD plus tier, and HBO. Besides the two TVs connected to HD DVRs, I have three other TVs in regular use, and one or two more connected but seldom used. Let's say I'd need five receivers. That's $28 extra right there.

Putting together a rough comparative order (using my neighbor's address since I can't with my own), I'm showing a monthly total of $151 before any taxes or other charges. That's saying nothing of the fact that I cannot have more than one DVR in the house, I cannot expand the storage of my DVR, and I cannot watch TV in the house AT ALL if I'm recording two HD shows at once (in primetime, happens frequently). I can record four HD shows in primetime right now, and more if I opt to get another HD DVR. I have a 1 TB external hard drive on my DVR to expand the storage. I can connect analog TVs as I wish throughout the house without incurring extra $7 charges.

 
riley's picture
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I have the "All the best"

I have the "All the best" package and pay around $165/month with only one HD-DVR box. To get another HD DVR box for my other TV, my bill would jump up to $185/month.

UVerse U200 with similar speed internet and digital phone package with 2 boxes would be $146. Plus I gain the ability to interface photos and music from my PC.

My issues with TWC have been audio "clicking" issues on HD channels (currently on my 3rd box) Also, my DVR has been chopping shows into smaller sections (Fringe has an 18 minute segment, a 20 minute segment, and a 8 minute segment). This doesn't happen all the time, but often enough to make me mad.

 
Anonymous's picture
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We have to remember Uverse

We have to remember Uverse has only been around for 2 years. I think they will be on par or better than other providers, sooner than later.

 
Mark's picture
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I would agree with that if

I would agree with that if they had taken the initiative to go "fiber to the home" like Verizon FIOS does rather than their patchwork "fiber to the node" method in use now. There's always going to be a limitation of how many bits you can squeeze through an old standard phone line.

I do applaud them on their constant innovation in all the features they're adding for their customers.

 
Anonymous's picture
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I live in Milwaukee and

I live in Milwaukee and Uverse first came here in Jan. of 06, so for my area they have been here for 4yrs vs. your 2yrs. They still have the same issues as they always have and I haven't seen any improvements I've only seen what their suppose to be coming out with but never come through as Mark stated, or you never know when it will come. As far as your technical issues and your billing. If you can provide me with a way to get in contact with you I can have someone assist you with these issues your having in both areas.

 
jonhayden's picture
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Could be a few issues as to

Could be a few issues as to why your home isn't available for U-verse. The first is loop length. Your distance may be beyond the approximately 3,400 ft distance of actual copper distance.

The second is that the VRAD is there, but here's no equipment in it. There are some cabinets in the build that do not have equipment in them, or the equipment is dormant.

If it is option 1, line bonding might be your salvation. If not, call in and have them do a manual loop qualification. Then, you will get an definitive answer.

 
riley(not logged in)'s picture
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Looking at a map, my house is

Looking at a map, my house is within 1500 foot radius of a VRAD. What is this line bonding, and manual loop qualification you speak of.

 
Mark's picture
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Not to sound crass, but maps

Not to sound crass, but maps have never been a guarantee of anything in AT&T's world.

 
jonhayden's picture
 #

Your house might be within in

Your house might be within in 1,500 feet, but the copper from that VRAD might take a roundabout way underground, on poles, etc. of getting to your NID or your drop. I live 900 feet form a VRAD. My actual copper loop length is 4,200.

Line bonding is taking two copper pairs and using them combined to increase the required speed. Say with one line, you can only get a stable 20mb/s connection. With two pairs, you could get 40mb/s. This is not yet available to the general public and we have no official word as to when it will do so.

Manual loop qual is when AT&T sends a tech out to the premisis and checks the line attenuation and other tests to see what's all available. Most likely, this will not help your situation as we do a pretty good job of getting the unavailable addresses out of the system.

 

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