Trying Uverse

[sp44again]

I signed up for the $250 cashback Uverse deal. Just wondering if anybody can recommend anything to make the install go smooth. Any former Directv subs using Uverse now? I looked at my Directv bill and it's just getting crazy just for TV.

[Bebop]

I'm planing to switch to att sometime in the future. Let us know how things go.

[UncleMeat]

Just be ready for anything.  Every time ATT had to come to my house (twice for installs, 3-4 times for tech support), I got a call from their dispatch saying they were running late and they wanted to reschedule me for another day.  This call generally came after my appointment window started (IE - 2-4PM appointment, got a call at 2:15PM).  Once they lost the record of my appointment completely.  Twice I was transferred to their cancellation department only to have them somehow find a tech who could come out.

Point is, their customer service and their dispatch departments don't seem to communicate at all, and they seem to overbook (at least they used to) appointments.  Just be ready and try to get the earliest appointment possible, that way the tech doesn't have several appointments in front of you that could delay them.

Also, if you can figure out where your phone line comes into your house (which wall plate it goes to first), that will help save a lot of time.

[gparris]

U-Verse Subscribers:
Looks like you have more to be happy with your HD channel selection/provider:
The U-Verse site shows you now have Sci-FiHD and USAHD, two channels, among a couple others, that just appeared.

These two HD channels alone (for additions) I would be very happy to have, if I didn't have TWC for my provider!
(and of course, Kenosha had got its got its "act together" by now, so we would have U-Verse installations!)

[louisd13]

Keep the faith gparris!  I just found out that Uverse is finally available for me on the south side of Kenosha, and I couldn't have been on the phone ordering any faster!  My install is set for next Saturday.  Here's hoping for the best.  I also got the $250 cash back deal and 1 free month of U400, not sure if I'll keep that tier, but since it's free I thought I would give it a try for a month.  Also, with Uverse you can switch packages any time without any penalties, so switching is pretty painless.  I also talked the CSR on the phone into 1 free month of HD service.  Not a big deal ($10), but it's things like that that Time warner didn't do that drove me away from them.

[gparris]

Keep the faith gparris!  I just found out that Uverse is finally available for me on the south side of Kenosha, and I couldn't have been on the phone ordering any faster!  My install is set for next Saturday.  Here's hoping for the best.  I also got the $250 cash back deal and 1 free month of U400, not sure if I'll keep that tier, but since it's free I thought I would give it a try for a month.  Also, with Uverse you can switch packages any time without any penalties, so switching is pretty painless.  I also talked the CSR on the phone into 1 free month of HD service.  Not a big deal ($10), but it's things like that that Time warner didn't do that drove me away from them.

Thanks for the update, but those bozos at the AT&T store on Green Bay Road haven't a CLUE about U-Verse, its installation, where/when it is available or anything, makes you wonder why it is even on display there!:rolleyes:

[UncleMeat]

Thanks for the update, but those bozos at the AT&T store on Green Bay Road haven't a CLUE about U-Verse, its installation, where/when it is available or anything, makes you wonder why it is even on display there!:rolleyes:

You can only blame the storefront so much... I've seen the material given to the ATT stores by the corporation (I have two friends who operated ATT stores in the past/present).  To be honest, the good stores do their own research on the service the same way we do (and of course that information is often not accurate, current or complete).  ATT generally doesn't equip its stores with the information needed to provide all or even most of the answers.  Frankly. it's cheaper to give them the basic tools and save money on training thousands of retail employees/outlets and instead just referring customers to the 1800 line (even though the usefulness of that phone number cannot be quantified at all).  Over the years, ATT has switched to an "operations last" motto that saves a ton of money but puts the non-major clients (IE corporate accounts) and retail employees at a huge disadvantage.

[gparris]

Thanks for the info, its just been very difficult to get HD service without using TWC if you want all your HD locals without an antenna.
Around many parts of this county, particularlity the southern half, you might take note the high-mast antennas in our area, so unless you don't like CBSHD and the other locals Directv and Dish don't offer, you are stuck with either the big antenna or TWC, not U-Verse!:mad:

[UncleMeat]

Thanks for the info, its just been very difficult to get HD service without using TWC if you want all your HD locals without an antenna.
Around many parts of this county, particularlity the southern half, you might take note the high-mast antennas in our area, so unless you don't like CBSHD and the other locals Directv and Dish don't offer, you are stuck with either the big antenna or TWC, not U-Verse!:mad:

Believe me, I feel your pain... Doing just the locals is not easy, but every time I price TWC it calms me down a bit.  If UVerse comes to my area, I'd probably sign up again... but even that is a tough as the service was just full of problems and as I've said before, ATT seems more content to roll out new features than correct existing problems.

[gparris]

After visiting old neighbours down the street where I used to live, they asked me what all the fuss was about where those beige metal boxes were.
-I said those looked like U-Verse boxes, "VRADs" and they still hadn't a clue, until I told them it was good alternative to TWC's lousy HD channel selection coupled with high prices...then they "made the connection" and hopefully, to their homes very soon.

BTW, my newer house location, just down the street, is in a "dead zone" and will never get the either AT&T's U-Verse or Verizon's FIOS-TV services, I'm told.
I didn't move for the HDTV service, since neither services existed about 4-5 years ago, but these do now.

-AT&T U-Verse's helpline told me since I am in a Verizon area (little of it that there is), I will NEVER get U-Verse since my phone is Verizon-only.
-Verizon told me that since they only do "the crescent" areas (Califonia-Texas-Florida-New England), the Midwest is not being done at all, with very few exceptions, Kenosha being again, not being one of them...stinks to be me!:bang:

-So it is either stay with TWC and its very limited HD channel selection (for Wisconsin) or dish-based services, but without CBSHD (thanks for nothing, Jim Hall), it's not worth switching (at least for me) when all I would do is have U-Verse, just a few blocks away, instead.

[Sparkman87]

UVerse just became available here this week.  Priced it out on their website and did a chat session with one of their reps and it is priced attractively & offers a good amount of channels I can't get with Comcast .  But there are 2 downfalls, no Comcast Sportsnet HD & only 1 HD feed/house & 4 channels/house at one time.  No way I will give up CSN-HD & 2 HD feeds.  But, I called Comcast, told them the rates Uverse offered with no extra fees.  They lowered my bill by $60/month for a year and gave me a free month of Showtime.  Cable & internet now is             $152/month.  Big Ten Network & Big Ten HD being added 8/15, just really need ESPNU now.

[picopir8]

only 1 HD feed/house & 4 channels/house at one time.  .

Uverse is rolling out a nation wide upgrade that allows 2 HD streams.  Over a month ago I called and they activated it for me despite the fact that it was not officially rolled out here yet.  I would bet that if your service offering just started, they probably set up your local network with the new hardware.  Even if they have not activated two streams there yet, all you need to do is call and they will push the update to your box.

Its safe to say, Uverse will never have Comcast Sportsnet, but Uverse does have ESPNHD, ESPNHD2, NFLHD, Golf HD, Big Ten HD, and FSN HD (among many other SD sports channels).
http://www.att.com/gen/sites/iptv?pid=8695

[Sparkman87]

Uverse is rolling out a nation wide upgrade that allows 2 HD streams.  Over a month ago I called and they activated it for me despite the fact that it was not officially rolled out here yet.  I would bet that if your service offering just started, they probably set up your local network with the new hardware.  Even if they have not activated two streams there yet, all you need to do is call and they will push the update to your box.

Its safe to say, Uverse will never have Comcast Sportsnet, but Uverse does have ESPNHD, ESPNHD2, NFLHD, Golf HD, Big Ten HD, and FSN HD (among many other SD sports channels).
http://www.att.com/gen/sites/iptv?pid=8695

Yea, I knew that they are upgrading to the 2/2, but even the 4 total feeds isn't enough for me & when my son comes back from school in jan there will be 3 HD's in the house.  But, the main killer for me is no CSN-HD. Sox (me), Cubs (wife & youngest son), Bulls, Blackhawks, that is by far the #1 watched HD channel in my house.  Not giving it up.

[Danno321]

Uverse is rolling out a nation wide upgrade that allows 2 HD streams.  Over a month ago I called and they activated it for me despite the fact that it was not officially rolled out here yet.  I would bet that if your service offering just started, they probably set up your local network with the new hardware.  Even if they have not activated two streams there yet, all you need to do is call and they will push the update to your box.

Its safe to say, Uverse will never have Comcast Sportsnet, but Uverse does have ESPNHD, ESPNHD2, NFLHD, Golf HD, Big Ten HD, and FSN HD (among many other SD sports channels).
http://www.att.com/gen/sites/iptv?pid=8695

On avsforum.com forum almost all persons that have tried U-verse thinks the HD quality is bad.  And it is with 1 HD feed.  Adding 2 HD feeds will just make it even worse.  I believe U-verse uses MS software so I am not so surprised.

[Bebop]

On avsforum.com forum almost all persons that have tried U-verse thinks the HD quality is bad.  And it is with 1 HD feed.  Adding 2 HD feeds will just make it even worse.  I believe U-verse uses MS software so I am not so surprised.

I'm not a fan of Microsoft. The picture quality is not due to software, but simple lack of bandwidth.