Ditch Time Warner Cable if you can. My AT&T U-verse story.

[Xizer]

You can see my thread on Broadband Reports here about Time Warner Cable's problems.

I ordered AT&T U-verse via their website last night. The guy came in to install it this morning. Less than 24 hours to get a truck roll! Very impressive.

Now I'm getting this:

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The ENTIRE time. Not just for 30 seconds for that gimmicky "PowerBoost" crap that Time Warner uses to falsify speed tests. I'm getting 24/3 Mbps for the same price I was paying Time Warner Cable for 15/1 Mbps - the fastest speeds they offer - and a speed which they usually weren't even delivering to me! It took two hours for the friendly technician to complete the installation and I have since downloaded over 50 GB today with ease since it's remained a rock solid 24 Megabits (around 3 MB/sec.)

If you are a Time Warner customer considering switching to U-verse... I can tell you that it's a painless experience. They definitely deliver a far superior Internet experience. As for TV, I am very impressed with the responsiveness of the box they give you. The interface is clean, clear, and easy to navigate whilst still presenting you with all the advanced features you should require. I can zip through channels instantly compared to sluggish Time Warner Cable.

Now it's not all roses and rainbows: the only downside of U-verse's TV service I have noticed thus far is that the picture quality is pretty mediocre. It is HD but it is not good HD by any means. But I believe at this time that AT&T's U-verse is the best residential Internet access one can get in Southeastern Wisconsin at this point in time.

[kevbeck122]

I'd switch but $40 for turbo is too good to pass up right now.  My yearly rate ends next month, so we'll see if I can continue that.  My speeds have been ranging between 10-15 Mbps the past couple of weeks even with powerboost.. not sure what's going on, but it is affecting my Netflix picture on occasion.

AT&T really compresses the video... 4-5Mbps MPEG4, maybe 8Mbps peak.  Dish/DIRECTV are about twice that.  I'm sure TWC compresses, but I don't know how much.  I think they fit 3 HD channels in one QAM channel, which is about 40Mbps total (MPEG2 though).

Does AT&T still have that deal going on where you can get $300+ cash back for ordering service?

[Xizer]

Well I ordered Max Turbo Internet service and U200 TV package in order to waive the $149 installation fee.

You can cancel the TV service before 30 days is up and not be charged for it.

Apparently I've also got $125 worth of Visa "reward" credit cards coming in 4-6 weeks.

[oz]

I was really hoping to switch to U-verse to save money, but it's really not a better price than TWC once I add my movie channels and match my internet speed.

[Xizer]

Well, saving money with U-verse - doubtful.

It's really about more speed and better reliability for about the same price.

I was paying $65 a month for Road Runner Turbo standalone when I canceled and went to U-verse. That is their fastest package and it's 15/1 Mbps. So now I'm paying $68 a month for 24/3 Mbps from AT&T. It's only $3 more than TWC and has been a lot more reliable so far and also download speed 60% higher and upload 3x as fast. So that's why I'm fairly pleased with it.

[Tivoman44]

Also for what it's worth, AT&T Uverse has the NFL network but they do not carry the MLB network,just an FYI

[Gregg Lengling]

I actually work for AT&T Uverse and really would like to ditch DSL (6 meg down 784k up) and go with Uverse...but it's not offered at my house because believe it or not, I'm too close to the Central Office.  

I used to have RR but I found that company a pain to deal with.

[CouchPotato]

I'm with you.  I've heard good things about U-Verse.  I've even heard you can really bargain your price with them if you try.

[PatM]

I actually work for AT&T Uverse and really would like to ditch DSL (6 meg down 784k up) and go with Uverse...but it's not offered at my house because believe it or not, I'm too close to the Central Office.  

I used to have RR but I found that company a pain to deal with.

Just a thought about being too close.
Couldn't the installer just coil up about 1000 ft of line in your house?
Physically you would be too close, but electrically that would put you outside the minimum distance.

PatM

[ArgMeMatey]

Just a thought about being too close.
Couldn't the installer just coil up about 1000 ft of line in your house?
Physically you would be too close, but electrically that would put you outside the minimum distance.

PatM

I seem to recall an AT&T engineer telling me that they have a rackmount VRAD for wire center installations.  However maybe they do not have those deployed in this market, or their market projections for his area are below threshold.

[Bigdog]

I was interested in getting it as well but they have yet to offer service into my area of Grafton yet.

[Gregg Lengling]

Just a thought about being too close.
Couldn't the installer just coil up about 1000 ft of line in your house?
Physically you would be too close, but electrically that would put you outside the minimum distance.

PatM

That's not the issue Pat, there is no VRAD at the CO, all Uverse in this area is stand alone VRAD's, and when the CO VRAD's are approved they probably won't do my CO due to the lack of number of living units served directly from the CO.