U-Verse Officially Available in Milwaukee.

[Bebop]

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070228/cgw007.html?.v=95

[StarvingForHDTV]

$10 a month for 25 HD channels is a good deal.  I wonder how many other channels we have to buy in order to get the HD package?

[markd]

$10 a month for 25 HD channels is a good deal.  I wonder how many other channels we have to buy in order to get the HD package?

Packages apparently start at $74.  The $10 HD bundle is listed as an optional item for any of their U200/300/400 packages.

-mark

[klwillis45]

Milwaukee channel lineup

[oz]

Is there an HD-DVR?  The AT&T U-verse Standard Installation includes up to three HD-ready TV receivers, one with a DVR.  I'd love to drop TWC if this can compete.

That's a good mix of HD Channels:

The HD local NBC, CBS, FOX, and ABC, Discovery HD, TNT HD, Universal HD, HD Net, HD Net Movies, Wealth TV HD, A&E HD, HGTV HD, Food Network HD, National Geographic HD, MHD, ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD, NLF Network HD, HBO HD, HBO HD - West, Cinemax HD, Cinemax HD - West, Showtime HD, Showtime HD - West, TMC HD, Starz HD, Starz HD - West.

[gparris]

I count 15 additional HD channels that TWC-Milwaukee doesn't have.

TWC has the PBSHD and INHD channels that AT&T doesn't have (yet), but that is the only difference and I don't personally watch much of either.

Watch the "advertising" from our local TWC area:

Instead of adding the HD channels of  CinemaxHD, StarzHD, CWHD (from the Sinclair agreement weeks ago), including the MHD & A&EHD additions that many TWC HD subscribers have enjoyed in many parts of the country, our local TWC will run negative ad campaigns about AT&T U-Verse, IMO.

That will be TWC-Milwaukee's "contribution" to competition instead of finally adding HD channel additions of any kind, Milwaukee being the very LAST in the country to add ANYTHING!:rolleyes:

[oz]

You do get an HD DVR with the HD package.
https://uma.sbc.com/assets/files/learn_more_HDTV.pdf

Anyone know the specs?

[picopir8]

Do you have to have to buy telephone service to get U-verse?  That is the main reason why I do not do DSL.  DSL is cheeper than cable modem but once you add the cost of the land line, the savings goes away.  Its better to pay more for cable which has a higher bandwidth.

If U-verse plans start at $44, then they the packages are reasonable.   But if you also have to have a land-line then the base package for U-verse is more like $60 which is rediculus for a base package.

[Gregg Lengling]

Do you have to have to buy telephone service to get U-verse?  That is the main reason why I do not do DSL.  DSL is cheeper than cable modem but once you add the cost of the land line, the savings goes away.  Its better to pay more for cable which has a higher bandwidth.

If U-verse plans start at $44, then they the packages are reasonable.   But if you also have to have a land-line then the base package for U-verse is more like $60 which is rediculus for a base package.

It doesn't say anything about needing Telephone service...but the package also includes Internet (DSL) service.
U200 plus AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet Express
   Learn More    
   
U200 with AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet Express
Starting at just $74 per month. This basic package includes:
 • Over 190 channels of news, sports, and    entertainment.
 • 3 HD-ready receivers—one with DVR—at    no additional cost.
 • High Speed Internet Express with    wireless home networking capability. Take    advantage of our faster Pro service for    only $5 more per month.

[PatM]

They have almost no subscribers yet - less than 10,000 nationally compared to 25 million at Comcast and about 12 million at Time Warner.  I've also read some not so favorable reviews about their technology that's going to create problems when they try to scale - especially big is that they can only deliver 1 HD stream at a time per household - so a family couldn't be watching different HD programs in different rooms.

[Bluto]

One HD channel at a time?  Pass....

[markd]

I'm 99.9% sure you will have to have their telephone service (I think that's just a given with DSL).

[bschmidt25]

I'm just happy to have an alternative to TWC as I can't do D* or Dish because I don't have line of sight to the south.  $74 / mo. for U200 with 3 receivers and DSL service isn't bad.   If they have to start paying franchise fees it won't be as good of a deal.  I guess we'll see how that shakes out...

[bschmidt25]

I'm 99.9% sure you will have to have their telephone service (I think that's just a given with DSL).

Actually, I believe a condition of the SBC/AT&T merger was that they offer DSL service without requiring telephone service.  

From http://news.com.com/FCC+approves+ATT-BellSouth+merger/2100-1036_3-6146369.html
The conditions of the merger proposed by AT&T and agreed to by the FCC included the sale of certain wireless airwaves in the 2.5 gigahertz band, a special $19.95 per month price tag for stand-alone basic high-speed Internet service and a promise for the next two years to adhere to specific Network neutrality rules.

[gparris]

They have almost no subscribers yet - less than 10,000 nationally compared to 25 million at Comcast and about 12 million at Time Warner.  I've also read some not so favorable reviews about their technology that's going to create problems when they try to scale - especially big is that they can only deliver 1 HD stream at a time per household - so a family couldn't be watching different HD programs in different rooms.

Well, maybe "almost no subscribers yet", but by chance, as I was getting gas in Franksville (Racine County) on my way home to Kenosha County, a AT&T truck was sitting by.
The driver was doing some paperwork after gasing up (on the side, not blocking customers) and I talked with him.
He said he had done some HD installs and standard IPTV setups - eight of them today and everything went well.

The standard 1 HD channel per household service item is correct, but you have got to remember that not everyone has HDTVs or if they do, they just watch them on-the-fly, no recordings.
Although HD DVRs were installed, he said that the customers loved them and were taught how to use them, too and the 1 HD stream was not a problem for them.
Soon, like AT&T has done in Texas, he said, more HDTV channel streams will be able to come on line per premises, but the company just wanted to start out at some level and then expand upon the rollout for everyone.
He did say, however, that this is now available (for more HD streams per household) at Pabst Farms, however...I would like to confirm this asap...anyone?

He was using the same phone line, unless it was "bad", so no need for getting another line dug or setup.

Additionally, I got a referral number card from him, he was very polite and if there are any questions he said to come out to the demo store or call them.
Overall, for the first day, a nice start, great to have some competition.

I called the Kenosha city office and they said that they are in full negotiations for installations now, but are trying to keep those big metal boxes out of city residences' front yards, amongst other items, but that is all I was able to get out of them.