AT&T U-verse Expansion

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

From the press release found in the link below:

Investing in Wireline IP Network Growth

AT&T plans to expand and enhance its wireline IP network to 57 million customer locations (consumer and small business) or 75 percent of all customer locations in its wireline service area by year-end 2015. This network expansion will consist of:

• U-verse. AT&T plans to expand U-verse (TV, Internet, Voice over IP) by more than one-third or about 8.5 million additional customer locations, for a total potential U-verse market of 33 million customer locations¹. The expansion is expected to be essentially complete by year-end 2015.
• U-verse IPDSLAM. The company plans to offer U-verse IPDSLAM service (high-speed IP Internet access and VoIP) to 24 million customer locations in its wireline service area by year-end 2013.
• Speed Upgrades. The Project VIP plan includes an upgrade for U-verse to speeds of up to 75Mbps and for U-verse IPDSLAM to speeds of up to 45Mbps, with a path to deliver even higher speeds in the future.Fiber to Multi-Tenant Business Buildings. AT&T plans to proactively expand its fiber network to reach an additional one million business customer locations – 50 percent of the multi-tenant business buildings² in its wireline service area. AT&T expects the proactive fiber deployment to increase business revenue growth, accelerate provisioning and facilitate the installation of distributed antennas systems and small cell technology to help offload wireless network traffic.
  • In the 25 percent of AT&T's wireline customer locations where it's currently not economically feasible to build a competitive IP wireline network, the company said it will utilize its expanding 4G LTE wireless network -- as it becomes available -- to offer voice and high-speed IP Internet services. The company's 4G LTE network will cover 99 percent of all in-region customer locations. AT&T's 4G LTE network offers speeds competitive with, if not higher than, what is available on wired broadband networks today. And in many places, AT&T's 4G LTE service will be the first high speed IP broadband service available to many customers.
• Fiber to Multi-Tenant Business Buildings. AT&T plans to proactively expand its fiber network to reach an additional one million business customer locations – 50 percent of the multi-tenant business buildings² in its wireline service area. AT&T expects the proactive fiber deployment to increase business revenue growth, accelerate provisioning and facilitate the installation of distributed antennas systems and small cell technology to help offload wireless network traffic.

http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=23506&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=35661

[Computer-Joe]

Wow! I said WOW! Color me flabergasted!

I wonder if it was a case of agooglieosis (a fear of Google Fiber) that prompted this about-face from the previous dismal outlooks for wireline expansion/improvements.

I guess I can start crossing my fingers again for better than 6Mbps.

__________________________________________________________
How can you be in two places at once, when your not anywhere at all?
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I really want to become a procrastinator, but I keep putting it off.
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There are three kinds of people, those that can count, and those that can't.
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“Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and our politicians take advantage of this prejudice by pretending to be even more stupid than nature has made them." :Bertrand Russell

[oufanindallas]

Had a tech out to the house today because the builder's sub-contractors cut my cable from the house to the pedastal, he said they are also working on adding more streams (told him I was disappointed that my 7 streams has been "fixed) and adding higher profiles. They are also working on better compression techiques.  I have 12Mbps internet and it's plenty fast enough for me, I would just like to have more streams.  Guess I'm lucky that I wasn't one of the first subscribers and they only had 2 streams.

[siouxmoux]

How about faster upload speeds. 3 up speeds is way to slow. And for now ATT can’t figure out how to fix the Internet Bandwidth Meters. Lets hope it stay that way. Right now I still have unlimited Internet U-Verse 12/1/.5.

[hpmsrm]

[JefferMC ACE - Wizard]

Something about this post reminds me of something I read earlier.  Maybe this:

http://forums.att.com/t5/U-Verse-General-Care-and-Support/AT-amp-T-U-verse-Expansion/m-p/3351249#M14...

[hpmsrm]

You're right JMC.  And I apologize. But I had not seen the other post.  I placed mine over in the Uverse Lounge because I thought it was just something that might be of interest to some of the gang.  I came back later and it was gone.  But none of the usual info. from a mod. that it had been moved.....or where.  So I've been searching and finally found it here.  Yes it is basically the same material.  I gleaned mine from the business section of the newspaper.   I don't think it's the first time that I've accidently duplicated what someone else posted....over the last 5 years....and it'll probably happen again.  I was beginning to think I had imagined the whole thing.   Again....I apologize.

[ATTAlexCM]

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hpmsrm wrote:

You're right JMC.  And I apologize. But I had not seen the other post.  I placed mine over in the Uverse Lounge because I thought it was just something that might be of interest to some of the gang.  I came back later and it was gone.  But none of the usual info. from a mod. that it had been moved.....or where.  So I've been searching and finally found it here.  Yes it is basically the same material.  I gleaned mine from the business section of the newspaper.   I don't think it's the first time that I've accidently duplicated what someone else posted....over the last 5 years....and it'll probably happen again.  I was beginning to think I had imagined the whole thing.   Again....I apologize.

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Hey Phil, that does seem odd.  I'll check with the Mods.

Thanks,

Alex

[JefferMC ACE - Wizard]

Your post looks like your paper's editorialization of the press release.  It was interesting to read both up next to each other and compare how it was edited.

[mibrnsurg ACE - Geek]

I'd have to say this is a very important part of the above listed by TG:

In the 25 percent of AT&T's wireline customer locations where it's currently not economically feasible to build a competitive IP wireline network, the company said it will utilize its expanding 4G LTE wireless network -- as it becomes available -- to offer voice and high-speed IP Internet services. The company's 4G LTE network will cover 99 percent of all in-region customer locations. AT&T's 4G LTE network offers speeds competitive with, if not higher than, what is available on wired broadband networks today. And in many places, AT&T's 4G LTE service will be the first high speed IP broadband service available to many customers.

Currently Uverse reaches 30 million homes, if raised to 33 million listed above, it's only 3 million more homes, not 8.5 million homes. 

Chris

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Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
Need Help? 1-800-288-2020, After he gets acct info, press # a bunch of times, get a menu from Mr. Voice recognition
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more

[timatbrookwood]

how does one find out more information on expansion in particular area.. besides having to speak with or attempt to speak with 1800line?

[mibrnsurg ACE - Geek]

ATT will not give out any information until an area is already lit up and working, so you can't get any info before that happens.

Chris

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Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
Need Help? 1-800-288-2020, After he gets acct info, press # a bunch of times, get a menu from Mr. Voice recognition
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more

[timatbrookwood]

i have attempted to obtain att dsl/uverse over past 7-8 months.. live in sub-division and have accurate address information including lot number... have gone thru every step to obtain dsl/uverse, contacted/emailed customer care and dsl is in my sub-division.. live within 0.04 miles from vrad/dslam terminal.. and have now 5 neighbors that have added dsl with no issue.. (spoke with customer care representative on monday 1/7/13 and was told area has reached capacity (no available ports) next door neighbor added dsl today 1/9/13 with no issue..just cannot understand why!

[Computer-Joe]

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timatbrookwood wrote:

i have attempted to obtain att dsl/uverse over past 7-8 months.. live in sub-division and have accurate address information including lot number... have gone thru every step to obtain dsl/uverse, contacted/emailed customer care and dsl is in my sub-division.. live within 0.04 miles from vrad/dslam terminal.. and have now 5 neighbors that have added dsl with no issue.. (spoke with customer care representative on monday 1/7/13 and was told area has reached capacity (no available ports) next door neighbor added dsl today 1/9/13 with no issue..just cannot understand why!

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DSL internet and Uverse internet are two different animals. If you're specifically asking for DSL when you call in then the answer you're getting makes sense, if there's already a VRAD in your neighborhood. I've never heard of them running out of ports for Uverse internet though.

__________________________________________________________
How can you be in two places at once, when your not anywhere at all?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I really want to become a procrastinator, but I keep putting it off.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three kinds of people, those that can count, and those that can't.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and our politicians take advantage of this prejudice by pretending to be even more stupid than nature has made them." :Bertrand Russell

[timatbrookwood]

ok i understand... i take that i need to not waste any more time with dsl, question: at the terminal (vrad) there is a orange cable protruding from the ground, it has not been connected to vrad terminal yet.... im encouraged that it may be the uverse line for my subdivision....

[E.Patrick]

All this raises a great number of questions

1)  Why do the larger companies that are already heavily invested in hard-line communications not even TRYING to compete?

 (probable answer - short sighted investors essentially forcing these companies to invest in cellular technology for the huge charges - and larger profits.   Watch how fast companies roll out new cellular technologies compared to land-line technologies that have been around for decades)

2)   How is Google able to start rolling out GIGAbit data, up AND down, with 0 cap - and AT&T cannot even come close to those speeds, and imposes rather severe data caps on itheir internet?   

(I can't even begin to answer this one - I'm still jaw dropped at the facts about Google's internet speeds and their pricing.   Almost infinitely more provided, and even then, it's LESS expensive than anyone else - who are older/slower services.)

3)   Why do I have a fiber line running not 1000' from my home, but I can't even get any form of 'acceptable' broadband? (satellite broadband is hardly worth the name, what with high latency, slow speeds, and unreliability)   And ths is just a 'loop' ? through a very low population density region.   Also,  I've seen at least 2 fiber lines being installed not 3 miles away over the past 10 years.

There ARE answers to these questions, although I'm certain most will view them as simply rhetorical.

So, I'll simply ask this:   AT&T is essentially a monopoly in our area.  Cable infrastructure is 30+ years old, still 'analog' lines.  

U-verse was recently made available in our area - but only Internet, as far as I've been able to determine.   And even then, not at the higher speeds.    

So, when will this be expanded upon, adding the other services - as well as expanding coverage area?

We recieved phone calls trying to sell us U-verse packages - but when I researched it, there ARE no packages, just internet, and only at the absolute lowest end (700kbps speeds for this household), meaning probable total unreliability .    Talk about leaving a bad impression.

PS.   Seriously considering moving to Kansas City.  

Google's giga-bit internet, no caps, and TV full channel line-up all at $120/month

vs.

AT&T's best offer of 24 MB with 250 GB cap at $66/month,  + up to  430 channels at $121/month = $187'ish introductory rate for one year, increased ?? after.

[Darknessrise]

Most of the time it's to make the investors happy .

We have AT&T fiber running throughout our lawn with us only being about 20 feet away from it. VDSL for us .

[JefferMC ACE - Wizard]

A1: You've probably hit the nail on the head.  AT&T itself is looking at using wireless technology in low density markets.

A2: Google is being incredibly selective about where they run infrastructure.  They're canvassing areas and getting commitments prior to laying fiber and commiting hardware.

A3: I was thinking about this today.  Fiber is more expensive to handle, harder to terminate and splice correctly, still needs repeaters every few miles or so, etc. etc.  It's not an infinite resource.  Let's say someone runs a fiber a mile from a CO to a apartment building where every appartment can have an ONT right next to the end of this mile.  Let's put 200 apartments in the building, and 11 fibers in the bundle, along with a few spares in case one or two has some undiscovered optical issues down the road. 

Let's say each of these fibres can carry a gigabit.  We'll use 10 for download and 1 for the return.  So... Let's sign up all 200 apartments for service.  okay, 10 Gigabit/200 is... 50 Mbps.  Up, well we only have one return, so that's 1 Gbps/200, or 5 Mbps up.

This isn't quite double what AT&T U-verse can deliver over last-mile copper, and without the expense associated with the difficulties of handling last-mile fiber.  Bell labs has found ways, in lab, to do much better than this over 2 pair short copper runs.

[E.Patrick]

Revising a comment in my earlier post.     250 GB data cap really isn't 'severe restriction' - that comes to an average of over 8 GB / day usage, not many of us would hit that, even with streaming and browsing and gaming all at once.

Unless you're talking a family of active online users (kids on da 'tube, social media sites, etc, parents working/playing, etc.    Then, I suppose it could get to be an issue.

anyway...

Fiber, from what I recall in my studies, has quite a long reach, something like 60-75 miles before needing to be amplified, and then after 3-4 amplification, to be regenerated.      Trunk lines can run around 14 Tb/s.  

Then, take into consideration the cost of copper vs. fiber.    Cost of installation is vastly cheaper, and longer runs before needing to be 'restored', so equipment costs are also down.   And all this is older information, so these numbers could be even better, today.

Also, consider the fact of the aging copper lines that are currently in place.   All things degrade over time, and copper lines are no different.   The 'clarity' of signal degrades more quickly over older lines, and many of those are needing to be replaced.    Then, considering the sensitivity of the lines to water seepage, external disruptions caused by EM fields, etc - things fiber isn't prone to.

And the cost of splicing?   Dropped a LOT over the past couple decades.   From a conversation with technicians who worked with the stuff, it's mostly automated.    Guy puts the lines in place, machine does all the trim, polish, and 'weld' automatically.     Having done it by hand myself for patch cables, it's a pain - but again, new equipment rather does away with that issue.

So, the complaints of cost of fiber really aren't realistic.   Any new construction should have 'fiber to house', and any repairs to systems should be upgrading to those goals - look to the future, build toward that anticipated load - data transmission is going to continue growing at the extreme rate it has been, for the forseeable future.

I just wish there were a way to put more pressure on our primary telecommunication companies to reinvest in our telecommunication infrastructure, instead of chasing short-term profits.    Google's entrance to the IP market was an attempt for just that thing, from what I understand.   They ARE a company based on vast quantities of data transmission - so it makes sense they want the infrastructure to be capable of handling it.

Seems to have failed, though.    

[JefferMC ACE - Wizard]

Fiber is a complicated beast and not easily simplified.  There's single-mode (which can go dozens of miles) and multimode (that can't really go a mile), each with their own benefits and restrictions.  Those fancy machines that do all the splicing for you cost a little more than a pair of crimpers.

If there's money to be made at it, someone will figure out a way to do it.  Then the government will find a way to tax the income.