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106 Messages
Additional U-verse Service At A Residential Address
I have a friend who has a home office with a POTS business number and 2 home lines. 1 residential line is currently U-verse and the other is POTS. He would now like to switch both the other home phone line (let's just call it "Line 2") and his business phone line to U-verse to save some money (They would still remain on 2 different bills, as they are now). Since the U-verse modem supports 2 lines there should be no problem with the "Line 2" home phone line but what can be done about the business line? Is there a way to multiplex more than 2 lines (and phone numbers, of course) on 1 U-verse modem? Also, I thought I heard somewhere that you can have either home U-verse service or business U-verse service but not both at one address. However, AT&T is browbeating uh, I mean "encouraging" all their customers who still have POTS copper lines to go with U-verse, meaning that even if he gets only residential service on Line 2 that sometime in the near future they will essentially force him to change his business line over to U-verse as well, so at some point they will have to allow both residential and business service at one address under that scenario. This can't be anything unique anyway, as millions of people have home offices and thus require both residential and business phone service at one single address. It has never been an issue with POTS service but U-verse seems to be different. By the way, his service is U-verse DSL, as they don't have fiber in his neighborhood yet so in a way I guess he's still on "copper", regardless. Thanks and standing by...
Travis_Lloyd
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106 Messages
7 years ago
That should work out just fine then. He had 2 extra (unused) CAT6 cables run from the demarc (NID) to the closet where the current (residential) modem is, in anticipation of just such an eventuality. From what you're saying he may have to pay for some "unused" Internet service though, since he's currently deriving his connectivity through the home (residential) DSL line. Sounds like he would be compelled to get both Internet and VOIP service through the new U-verse business line hookup as well. TV is not an issue since there's no fiber in his neighborhood yet; he's currently stuck with DirecTV. If you can think of any more relevant particulars that would facilitate this potential install please post them and thanks for the update.
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Travis_Lloyd
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106 Messages
7 years ago
Just ordered the 2nd (existing) POTS residential number ported over to the U-verse account but the Residential sales rep (from who knows what country) once again repeated the old mantra, "Only 1 U-verse account per address, regardless of whether it's Residential or Business - you can have one or the other but not both". As of this moment I have not contacted the Business Sales Office so they might have a different story. In the meantime, is there any specific verbiage which I need to use to convince them that this can be done? (Short of asking to speak to a manager, I mean)
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JefferMC
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35.1K Messages
7 years ago
You can only have ONE U-verse account per address, but each such account can have two U-verse Voice lines. If this number would be assigned to your second line, I don't see an issue. If you already have two lines, then, it cannot be done (the gateway can only support two lines, no you cannot have another Gateway). If you have an open slot, then please send a Private Message to @ATTU-verseCare with your particulars for assistance.
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Travis_Lloyd
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106 Messages
7 years ago
So, is this true or not?
Jul 15, 2017 6:50 AM
Jul 15, 2017 6:50 AM
You can only have one Uverse residential account per address...
You can have a Uverse business AND a residential account at the same address.
Two accounts, two gateways, two bills. Similar to current setup but requiring a 2nd gateway.
Uverse does not sell just a VoIP account, it is bundled with a primary service of either internet or TV service.
The business account has a different (added) Terms Of Service (TOS) agreement.
Will need to place order thru the small business side of sales.
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JefferMC
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35.1K Messages
7 years ago
While I respect my thoughts greatly, he is not always correct. And I believe this is one of those instances. Feel free to follow up with @ATTU-verseCare . And hopefully one of you will post here (and in the other thread if it does turn out to be incorrect) what you find out.
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Travis_Lloyd
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106 Messages
7 years ago
JefferMC, turns out you were correct, at least according to the "Social Media Manager" over at the other "U-verse Care" forum. However, she (nor anyone so far) has said either
1. Why 2 separate accounts (1 Residential & 1 Business) is not possible; I see no technical reason whatsoever. She made passing mention of there having to be 2 drops at the residence, but so what? I don't know anybody who would object to that, especially if it meant being able to keep their Business line which they'd had for years and which their business depends on.
2. What they propose to do with the millions of Home Office customers who've had a Business account for decades, when they discontinue POTS service in their area. As I mentioned to her, there's a reason (or many, actually) why these people have a Home Office to begin with, most probably financial but also perhaps because there's no commercial office space available in their area. To expect them to run out and rent some high-dollar office space just to hold on to their phone number (which they've had forever) because of some silly, ill-thought-out policy change is unrealistic at best and downright dictatorial at worst. I can't believe the Big Shots at AT&T have not given this situation any thought, especially since the (forced) move to U-verse will be more sooner than later. Any "insider wisdom" on this will be appreciated, especially since this is truly a real-world situation which many, many Home Office customers will be facing in the immediate future.
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JefferMC
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35.1K Messages
7 years ago
I'm sure one (or more) of their many VOIP competitors would be more than willing to set you up with a separate VOIP service to replace the POTS lines.
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Travis_Lloyd
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106 Messages
7 years ago
Probably true, but should that really be necessary though? Why would AT&T deliberately try to drive their good (and in some cases lifelong) Business customers to the competition over a technicality? Plus, that would negate their listing in the "real" Yellow Pages and Business White Pages also, wouldn't it? (And just for the record, I'm asking / acting on behalf of a number of my clients who are facing this eventuality, not myself)
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JefferMC
ACE - Expert
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35.1K Messages
7 years ago
Actually, the yellow pages listings are driven by ad revenue and many aren't owned by the phone company you think they're owned by (look up YP Holdings).
If you'll buy the line in the directory, you'll be in there. if you won't, then you'll not. White page listings are a different story, but they're getting hard to get/find anyway. Do you use them still?
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Travis_Lloyd
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106 Messages
7 years ago
All that's fine and well, but my original question has still not been answered. Why would AT&T not allow a U-verse Business line at the same address as a Residential one, in a Home Office situation when there's no technical reason not to? In one instance it maintains its (premium) revenue stream and in the other it loses it. I still can't get anybody to tell me why they've allowed this since Time Immemorial with their POTS service and now suddenly, with the advent of their VOIP service (which will soon be ubiquitous), they don't. What is the Big Secret here that they refuse to reveal?
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