rsanders101's profile

Tutor

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4 Messages

Tuesday, October 27th, 2015 8:02 PM

AT&T: Give us better DSL with higher data caps!!!

Ok I know this complaint is not new and that AT&T couldn't give a rip about building out DSL or, better yet, cable and fiber in rural areas. But I figure the more we complain the better chance of something positive happening. Yes I do believe in fairies and Santa Claus too.

 

I've been an AT&T customer for 40+ years and an AT&T DSL Extreme 3mb/s user for the last 4 years. Don't laugh, it's the fastest wired internet service available in my neck of rural KY. No cable, no fiber, and satellite is not even an option with it's fair access policy and extortion-like rates. So I am stuck with slow unreliable DSL and 150GB data cap.

 

AT&T would have you believe that 150GB is more than most users ever need. They've been saying this for years, pretending to be oblivious to the proliferation of smart always-connected devices and to the explosive growth in IP data traffic which according to Cisco is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23 percent from 2014 to 2019.

 

My household has 5 smartphones, 8 computers, 2 smart TVs, smart Blu-Ray, several tablets and e-book readers, several smart handheld and console gaming systems, 2 routers, and probably a few more connected gadgets I am forgetting. We stream (with much frustration) Netflix and Amazon Prime. We are heavy email users. In addition to all the normal usage data from these devices and their software we also have all the behind-the-scenes updates and telemetry constantly taking place between these devices and their makers.  So it should be easy to see why 150GB data cap is not realistic for a modern household. We now regularly exceed 150GB and get charged one or two extra 50GB "data packs" for the overage. A 250GB data cap would be more realistic but that only comes with AT&T Uverse which is not available where I live. In another 1 or 2 years 250GB will not be enough. 

 

I can excuse the technically challenged for not comprehending this explosive growth in data traffic, but not AT&T. They know exactly what's happening. Yet they refuse to modernize and build out internet service in my area and they refuse to update DSL data caps. It's nice to be a monopoly.  

 

 

Hello AT&T, are you listening?  You won't be the only choice forever.

 

 

 

Professor

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3.9K Messages

8 years ago

I was wondering when someone would post another thread about DSL, and how i'd respond to it. (It is a hot button with me, being a DSL customer myself.)

 

First off, NOTHING you asked for is ever gonna happen. Legacy dsl as they call it, is going away. Plan is to eliminate it by 2020.  It is only available in areas it is already installed. You can only get a line if a port is avaialbe in the central office. (They run out quick.)

They are not going to build any more dsl service, and present ones will not be expanded, updated or upgraded.

IF a service in an area goes down, and it's too costly to repair, it will just go away, for good.

IF U-verse ever expands into an area, all DSL service goes away. You don't HAVE to switch over to u-verse, but you can't have dsl anymore. (There are exceptions, but they are VERY rare.)

 

Two news articles I'm a gonna post related to this subject for you to read, and enjoy.

 

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-Is-Letting-Millions-of-Unwanted-DSL-Users-Rot-on-the-Vine-134124

 

http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/06/internet-nightmare-att-sells-broadband-to-your-neighbors-but-not-to-you/

 

There are more news articles i could share, but this will give you the idea.

 

I feel for you. my personal DSL service could go away at any time, and I'll be stuck with no reasonable service to take its place. You are not alone. AND, ATT has NO interest in beefing up the legacy DSL internet.   If they do anything, it will be to eliminate it fast.

Enjoy it (or not) while it lasts.

Scholar

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178 Messages

8 years ago

Just go over to Dsl Extreme, they have no caps and it will use At&t's same lines. I have dsl extreme and had them for about 10 years no issues. You'll get a free modem lease and you just get your own router and you're set.

 

Professor

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3.9K Messages

8 years ago

Going to third party dsl prividers is a great choice if you live in one of their sevice areas. AND, i'm saying, switching to them might be a great idea even if you are already an active ATT dsl customer.

The problem is, just like lots of other folks who don't have any available wired internet service whatsoever, they are just not everywhere they are needed.

 

But worth the hastle to hookup if the are. (I say, hastle, because often, you need to get ATT to hook up a DSL connection to your phone line so the 3rd party providers can use them if yuou don't already have an existing DSL connection.

Most 3rd party DSL providers can and will provide the service through ATT equipment, but typically, do not or will not actually hook up the dsl connection. And you just KNOW how much att loves hooking up thieir equipment so a competitor can use it. My point, ATT's service charge for this is often over 200 bucks. And they might want to argue with you about doing DSL service hookups, if it is not, nor has ever been in an att dsl service area.)

 

Just a little information, often overlooked until after the fact.

Tutor

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4 Messages

8 years ago

Wow... I'm really glad this spur-of-the-moment post got some attention.
As for DSL Extreme, that's what I have now, the 3mb/s plan. Can't get
6mb/s plan because I live literally at the end of the run for DSL
service. They already analyzed s/n and attenuation and said 3 meg is the
max I can get.

Tutor

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4 Messages

8 years ago

Interesting articles Tigereyze209 Thanks. 

 

Mentor

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48 Messages

8 years ago

Honestly, AT&T doesn't care at all about their customers.  The only way you will get this industry to change is to complain to your local representative and the FCC.  Until something changes from the top down, AT&T will only look after their shareholders and the bottom dollar so they will continue to charge for ridiculously outdated data caps and invest in as little as possible in areas that do not offer any competition.

Professor

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3.9K Messages

8 years ago

Ponder.. did you actually read any of the previous posts?

ATT is doing away with legacy dsl for everyone. Deceided by those at the top. corperate choice.

 

They are replacing it with u-verse. (Or not, depending on the local market, again, decided by their upper folks.)

ALL their dsl equipment is old.. some were out of date when they first installed it.

It would drive them bankrupt to replace it. Cheaper to remove it and replace it.

 

ATT provides a service to the public, but they are not and have never been a public utilitiy. They exist to make money, and they make no secret of that.

ALL their market service plans are decieded in large part on expected return on investment.

Building up service in an area costs a lot of money. Unless someone else pays them to put it in, or they expect to make more money that they spend to put the service in, they will never put service in that market.

That is just the reality of business.

It really in not personal, for or against customers.

Okay, enough rant. 

Mentor

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48 Messages

8 years ago

The problem is that the American taxpayer DID pay them to expand and upgrade their equipment, to the tune of $200 Billion, and we have very little to show for it other than outdated service.  Their solution is to let DSL decay completely and replace it with the expensive and extremely profitable wireless service to rural customers. 

 

And it would definitely not bankrupt them to upgrade and replace their equipment.  Their profits have never been higher. They made $73 Billion last year... not income, but PROFIT.   Yet they can't seem to upgrade and replace equipment that is at least 10-20 years old?  But why would they when they can get away with forcing customers to pay what they want in a monopolized market that has little regulation?

 

Oh, and isn't it funny when they do get a little competion like Google fiber who will actually provide the current AT&T DSL speeds for FREE, that they can somehow find it possible to upgrade their service in those markets?  I sure hope they don't go bankrupt with all of those forced upgrades...

 

 

Professor

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3.9K Messages

8 years ago

Profit is a deceptive measure for busines.. what you actually need is their profit margin.

 

Still though, I feel your frustration.

 

I have the dsl, BUT, it could go any time, and the only other options availabe to me to replace it is too expensive for my limited budget.

 

Definatly need something that folks of meager means can afford.  We sure can't expect charity from the major players.   (Would be nice, but gotta live in reality, unfortunatly.)

Tutor

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4 Messages

7 years ago

All AT&T DSL packages regardless of the speed tier have the same 150GB data cap. You may not have ever reached it but it applies still the same. I have 6meg dsl and went wave over this month because i switched to streaming tv service and they are trying to get me to pay $200 overage charges. It's not going to happen. I'm going to call them and if they won't work with me I am switching to Spectrum internet. 30meg for $44.99 for 12mos with no data caps.
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