Need help connecting your router?
NoFSTV-LinkTV-RT-NoDeal's profile

Mentor

 • 

39 Messages

Friday, September 13th, 2013 11:12 PM

AT&T UVerse monopoly

I got a letter from AT&T UVerse saying that I need to call their numbers within 45 days to prevent an interuption in service to my phone and internet. I have AT&T long distance and a Earthlink ISP for many, many years. It is my understanding that AT&T UVerse will be making hardware changes at either the Central Office (CO) or at my Serving Area Interface (SAI) from DSLAM to either IPSLAM or VDSL2. The letter does not indicate just how far AT&T UVerse will run their fiber optics (FO)...although I suspect I won't get FO all the way to my house (FTTP-Fiber to the Premises). So, in effect, I will still have the potential of having the same copper-wire problems as before...latency, noise, etc...all of which cuts in to my bandwidth/speed. My CO is about 3 miles from me and if they only run fiber to the CO and not to my SAI then there will be the same problems cutting into my bandwidth/speed.

 

I feel that AT&T UVerse is doing something illegal by forcing everyone to subscribe to their service...or go without phone/internet service. Nevermind that AT&T UVerse is backed by powerful political bandits called ALEC and they may claim what they are doing is legal. It is even worse than the practice of "slamming" which is illegal. AT&T UVerse is taking away my ability to call 911 or local law enforcement because, if you read the TOS (terms of service) it says that even if you do go with AT&T UVerse you may not be able to call these emergency services. And if I  don't go with AT&T UVerse then I just don't have the original PSTN (Public Switchig Telephone Network) or POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) anymore because AT&T UVerse disconnected it and installed their own monopolizing gear. In addition, AT&T UVerse hardware does not supply dc voltage for emergency outages as the PSTN system does...you have to have power from the home with your own backup battery that you are responsible for it working correctly..fully charged...and replacement. The PSTN system is a service utility that is necessary and part of the commons as far as many people are concerned. If you want to read something really scary then read the AT&T UVerse TOS (terms of service)...I get it that many people do not bother...then the spend much time, later, complaining. Read the TOS and then don't sign it.

 

 

Mentor

 • 

39 Messages

10 years ago

SlowU: I was just visited by AT&T Uverse people going door to door trying to sign people up. I spent some time with them trying to understand what they are trying to sell and how their upgrades would affect us in our neighborhood. But, I already had a pretty good idea by researching this already. They said that it would be Fiber to the Node (FTTN). I told him that my DSLAM (or Node) was located a couple of blocks from my house and that the noisy copper wire would still run to my house and would be a problem. The FTTN would be fiber to what is now called a Remote Terminal (RT) or Shared Access Interface (SAI) that has inside what is known currently as a Digital Subscriber Line Multiplexor (DSLAM). The DSLAM equipment would be replaced with either Internet Protocol DSLAM (IPDSLAM) and/or Video Ready Access Devices (VRAD). (This information I learned on my own and not through the UVerse sales people. I doubt that they really know that much about it anyway. They are just sales people trying to get people to sign up using garbage marketing enticements like....up to 18Gbps.) I had also hoped to waste their time as punishment for bothering me. I usually see salespeople, and other scammers, ring my door belll..as I watch them on my surveillance cameras..and I normally don't even bother to open the door...just isn't worth the trouble. Anyway, I told them that I wanted to read the fine print, when they wanted me to sign...and as I was trying to read the fine print the guy just kept yammering away..while pointing at things at the top of the form.....distracting me. I finally just told them that I wasn't interested and didn't sign. They weren't too happy. But I sure was! Have a nice day (not!)...salespeople! Problem is that they are just working stiffs trying to make a living...it's their dammnn top level executives that I hope have early heart attacks. Those top level marketing execs eat sh...!

Mentor

 • 

39 Messages

10 years ago

Actually, I wouldn't mind if they killed copper as long as they killed it all the way up to the house...ie: FTTH. That way we wouldn't have to deal with all that old noisy, attenuating "last mile" (or in many cases..."last miles"..plural) which eats into our bandwidth. What good is it to own a Ferrari if you can only drive it around the block once a week? Get rid of all the copper and go all out with 100% fiber otherwise it is just not going to be very satisfactory...same old copper problems caused by the noisy copper between the FTTN and the house. Replace that last few thousand feet with fiber and you won't be bothered with noisy copper lines.
Not finding what you're looking for?
New to AT&T Community?
New to the AT&T Community? Start by visiting the Community How-To.
New to the AT&T Community?
Visit the Community How-To.