AT&T Uverse TV with NO INTERNET???

[strikefire83]

We have hated Time Warner Cable's TV service for years...slow and ancient Scientific Atlanta boxes that drop channels and reset several times a week. It was terrible and the Showtime blackout was the last straw. We got rid of TV service on October 1 for Uverse 450 and 18.0 MB/s internet.

The TV has been excellent. Two bedrooms with wired boxes and the living room attached to the Gateway via Ethernet. Everything works, the on demand options are impressive...we have no complaints. The internet, however, is a different story. We pay for 18 MB a second and have been getting less than 12 MB/s most of the time...tonight it dropped to 3.5. Completely unacceptable. One of the only things that Time Warner did well was internet...20 MB/s almost always worked and the speed was constant, never dipping below 15 MB/s even at peak times. 

We've had two technicians out and the problem persists. A guy spent two hours here yesterday. There is another one coming on Monday afternoon. If he cannot improve the internet service and make it close to what we pay for, we are going to dump it and go back to TWC for internet.

MY QUESTION: Can I do this? Have Uverse for TV and another provider for internet? How does that work? Does the Gateway stay or do they install something else? Do I miss out on anything TV has to offer by dumping internet?

[aviewer]

strikefire83 - Sure you can do it. You keep the same equipment and wires for u-verse. They just turn off the internet. TW comes into your house and connects to a modem on COAX & is cat5 or wireless from the modem and router.

You will loose the ability to pair a tablet or smart phone app with the TV STBs because that requires both services. Also, you cannot manage your DVR via the web.

[my thoughts]

Which profile do you have?, the 32M allows for 4HD to be watched, the 25M allows 3HD and 1 SD channel to be watched.
You do know your total bandwidth is shared between VOIP (highest priority), IPTV, (next highest, about 6M per channel) and last HSIA (internet).
If on a 25M profile with 2HD channels being recorded and/or watched 25-6-6=13 *90%=11.7 internet speed HARDWiRED.
This is what you state you receive most of the time.

You are running all speed tests hardwired? Correct? All tvs turned off, no dvr recording going on? If getting speeds under these controls then getting what paying for
How you choose to use your available bandwidth and or connect wireless when running speed tests are beyond ATT control.

From the ATT internet terms of service you agreed to when accepting services...
two boxes you checked when registering internet account stating you have read and understood..

"The speeds identified at are Service Capability Speeds, which are the downstream rates at which your line transfers Internet access data between the network interface device at your home, office or apartment building to the first piece of routing equipment in AT&T’s network. Service Capability Speeds should not be confused with Throughput Speed, which is the speed at which your modem receives and sends Internet access data (“Throughput Speed”). These speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. Throughput speed depends upon many factors including customer location, destination and traffic on the Internet, interference with high frequency spectrum on your telephone line, wiring inside your home, office or apartment, the capacity or performance of your computer or modem, the server with which you are communicating, internal network factors, and the networks you and others are using when communicating. In order to provide a consistently high-quality video service, AT&T Uverse High Speed Internet throughput speeds may be temporarily reduced when a customer is using other U-verse services in a manner that requires high bandwidth. This could occur more often with higher speed Internet access products."

From http://www.att.com/shop/internet/att-internet-terms-of-service.html

[strikefire83]

aviewer: Thanks for the info, if the technician cannot bring the service closer to the speed advertised will be dumping the internet and keeping Uverse TV.

"my thoughts": I understand what you are saying. Yes, the speed tests are hardwired and of course all TVs are not off when I run them. Is it not reasonable to expect to be able to watch TV and surf the web at CLOSE to advertised speeds when paying good money for a service? And no, I did not read the boilerplate that you included above. And I have no idea what my profile is, I am including a photo of the system info screen so maybe you can determine that. Bottom line: Your competition does not advertise 18 Mb/s and deliver 3.5-7 Mb/s, regardless of how many televisions are turned on. I understand that there may be limitations to the technology, but we are used to paying for 20 Mb/s and getting between 16-20, depending on the time of day...WITH ALL TVs TURNED ON.

What I did read: the 30 day trial period. We are well within our 30 day window, so right now the question is whether we are keeping the TV and the internet, just the TV, or dumping everything.

[strikefire83]

Update: The technician was out yesterday evening and replaced the gateway. He said the silver gateway was "going out" and he repleced it with a black one, he said the black ones tend to be better. Things seems to have improved drastically. Where I was getting 3-6 Mb/s WIRED with all 3 TVs on HD channels, now I'm getting 11-12 Mb/s. That's not quite what I'm used to, but we're not doing anything too intensive, and if one of us wants to stream Netflix on a Roku we'll just turn off the corresponding TV box while doing it.

[oufanindallas]

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strikefire83 wrote:

Update: The technician was out yesterday evening and replaced the gateway. He said the silver gateway was "going out" and he repleced it with a black one, he said the black ones tend to be better. Things seems to have improved drastically. Where I was getting 3-6 Mb/s WIRED with all 3 TVs on HD channels, now I'm getting 11-12 Mb/s. That's not quite what I'm used to, but we're not doing anything too intensive, and if one of us wants to stream Netflix on a Roku we'll just turn off the corresponding TV box while doing it.

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If the best you are gettting is 11-12 I'd contact customer service and have them downgrade your internet package and get a credit for what you spend. With the 18Mbps package you should consistantly be getting between 16-19Mbps.  I have the 12Mbps internet package, wirelessly with multiple tv's on I'm getting between 10.5 - 12.5.  There have been time when there has been 3 tvs on and two Roku's watching Netflix and I still get those speeds.

[strikefire83]

Today it dropped to between 6 and 8 Mb/s WIRED with only ONE TV on. This is not acceptable. We have technicians coming out on Saturday, which will mark the 4th visit we've had from them. The person on the phone said that the plan is to "double spool" the line running to the pole. Oh, another piece of information we recieved, we are about 1,800 feet away from the VRAD, which isn't far but isn't close either apparantly. Essentially, this technician visit is AT&T's last chance to get the internet right. This will be the 4th technician visit and it's getting ridiculous. We'll see what they can do. 

BUT...we still love the TV. Uverse TV is by far a superior experience to Time Warner Cable in pretty much every way. We'll be keeping the Uverse TV even if they can't get the internet up to snuff.

[oufanindallas]

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strikefire83 wrote:

Today it dropped to between 6 and 8 Mb/s WIRED with only ONE TV on. This is not acceptable. We have technicians coming out on Saturday, which will mark the 4th visit we've had from them. The person on the phone said that the plan is to "double spool" the line running to the pole. Oh, another piece of information we recieved, we are about 1,800 feet away from the VRAD, which isn't far but isn't close either apparantly. Essentially, this technician visit is AT&T's last chance to get the internet right. This will be the 4th technician visit and it's getting ridiculous. We'll see what they can do. 

BUT...we still love the TV. Uverse TV is by far a superior experience to Time Warner Cable in pretty much every way. We'll be keeping the Uverse TV even if they can't get the internet up to snuff.

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You are definately close enough for 24Mbps.  I'm on an iNid installation and I'm about 4300' from the VRAD.  Download UVerse realtime, post screen shots of IP Profile, Error Table and Bit Loading. Before posting, go to the Configuration page and check the box to hide personal information for screen shots.

[my thoughts]

Sorry to hear of continuing internet issues.

You state your service was started Oct 1...still within 30 days...can cancel with no termination fee.
If in a bundled plan (u450+Max Plus 12 months) breaking the bundle means u450 returns to normal charges of $121 plus $10 if HD
Additionally if offered any gift cards and cancel any part of service, gift cards are denied.
Just wanted you to be aware of these things up front, so no disappointments on billing later.

[strikefire83]

oufanindallas: Unfortunately, we're a Mac familiy and I don't have any of those virtual Windows products. I wish there was a Mac version!

my thoughts: I'd assumed that we would still be elligible for the $30 off for 12 months discount that comes when you order U450 by itself. Should the need to cancel the internet arise, we will be asking for this. There were no gift cards when we signed up, so nothing to lose there. 

[my thoughts]

Not to say they woud not work with you but by terms of service agreement listed above....

Pricing a. Term Plans, Bundle Discounts. When you purchased the Service, you agreed to specific price and plan, which may have included a term of one, two, or three years (“Term Plan”). Similarly, some plans may offer a discount on the Service if you sign up for other AT&T services (“Bundle Discount”). You agree to maintain your Service and the bundled services for the applicable term. If you signed up for a Term Plan or a Bundle Discount, the price available with those plans is valid until one of the following occurs, at which time your price may revert to the then-existing price for your service: (1) the term expires; (2) you move from your current service address to another service address; or (3) you drop one of the AT&T services you were required to purchase to receive the special rate.