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Explore & discuss
The Explore menu is where you'll find access to the major sections of the Community. Select Explore & discuss to view a list of links to the forums and other important areas of the Community site, like the Community Blog, Learn about ACE, and Guidelines.
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Filter Topics
- When you open each topic forum (Wireless, TV, Internet, Home Phone, Business,Foro en Español, etc.) or forum board, you can scroll down to see options for filtering on the types of posts you're most interested in viewing:
- The filter will initially be set to show latest Solutions. You can choose to change your display to show the latest Topics or Latest Unanswered posts.
You can also choose to view the very latest posts or View All posts. When you choose View all, you will be given additional filtering options.
In this example, we filtered our view by Date to show all the DIRECTV posts with no replies:
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Sort Topics
- On the right side above the posts, you'll find a drop-down list of sort options. Select the drop-down to view your sort options.
- The option you choose will set the order of the posts displayed on the screen, by latest post (Date), most Views, Kudos, most Replies or Best Match. You can select only one option at a time.
In this example, we are sorting by Date:
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Community Search
Start your search
- You have the opportunity to Search the AT&T Community Forum, from the Search box at the top of your screen.
- You can choose to search Community, Users or PMs. The default setting is Community.
- Type the keywords or member name you're looking for in the search box.
- You may see a drop-down with suggested results, based on popular searches and the words you've typed in. If one of these is what you are looking for, just select that item to display it. Clicking outside the blue box will make the box disappear.
- If none of the suggestions fit, select the magnifying glass icon again to view a list of search results. Member searches will display a list of results, if any were found. Community searches will display a similar list with a set of filters on the left.
View your results
- Your results screen shows how many results we found.
- On the right, the Sort by menu lets you choose a way to sort your results:
- Sort searches for posts by Best Match, Date, Views, Kudos, or Replies.
- Sort member searches by Name, Signup date, Rank, or Most posts.
- For Community searches only, additional filters let you limit the results to display. The filters are initially set to show all posts.
- Location (All Forums, Wireless Forum, U-verse Forums, DIRECTV Forum, Internet Forum, Business Forum & Foro en Español)
- Author
- Date
- Metadata (Solved or Kudoed)
- Type (Forums, Blogs, Groups)
- Contains (Images, Videos, Attachments)
Filters give you more control on the number and quality of your results:
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Signing up
Signing up lets you fully participate in the Community - post, reply, and share your questions and advice. We hope you'll join the conversation.
Sign up
- Select the Sign up link in the upper right corner of the screen. A form will display.
- Fill in the form. Note that the Community ID you choose cannot contain spaces or "ATT." Your password should have at least six letters and one number.
- Don't forget to check the box agreeing to the Terms & Conditions and Community Guidelines.
- Select the Sign up link.
- After you select the link, we'll send you a confirmation email.
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Profile
Profiles show information about Community members to other members and visitors.
View another member's profile
To view a member's profile, search for the User by name...
Or select the User's name in the box that pops up when you click on the name in a post.
This box will also display some helpful profile information - including that the member's Community ID, rank, favorite forums, location, and badges, if earned (you can learn more about badges here).
Members and visitors can see the following information without signing up or signing in when they go to the member's profile screen:
- Community ID
- Number of Posts
- Number of Kudos
- Total Solutions
- Community rank
- Latest Contributions
- Any badges earned by the member
- Signup date (Member since)
- Last sign in
- Lists of posts, solutions, activity, and images
When you are signed in and you view a member's profile, you'll also have the option to Send a message to friend that member or to ignore that member.
Manage your profile
To manage your own profile, sign in, and then select My profile from your Community ID - in the top right of the screen.
From your profile, you can manage your subscriptions, messages, and images.
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My Settings
My Settings area allows registered users to modify their profile settings such as:
- Username
- Password
- Personal Information
- Avatar
- Notification Preferences
...and more!
To change your Settings:
- Click on your Profile in the upper right corner.
- Click on My Settings:
- Here, you can find and modify a wide range of profile settings:
- Scroll down and Save your changes, at the bottom of each category where the changes are made:
Most changes to profile settings can be done by users, however a Username change requires an approval by the Community Management team via a private message request. A Username change request link is located on the main My Settings screen.
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Community Blog
You can keep up with the latest news in the Community Blog!
The blog is the place to find:
- The Friday Fix!
- Tips on how to get started!
- What's new in the Community!
- Who's the ACE of the month, or a Blue Ribbon contributor!
- News from AT&T!
You'll find a link to the blog in the Explore & discuss menu - in the black bar on the left (near the top of the screen).
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Joining the conversation
Ask a question or reply to a post
The ways you can ask a question and reply to an existing post are very similar.
Ask a question
- To ask a question, select the Ask a question link from underneath your Community ID.
- Begin typing your question or comment in the Title box that says, "Use a descriptive subject for your question." In the following text boxes, you can provide a detailed description of your question or problem. You can also take advantage of the formatting tabs and buttons available to you.
- Below these two text boxes, you can choose where you want your post to appear (Forum/Board/Topic), add tags, and make other choices about your post.
- Select the Post button.
A new screen will open.
Note: If you're new to the community, you will need to Sign up to create an account and post your question. If you're an existing member, you will need to be Logged in to continue.
When you want to Ask a Question, please keep in mind the following tips:
- Search first! There may already be an answer to your question!
- For best visibility, use a descriptive title and avoid single keyword titles.
- Do not include personal information like full name, email, payment information, phone or account number.
- In the text fields, provide a brief and detailed description of your questions or problem.
- For best results, please provide any service and equipment information that may be relevant.
- You can also attach links, pictures and even videos! For your convenience, we've included a spell check button too.
- Use drop down boxes to select where the question should Post to and add some tags to help other users find your topic.
Reply to a post
- Be sure you're logged in to the Community.
- To reply to a post, select the Reply button below the post. A new screen will open.
- The top text box will show the title of the post you are replying to. Simply begin typing your comment in the text box below the formatting buttons.
- Below the text box, you can add images or files tags and ask post by clicking Reply.
Note: You can access posts, to Reply, from the Forum landing page by selecting the title of the post, to open it, to read it, to Kudo, Me To and then clicking the Reply button to join the conversation.
What is a "thread"?
A thread is a series of posts that belong together, created when one or more members of the community responds to a particular post.
When you post a new message, you've started a thread! If you reply to an existing message, your reply becomes part of the original message thread.
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Private Messaging
View and manage messages you've received
When you have been sent a Personal Message, you will receive an email notification, letting you know that there is a message waiting for you (unless you have decided to opt out, by clicking your avatar > Settings > Private Messenger.)
- Be sure you are signed in with your Community ID.
- Find the Private Message icon in the top right of the screen. If you have new messages, you'll see the number of unread messages next to the icon.
- Selecting the icon will take you to the Messages tab of your profile. Unread messages will appear in bold type, with an indicator to the left of the preview.
- Select the message subject to View, Reply or Delete your message.
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Kudos
When you are signed in to the Community, you can give post a Kudo to a helpful thread, post or reply.
What can you do with Kudos?
When searching the Community Forum for helpful posts, you can filter your results by Kudos:
The higher the Kudos, the more likely that other users have read and taken advantage of the posted reply!
You can track your Kudos on your Profile page:
Then as your content helps more and more customers and garners more high ratings, you can watch your Kudos soar! To assign a Kudo, simply look for and click the purple Thumbs Up icon, to the left of a post. It's just that easy!
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Me too
Selecting the Me too link is a way to show agreement with a post without creating a new post or reply. You can also use Me too to indicate you've had the same issue. If you are signed in, you'll see the Me too link on each original post.
A count beside the Me too link tells you how many other members agree with the post.
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Accepting Solutions
What are Accepted Solutions?
An Accepted Solution is an answer that users can replicate to solve their issues or answer their questions themselves - without having to contact, PM, chat or call AT&T.
How do I find an Accepted Solution?
Reply posts marked as Accepted Solutions have a green checkmark to the left and right of the posting and the word "Solved by" displayed on the post.
You'll also be able to tell which posts have been solved from the Forum landing page. When in the tile view, solved posts will give you the option to View Solution.
Accept as a solution
When you're signed in, you can use the Accept as Solution link to mark replies that answer the question you posted. Community moderators / administrators may also mark a reply to a post to help other members find it.
You'll see the Checkmark icon and the "Solution" label in the green border of the posts that have been accepted as solutions.
Remove the accepted solution mark
If you change your mind, you can remove the marking and select another post using the Not the solution link from the Post Options drop-down list.
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Notifications
When you're signed in (or authenticated), notifications give you a subtle pop-up message on the bottom right-corner of your browser screen when any of the following happens:
- One of your posts is accepted as a solution
- You are @ mentioned in a thread
- You rank up
Notifications pop-up
Notification pop-ups are active and allow you to quickly navigate to the activity described. For example, if one of your solutions was accepted and you open the notification, you'll be taken to the solution marked. If you just ranked-up in the community, then you be taken your profile page to view your new rank. Or if you were @mentioned in a thread, you will be taken to that post.
Along with these real-time notification pop-ups, you will have a Notifications counter next to your Private Message (PM) envelope. When you're signed in, you'll see the number of notifications awaiting your review.
Select the Notifications counter to visit your Notifications page where your most recent 25 notifications will be listed.
Note: Notification pop-ups are not available for mobile users. However, the notification counter will still be visible in the mobile experience.