Dish channel line up vs AT&T U-Verse channel line up

[a2zvisa]

UPDATE: In case anyone wanted to know. Here's the latest...

I received an automated call on Monday night asking me to basically rate the service I received when I called after the installer(s) never showed up. Needless to say I nearly wore out the #1 key on the handset. One of those 1's apparently filed a complaint to AT&T because I received a call on Tuesday evening from a Mrs. Lane calling from the "executive office."

But first, let me tell you about the phone call I received Tuesday morning. I received a call from a lady who identified herself as Mrs. Johnson of AT&T U-verse and she wanted to update me on the status of my order. She gave me the date of Oct 7 to disconnect my ADSL service and Oct 14 to install U-verse. At first I explained that I didn't want the service anymore. If anything I was waiting on a call to explain to me WHY they couldn't install. That's when she began to tell me that they have to have one technician go in and removed my ADSL service before the U-verse tech could go in and do their thing. So then I asked her if it was customary to disconnect customers from their Internet service A WHOLE WEEK before their install date? I mean are they seriously making people lose their Internet for at least 7 days. Who can go that long without access especially when one works out of the home?
After some long conversation, I received a ADSL disconnect date on the 13th. Of course I had to agree to continue my original order.
I have got to be crazy to think that this will go smoothly, right. I mean once I'm disconnected from the Internet, I will be back on the next day, right?

Now about that call from the "executive office."

Mrs. Lane was calling me because I filed a complaint during that automated call. So I explained everything in detail of what happened on Sept 30. Plus I added why doesn't someone do a sort of pre-install to make sure that there will be no issues during MY install time. I mean is it too much to ask to have installers come in and install you on the date THEY give you?
She waived my activation fee and gave me a $50 credit off my first bill.

So now the wait for the 13th/14th and hoping everything goes smoothly... Right?

They turned OFF my internet on the 7th after all! Talk about being MAD! I called and went through three transfers and then was disconnected. I called again but this time I was fortunate to get an actual person. He was able to bring up my account and could see what I had been through to this point. The best they could do was schedule me an install date of October 8th. Can you believe it? THE NEXT DAY! Of course I went ahead and took it.

So after only 3 days of having the AT&T U-verse, I can say with confidence that it has not been worth it! Totally underwhelmed with the picture quality to say the least. The DVR, although a great idea with the total home concept, is annoyingly slow to respond with remote commands, etc. From changing channels, selecting items on the menus and using the skip forward button. I can say now that my 622 and 722 receivers spoiled me!

I know my wife has already had enough of it and if she isn't happy, you know what that means for me...

We are both wondering if the cost savings over the next 6 months will be worth it.

I have to say that the 18MBps Internet service is very fast compared to the 3MBps speed I use to have. The latency to server was averaging at about 50 ms (DSLReports.com)

It appears to me if someone goes to U-verse from an unhappy cable, DISH or Direct experience, they will undoubtedly would be satisfied with it.

I just may exercise my 30 day return.

Does DISH have a way of replicating a total home DVD experience like U-verse or at least are you able to access the content between a 622 and 722 receivers?

 

[nevarDeath]

Does DISH have a way of replicating a total home DVD experience like U-verse or at least are you able to access the content between a 622 and 722 receivers?

Not right now. Dish is supposed to release their XiP line of receivers that will have this functionality in the first half of 2012. The menus will be like that of the 922. Should be sweet!

 

[3HaloODST]

So after only 3 days of having the AT&T U-verse, I can say with confidence that it has not been worth it! Totally underwhelmed with the picture quality to say the least. The DVR, although a great idea with the total home concept, is annoyingly slow to respond with remote commands, etc. From changing channels, selecting items on the menus and using the skip forward button. I can say now that my 622 and 722 receivers spoiled me!

I know my wife has already had enough of it and if she isn't happy, you know what that means for me...

We are both wondering if the cost savings over the next 6 months will be worth it.

I have to say that the 18MBps Internet service is very fast compared to the 3MBps speed I use to have. The latency to server was averaging at about 50 ms (DSLReports.com)

It appears to me if someone goes to U-verse from an unhappy cable, DISH or Direct experience, they will undoubtedly would be satisfied with it.

I just may exercise my 30 day return.

Does DISH have a way of replicating a total home DVD experience like U-verse or at least are you able to access the content between a 622 and 722 receivers?

Hate to say it, but "I told you so." Now instead of pouring salt on the wound, I'll see if I can give you some helpful suggestions. I would recommend canceling the TV and keeping the U-verse Internet, unless you have better Internet alternatives. That's what I did. Went back with DISH TV, kept U-verse Internet (now running at 24/3.) Now I can have much better HD quality, more than 4 HD channels at a time, and best of all watching TV doesn't slow down my Internet. Also DISH's receivers blow away U-verse's in every aspect (except the whole-house DVR, but even that was buggy when I had U-verse, such as DVR playback on the non-DVRs would hiccup every 2 hours.) I really hope you didn't cancel DISH (forgive me if you've stated whether or not you did, I'm kinda lazy sometimes.) If you didn't, then as I said I'd cancel the U-verse TV. If you did, you might have to beg DISH to come back so soon... I think they make you wait at least 3 months, I waited 7 months (and hated every month of it.)

As for DISH's version of whole-home DVR. All they currently have at the moment is what some here call "Sneakernet." Which is essentially moving EHDs between receivers in order to view recordings on other TVs. Personally, I prefer that over sharing a tiny, slow DVR with the whole house like on U-verse. As has been stated, the XIP receivers may be DISH Network's answer to whole-home DVR. However judging by DISH Network's past record, it will be a good while before they are released.

 

[nevarDeath]

However judging by DISH Network's past record, it will be a good while before they are released.

I am really wondering how a new CEO and increased competitive pressures will influence this release

 

[JohnC]

I had the 18 Mbps U-verse internet installed about 3 years ago when the service became available. This was a big improvement over the 3 Mbps DSL service that I had previously. They disconnected the DSL and connected the U-verse internet the same day and I have been very happy with it and always get downloads at 18.2 to 18.6 Mbps. Did not add the TV for the many reasons mentoned in this thread. The number 1 reason that I have not switched is our 2 722 DVRs which I and my wife consider to be much superior to the ones of AT&T, Comcast, and Directv. I have checked out the Comcast and Directv DVRs and have found the user inerface to be quite inferrior to those I have with Dish. Otherwise, I might have switched t U-verse or Directv.

 

[a2zvisa]

Hate to say it, but "I told you so."

Lol. It was the "deal" that hooked me. You get what you pay for!

 

[JM42]

Lol. It was the "deal" that hooked me. You get what you pay for!

Don't fret, it may work out in the end.

I got Uverse primarily for the internet, but tried the TV out too. A TV/internet install was "free" after promos but internet only cost, so basically I could try TV for a month and would be less than an internet only install.

I wouldn't let the UVerse installer use the existing coax, told him straight up I was going to do a side by side comparison for a month. He didn't blink and did a first rate job running new Cat5 to all my TV locations.

For many of the reasons already mentioned, I decided to stick with Dish for TV. I called UVerse to cancel TV and they offered a credit to stay (with no committment - I told the CSR I would probably cancel anyway). I stuck with the TV for a couple more weeks and then called and cancelled.

After rebates and credits I had essentially 2 months free Uverse(internet and TV) with no install cost. I now had hard wired ethernet to each of my TVs. UVerse paid return shipping on their STBs.

Overall I feel I came out ahead. I almost felt bad, but ATT is getting a few dollars more from me for the internet now than they were. That's by choice though, if I went with a comparable speed to the old DSL it would be about the same cost.

 

[Rwwatson]

Lol. It was the "deal" that hooked me. You get what you pay for!

Thanks for all the updates and info, for those of us (or at least just me), that was looking for a recent, unbiased, account of the quality and functionality comparison. P.S. I say unbiased because, while you had and liked Dish, you were looking forward to the possibilities of the U-Verse. Thanks again!

 

[a2zvisa]

I coming back to DISH! April 30th! 1 Hopper and 2 Joey's.

 

[kcburk]

Wow, what a morning! Today between 9am to 11am, U-verse was supposed to be installed in my house. 11 am came and went. Nothing. I called a 800 number that the sales rep left me in case anything happened before the install. The number he left was for the UPS Store. The other number he labeled "direct support." That number was disconnected.

So I looked at the order confirmation letter and it had a 800 number ending in 2020. So I called. It was 11:06 am. After about 20 minutes the CSR was able to tell me that there may be an issue with my install and she would forward me to level 2 support.

Level 2 support explained that they were having an issue with my current DSL service. He asked me what company I had service with. I replied AT&T. He seemed confused at my answer. He said that they couldn't install U-verse until I cancelled my current DSL service. I said why can't THEY do that since it is through AT&T. After having said that I immediately thought he would answer with: "that's another department" Lo and behold he said, "I know that it doesn't make a whole lot of sense but that is another department."

After some conversation that I don't feel the need to repeat here, I asked to be transferred to someone else who could cancel my order.

Here comes a retention specialist. After some conversation with this rep I find out that my AT&T DSL service was not through AT&T but through another company but billed through AT&T. Man, say all that 5 times as fast as you can.

The rep pleaded with me to hang on as he investigated the issue further and he or another rep would call me back.

Stay tuned...

Btw, I was off the phone 12:23pm

Sounds like att. I have em for my DSL but if I had another option I'd dump em as fast as I can. But their internet competitors prices are highway robbery. Att doesn't know their heads from a whole in the ground. Its amazing they remain in business.

 

[a2zvisa]

May 3, 2012...

Dish installer came by about 8:45 and about 2 hours later, I was up and running with a 1 Hopper/2 Joey setup. Installer was very impressed with my knowledge of how everything was going to work. Of course I mentioned Satellite Guys as my main resource. He said he knew all about Satellite Guys!

 

[JohnC]

I made the switch from Dish to UVerse TV and Phone. Already had UVerse internet for 3 years. Got a great deal for 1st year with the new UVerse service. After that my bundled service will be about $40 per month less than I have been paying for the Dish service with a few more channels plus Starz, Showtime, and The Movie Channel. I am about 2200 feet from the box and have 3 HD streams. My observations after 6 days: The HD quality is about the same. I have not seen any macro-blocking. The SD picture quality is better with UVerse. I have 25 Mips total bandwith. Each HD feed appears to take almost 6 Mips of bandwidth with the SD feeds taking about 1.5 mips. When recording 3 HD channels last night, my download speed decreased from about 18.5 mips to about 8.5 mips. The DVR has a 320 MB hard drive. The response of the DVR (similiar to the Hopper) and receivers (similiar to the Joeys) is quick. UVerse has all of the Atlanta HD locals in HD while Dish does not even have the local CW station in HD and has dropped WPCH that carries about 20% of the Atlanta Braves.

If I had staryed with Dish, I would have probably changed to a 2 Hopper, 3 Joey system that would have been better than the 1 DVR, 4 additional receiver system that I have with UVerse, but with a substantial upfront cost and a continuing additional cost of about $55 per month higher without rebates. The problem that I have with Dish is a substantial increase in hardwire fees the last few years. I had 1 owned 722, 1 leased 622, and 1 leased 722 and the increase in hardware fees has been very substantial.