Still Waiting

[overtimeman]

Well it was the week of Christmas when the contractors laid the fiber optic through our nieghborhood and still no U verse yet.I keep calling the at&t office and stopping to ask the at&t van dudes when is it going to be hooked up and turned on and they keep saying just wait it's coming.When asking what's the hold up they say money and priority is going to the at&t wireless sector since Apples new product release.I tell them I don't want to die of old age before it gets here,they just chuckle and say they have no control over the decisions the higher ups make.I can get DSL now offered in our area but don't want to fool with getting direct TV.Just want to get away from this outdated analog cable.I figured it up and I'm paying a dollar a month for each channel.Go figure!-overtimeman

 

[raoul5788]

Well it was the week of Christmas when the contractors laid the fiber optic through our nieghborhood and still no U verse yet.I keep calling the at&t office and stopping to ask the at&t van dudes when is it going to be hooked up and turned on and they keep saying just wait it's coming.When asking what's the hold up they say money and priority is going to the at&t wireless sector since Apples new product release.I tell them I don't want to die of old age before it gets here,they just chuckle and say they have no control over the decisions the higher ups make.I can get DSL now offered in our area but don't want to fool with getting direct TV.Just want to get away from this outdated analog cable.I figured it up and I'm paying a dollar a month for each channel.Go figure!-overtimeman

Here in my neighborhood they said U-verse would be available over two years ago. Ha! It's not yet!

 

[Mike0616]

And here in mine, they came in, installed the units on corners a few blocks from each other, and offered home service almost immediately. Getting installed takes a while (usually a week or so), but looks to me like they are "cherry picking" (going where the maximum revenues will be) their service areas. Had only seen ATT installing the concrete pads, etc. and then, bang, we were overrun with calls, mail, and sales reps (that ended quickly as its against the law to go door-to-door in this neighborhood - a gated community.)

From what I have seen, ATT took the best action (from their perspective) in this area, though. Insight cable is not cheap and is lacking in HD channels. All of my neighbors are leaving Insight, D*, and E* in hoards to sign up for U-verse. In other parts of the metro area, am betting that they will drag out until all the other areas are served (highest revenue per sq mile getting 1st service.)

 

[toto]

And here in mine, they came in, installed the units on corners a few blocks from each other, and offered home service almost immediately. Getting installed takes a while (usually a week or so), but looks to me like they are "cherry picking" (going where the maximum revenues will be) their service areas. Had only seen ATT installing the concrete pads, etc. and then, bang, we were overrun with calls, mail, and sales reps (that ended quickly as its against the law to go door-to-door in this neighborhood - a gated community.)

From what I have seen, ATT took the best action (from their perspective) in this area, though. Insight cable is not cheap and is lacking in HD channels. All of my neighbors are leaving Insight, D*, and E* in hoards to sign up for U-verse. In other parts of the metro area, am betting that they will drag out until all the other areas are served (highest revenue per sq mile getting 1st service.)

UVERSE started in our area October 2008 or earlier. I live on the outskirts of Topeka, Ks in an area of a mix of farmland and three acre lots. I got a notification card, yesterday. Diwrecktv contract up in November.

 

[mruk69]

Same thing in Middle TN. I live in a Nashville Suburb and some have it and some don't.

 

[Mike0616]

UVERSE started in our area October 2008 or earlier. I live on the outskirts of Topeka, Ks in an area of a mix of farmland and three acre lots. I got a notification card, yesterday. Diwrecktv contract up in November.

If you haven't actually played with it yet, go to an ATT store (wireless places here) and check it out. The DVRs are a lot like D*, except faster and more stable (they are using the Cisco version here) and we get local traffic reports, weather, etc., to boot. I had sworn that I would never go back to ATT for anything, but the working, easy to use "Whole House DVR" got the wife's attention and then I was the easier of the two to sell after seeing it in action.

 

[toto]

If you haven't actually played with it yet, go to an ATT store (wireless places here) and check it out. The DVRs are a lot like D*, except faster and more stable (they are using the Cisco version here) and we get local traffic reports, weather, etc., to boot. I had sworn that I would never go back to ATT for anything, but the working, easy to use "Whole House DVR" got the wife's attention and then I was the easier of the two to sell after seeing it in action.

Thanks, I talked my Daughter and Son-in-law into it . They've had it for just over a year. My only concern is an issue with bandwidth on the second HD set. I will change in November or sooner. Will try to check the local AT&T store. My grandson doesn't easily give up the remote.

 

[toto]

Will start service mid July.

 

[Mike0616]

Will start service mid July.

Keep us informed of how you like it. I have had Dish, Diwrecked, and local cable (all with DVR service, when it was available) over the past 30 years and this thing is the best I could see. Leaving Diwrecked was the best thing I ever did. The folks who say the picture isn't as good on U-verse apparently haven't seen or used it.

 

[toto]

I'm calling for a mid July hookup next week. Current deal u450, 12mps download, unlimited phone USA, Canada, & Puerto Rico W/one HD DVR--147.00 for 12 months and a $100 credit card. With sales tax that's almost $700 savings.

 

[Mike0616]

I'm calling for a mid July hookup next week. Current deal u450, 12mps download, unlimited phone USA, Canada, & Puerto Rico W/one HD DVR--147.00 for 12 months and a $100 credit card. With sales tax that's almost $700 savings.

Keep checking the deals as it seems to change daily.

I think the deal I got in on was 250 back and 2 free HD boxes for 3 months and 15 off for 6 months. My Diwrecked contract was up a year or so before I changed, so no ETF. I DID however put D* on vacation mode (kept equipment, but no charges) until I made sure that Uverse was going to work out for me (and that my wife was OK with it.) I need to call D* and have the boxes shipped so I can ship their units back to them.

The DVR is a lot like D and Dish and TiVo. The only thing I can see that I do not care for is being changed in the newest software (prioritizing of Series Recordings EASILY) and outside of that, I have to say my Cisco DVR kicks the HR20's @$$ as to speed, reliability, etc. Also, ATT seems to have tested the software, as it seems to act predictably.

Did not get the phone from ATT as I use VOIP service, but their net access seems better than what I was getting from the ComCrap stepchild here. We went from "10 mb" cable to "3 mb" Uverse and the Uverse is actually faster at my location. You may want to take a look at that, as well, when you get your service installed. You can get it hooked up and if it doesn't work out for you, get it canned with a call. (That is what I was going to do, test drive it.)

-Mike

Note: I do not work for or have any financial interest in ATT.

 

[toto]

Went to the ATT store Saturday after work. The $147 for U450,12mbs down speed, and unlimited phone was correct. As he is filling out the info, I'm calculating 147+7extrabox+3 modem rental+3 unpublished phone. So when he announced the total of 141, I asked if he made a mistake. I told him it was supposed to be 147, he smiled and said that he could raise the price. I told him that wasn't necessary if it was right. So its 141+7+3+3, right? He said no that was total. That is 30 less than Directv+10 HBO promo+ basic phone+unpublished,call waiting, and caller id. All of that+all movie channels, sports channels, hi speed net, and unlimited no long distance cost phone. And a $100 visa card thrown in. Installation Thursday morning.

 

[Mike0616]

Only caveat is that, as usual, make sure the installer does the install like you want, not the easiest way for him. I have had cable, Dish, Diwrecked, and now U-verse, and the installers for all of them seem to be the same guys, just getting paid by different companies. The guy with ATT was no better or worse than the others, but he was doing the same crap as the others, willing to CUT my coax from my antenna (OTA) and use it for feeds to the TVs. Nope, I wanted to keep OTA to all sets as nobody has ALL the OTA sub-channels available on their systems.

 

[toto]

Installer scheduled at 11 a.m., yesterday. At 9:30 ATT called to see if it was ok for him to arrive early. He came about 10:15 in a Uverse ATT truck, intoduced himself, donned shoe sock covers. From then until about 11:30 was mostly testing what would work. The house phone jacks were pre wired in a daisy chain fashion which was good, as the basement was finished. The electricians pre wired with RG59 instead of RG6 in 1995 which worked but wasn't good for Satellite (DirecTV 2.5, Dish 11.5, and DirecTv for the last 1.5 years). This was also good news for the installer. The phone jacks weren't Cat5 and neither of the locations was beginning of string. Unacceptable signal on Tv in basement, none upstairs. He decided best choice would be to run Cat5 outside the house directly to the upstairs TV. Because the system is WiFi the modem could go upstairs. Every thing was hooked up include a Playstation3 and Wii to the net. Both remotes were programmed to the TV, all messes were removed, the system was explained to me (was suprised that it had a 2Wire modem and a Belkin 4hr battery backup). At 3:00 I was ready to go except no incoming phone connection. Unfortunately the lady who was the troubleshooting right phone nume list lady quit that morning. When we got the right number and everything was ready at 4P.M. TV was fed and backfed through exsisting Satellite wires. Very competant install and very intuitve, fast sytem. More later. For now all I can say is WOW.

 

[Mike0616]

Congrats! My son was over yesterday and wanted to see if I had some shows on the DVR that he likes, but I had watched and already deleted. We were BOTH impressed at the "On Demand" as it is almost as good as having the shows on the DVR and the shows he wanted to see were all available. After having to contend with the waiting game on Diwrecked for shows, if they were available at all, that was certainly a welcome surprise.

I am glad I looked into Uverse when it became available here and had it installed. Now, if they would only get rid of the "HD technology fee". Even including that fee, they are still cheaper (regular rate to regular rate) than Diwrecked was for me.

 

[toto]

very brief today. The only major downside is 2HD and 2SD streams. If it would be 4HD or SD it would be better. The wife and I were used to our own 2 tuner DVR. This will take some work during prime time, but as there are only 2 of us and we have OTA it should be easy to work through. Channel changing--faster than the speed of light (or at least lite beer) cannot blink when you switch or you won't know you switched. Channel and remote layout both intuitive and very easy to get accustomed to. Most importantly and something of a shock from reading blogs is picture quality. A/B comparison equal to OTA. Only BluRay 1080p will get better than that.

 

[Mike0616]

There is a new release of software that is being sent out currently (haven't received it yet here, however it is being received in other parts of the country as a national roll-out) that will allow you to record 3 shows simultaneously in HD and 1 in SD. I am like you, I have played with the series scheduler to make sure I am getting the shows we want to get and have to look at it daily to schedule anything that would be missed (shown in the scheduled shows with a red mark to make you aware it will not be recorded), so I am wanting that new release NOW.

Another feature I want that is in the new release is the easier series scheduling (see Re: New DVR features rolling out ...May 20, 2010 - Page 5 - AT&T Uverse Community that is shown in another Uverse user site.

Maybe we should start a thread on here to see where people have received that release?

 

[Mike0616]

Note: The new version of software is Client Version 1.6.4.5. To check your current version: Menu, System Information, and will show you current release, disk space available, etc.

New software has bug fixes plus:
Series Priority - Rank series priority
Keep at Most - Set how many episodes to keep on disk
Bucket Delete - Delete all recordings of a series with one button
Favorites Panel - Easily add channels to favorites listing
Recent Panel - New panel displays up to 5 recent channels

 

[toto]

I'm showing 1.6.25080.2 Still showing 2HD, 2SD. Tried a third HD, didn't work. As they say at SONY, Soon Only Not Yet.

 

[Mike0616]

I'm showing 1.6.25080.2 Still showing 2HD, 2SD. Tried a third HD, didn't work. As they say at SONY, Soon Only Not Yet.

Same here, waiting on the new software.

As ATT is actually distributing the software, it cannot be as painful as waiting for the new HD channels that Diwrecked promised in the summer of 2007 that they have never delivered on.