AT & T TV, internet ?

[Lex]

Does anyone know for sure, is ATT TV DirecTV? I am evaluating all communications options at this point, and wondering about their Internet, and their TV offerings. They are not clear on their web site at all...

Thanks for any info on all this, and this UVerse stuff, anybody up on all their options?

thanks.

[Hdale85]

As far as I know they have a contract with DirecTV, it's been that way quite a while I believe.

[Lex]

I thought it was Dougie. But ATT is powerful enough to launch their own satellite if they wanted to, so who knew... Just weighing options.

[Kevin D]

It depends on your market. If it's ATT Uverse, then it's digital over fiber. We're just now getting the Uverse fiber backbone here, but they're still pushing the ATT/DirecTV combo.

Kevin D.

[Burke Strickland]

Now that ATT U-verse is available in my area, ATT/DIRECTV is no longer marketed as an option here. While it is still listed on their website, as soon as someone in this area gives them a local address to "Check Availability", U-verse is all that shows up. But to answer the original question, ATT satellite TV is co-branded DIRECTV. (As correctly described above, ATT U-verse is fiber cable-based, not satellite, TV.)

As for options, I opted for ComCast high speed internet (not ATT). Either company will try to push a three-in-one combo pack including TV, internet and digital phone, with a myriad of TV channel bundles and various internet speed options. Since I never watch TV at home, and have cell phone service that has proven more reliable than landline or cable during hurricanes in my local area, I did not find any of the combo packs attractive.

From my dealings with the "customer service" representatives from both ATT and ComCast I have a hunch that the above paragraph will be nearly as informative as their "guidance" to their various options. Good luck!

[J-Dub]

I wanted to chime in on this if I may.

I hav owned an A/V home automation buisness for several years now and would like to provide my experiences with providers. (Moderators forgive me if I overstep here. I'll try to keep it professional.)

Personally and with my experience, ATT Uverse is my least favorite provider especially for internet. I think everyone should know that the do use fiber, but to a hub and then its phone line from there. Also there are MANY homes feeding off of the same fiber hub. In other words its glorified DSL. Yes DSL. The best download speeds I've seen (this was in the Dallas area) were about 9MBPS and on average about 3MBPS down 1MBPS up. In my opinion HORRID!

In Dallas Verison pushes their FIOS product wich is true fiber straight to the home and easily produces 50 down and 50 up. Up to 100 down 100 up when you upgrade. My favorite but they are also the most expensive in the area but not by much.

I also recommend any cable company. (cable to the home) Time Warner, Comcast etc. They usually have speeds better than advertised and stable TV feeds during storms etc. Average download speeds I've experienced from cable providers on 7MB plans are usually around 20MBPS down and 7up. I've seen speeds up to 35 down and 15 up.

If you are doing IP based automation or have more than a few internet devices, I strongly recommend you do not use DSL.

To give you an idea of my experience here, I've installed systems in approximately 3000 homes in the last 6 years. Everything from a 1.7 million dollar home theater to the simple hang and bang TV in the family room; always integrating with different providers.

Just to note: I've never worked FOR any of these companies and my opinion is based on intigration experience only.

[Hdale85]

I think the brand of U-Verse you get depends on the area, some places are getting similar options compared to FiOS, but not all area's have that infrastructure yet. The problem really is that they have that branding spread so far across many products.

[impala454]

I've had U-Verse before. In my experience it was not fiber all the way. It's what they call FTTN (Fiber to the node). They install a "node" (a refrigerator sized box) in your neighborhood, fiber runs from the ISP to the node, then it's standard land line DSL type connections from there to your house. Your speeds depend almost 100% on your physical distance from your house to the node, the closer the better. I think when you get further than about 3000' the signal starts to go downhill fast (and they may not even sell you the service). When we lived close to the node, the service was awesome. Their equipment and software is awesome as well. A very Windows Media Center style feel, and the whole home DVR stuff is great too.

Overall: If you're close to the node U-Verse = awesome, if you're far, don't bother.

[J-Dub]

You are correct Chuck. Well said

[Lex]

Well, this doesn't get any easier huh?

Well, I took the comcast flavor of the day to get the best price for 6 months, then I have to deal with this sh.. again. They jacked my cable up to where it was going to be 80.00 just for my internet service, that's not counting TV. So, now I got 49.99 for 6 months for this combo deal, I forget the name of it, I didn't know there was equipment involved, but they sent me an 11 pound box in here with a receiver, remote, etc... Heck, I hadn't even planned to use the TV, I just took the deal because it was 30 bucks cheaper a month. Go figure, right?

IT looks like I will have to play this month to month contract to contract game with them for a while, circling the due date on when I have to call and "renew this service option" in order to avoid sticker shock when I open my bill one month. To me, this is just a helluva way to have to do business.

I hate it. I want just one fair rate, and not have to deal with all this every 6 months.

[impala454]

I did the same dance with Comcast for a while too Doug, until the service quit working completely and they refused to fix it. That's when I dropped cable altogether (and found out I had fios internet available).

[Hdale85]

Yeah I think I'm done with cable, Netflix and what not is finally to a point where I don't miss watching cable TV.