Recent Experience with AT&T home and/or small business servi

[dm200]

In our area, I believe AT&T offers residential telephone service as well as small business service. I am investigating alternatives to the incredible and continuous hounding by Verizon to switch to their FiOS service. I just need and want basic telephone service and inexpensive internet (such as DSL). I am interested in both residential service and small business (different location, but nearby). Anyone is a Verizon service area use any other provider (such as AT&T)? Feedback?

[jsl11]

We use ATT for a residential land line and DSL. The service has been first rate. The only complaint I have is that they will quote a rate that is a teaser rate without telling you that the rate is only good for a limited time. When that time is up, of course you get an increase in your bill and wonder why. Therefore, my recommendation is to ask about time limits on any rate they quote to you. Also, if you complain about the increase, they may offer another "special", but it will also be of limited duration and may include cancellation costs if you change too early. They also don't tell you about the cancellation fees until after you sign up unless you know enough to ask.

Jeff

[sscritic]

Did you look carefully? I started with AT&T in May. I got rates good for 12 months, and it was clearly stated that the rates lasted only that long. That's what that little asterisk is for after the price you see:

$19.95 per month*
...
* Terms and Conditions

[after click]

Offer available for new residential Internet customers only. Offer applies to up to 6.0 Mbps Internet service after monthly bill credit. After 12 months, standard rate applies unless canceled by customer. Requires AT&T home phone service. Promotional rates may no longer apply if customer changes their speed tier during term. Modem/gateway required. Taxes apply.

There is also a link to plan details which tells you what the non-discount rate is:

$19.95/mo. for a full 12 months with no term commitment. Save $23.05/mo. off the regular $43.00 price! That's a savings of over $276.

There is no need to ask if you click.

[jsl11]

My inquiry was verbal, over the phone, with an ATT CS rep. She made offers without the asterisk in her voice.
Jeff

[sdrone]

" The service has been first rate."

Heh. Now there's something you don't usually hear about ATT!

ATT may have the worst customer service in the world. Even when compared to Comcast. Especially on the business side.

That said, the service is as reliable as any other service. I'm on their DSL right now, and it's been perfectly reliable except for an occasional day of high latency for the last 6 months or do. I dumped Comcast 'cause they really jack up their cost if you drop their TV service.

FIOS is awesomely fast, but yeah it's not cheap. Go with ATT but be prepared to be very patient if there's a problem.

[sscritic]

My inquiry was verbal, over the phone, with an ATT CS rep. She made offers without the asterisk in her voice.
Jeff

I like reading when I can. You typically don't have a recording of what the rep says if there is a question in the future, not that web pages don't change. It's like a verbal contract vs a written contract. Get it in writing if you can.

[jsl11]

My inquiry was verbal, over the phone, with an ATT CS rep. She made offers without the asterisk in her voice.
Jeff

I like reading when I can. You typically don't have a recording of what the rep says if there is a question in the future, not that web pages don't change. It's like a verbal contract vs a written contract. Get it in writing if you can.

Yes, I know. I was calling to find out about an unexpected rate increase. When I asked, she offered an even better deal than the one I had just lost. I get a faster DSL for an even lower price. So, I accepted it. It was only when I got the written confirmation, that I also did not expect to receive, that the details were revealed. The deal still is not bad, so I am not disappointed. It is just not a straightforward way to do business.
Jeff

[jimkinny]

I have had a cell phone with ATT for maybe 5 years, discounted rate via employer, who I have left, but am still getting the discounted rate.

I started ATT's DSL recently. Customer service told me the rate was good for only 6 months but my alternative was maybe 3-4 times that price with cable. I have the 1.5 Mbps DSL speed (i think that is the unit of measure). It is okay, for me, but I do not stream movies. Downloading audio is a bit slow compared to cable for still it is okay.

Customer service with the DSL was problem free. The local technician actually came to my door after he had activated the service as a preventative to a call back (I moved to a small town, this may not hold in a big city but there you probably have relatively cheap cable).

I bought the wireless router from ATT. High price but I did not want to fiddle with finding one myself.

I found the ATT website a bit confusing. They have a site where you can see both bills (yeah, I am getting 2 bills) but I had to create a new ID and password, then link the two services to that site. Sometime I will get around to figuring out how to combine the two bills.

Jim