Uverse NIGHTMARE

Do a search on my user name and you will see an entire thread dedicated to my brother, who switched FROM DirecTV to UVerse and is extremely happy with it. He has it installed in the living room, master BR, and each of the two kids' rooms.

His Internet is great. His TV's PQ is excellent. In fact, he thinks UVerse beats DirecTV hands down.

 

I just had Uverse installed yesterday with voice/internet/tv. I'm dropping uverse tv once the $300 rebate is processed. PQ on uverse is ok, there's definitely pixelation when I was watching a football game whenever players were running. None on DTV.
Uverse TV U200 is more expensive and has fewer channels than DTV Choice. Well u200 doesn't have the cooking channel and DTV Choice does.
The newest Uverse DVR records ~55-60 hrs of HD, the HR24 records 100 hrs. We're ok with our HR21 though.
Uverse internet and phone have been good so far. We still need to test out faxes though.

Our uverse installer was very courteous, fairly knowledgeable, and prompt. He arrived at 2pm for a 2pm-4pm window.

 

I have had very good luck with U-Verse internet. I have the 24/3 package, and I get the advertised speed and extremely reliable service (haven't had my internet go down in the 6 months I've had it). Can't comment on the TV portion as they don't carry out-of-market sports so it wasn't an option for me.

 

Sorry for your trouble man. I had a good Uverse install here. Then again I was here (I am never not here if someone is installing) and I told the guy exactly what cable he could re-use from an old cable install and told him exactly where to put everything. He did it, it worked and then after he left I took the time to get my home network all back up and running on their router.

I would certainly push up the chain as far as I could with AT&T though about the botched install for sure.

 

Sounds to me like you just had a bad installer....probably someone new who doesn't know jack and should not be doing installs on their own yet....or maybe someone who is just burned out and doesn't care....whatever the case may be, it sounds to me like you just were unfortunate with a bad installer. Many others are very happy with Uverse...and I have some friends with it and they love it....so try to place the blame where it actually belongs and give Uverse a chance...

 

Uverse is great for apartments and houses with only a few TV's. (I have 2) The internet is exceptional. Far better than anything I've had before. The picture quality is mediocre but negligible on lower end TV's like mine.

I love my U-verse and they just gave everyone free showtime/hbo free for 3 months.

 

You just got a bad installer, it is best to be there when they do the install. There internet is great, I would try one more time but be home when they show up.

 

In my area, AT&T will not do a U-verse install if an adult member of the household is not present. Even if you pre-wire yourself, they have to come inside to verify grounding continuity of any interior electrical outlet that a gateway or set-top box is being plugged into. They also come back inside after the install to verify the signal, then set up & activate the gateway and set-top boxes.

 

How'd the DirecTV repair go? If I roll on something like that and it's a repeat (somebody has been there in the last 90 days) you're getting charged. Usually, a Comcast/U-Verse reconversion, results in me creating a Mover's Connect for the customer because there's usually more than typical Service Call pay.

 

If DirecTV said they would fix it free and you show up and charge, I'd tell you to pound sand.

 

I had Directv for 11 years and had to move into a condo where I have no southern sky open view so went with U-verse (condo complex is a u-verse community with special pricing).
I had no installer issues other than the guy being late and grumbling all the time but he did a good job.
For TV/DVR there is no comparison. The DirecTV product is significantly better in every way (other than speed of remote button response). The one DVR design is flawed, at least in current implementation. Although promised to be fixed you can only pause, rewind, etc. on the TV attached to the DVR - other TV's you can only do that if you record the program and watch it recorded. You are limited to 4 streams totally no matter how many TVs you have so if you have more than 4 several have to be watching the same show. That is 4 recorded, recording or live. Many people can only do 2 HD today although some have 3 and they have promised 4 for all by the end of the year by compressing more.
DVR functionality is years behind.
Don't switch unless you are forced to or don't really care in which case I doubt you'd be on this forum.

 

If DirecTV set up a Mover's Connection, then all is good for everyone.

But if you'd had a tech out in the last 90 days, for any reason, then most likely the CSR would try to set up the work order as a Repeat Service Call (which is for *warranty* work), which would mean the previous tech had to roll back for free and fix it for free. The customer deciding to switch to Uverse, and as a result having the previously-working DirecTV installation damaged is NOT covered by the warranty, and so if DirecTV wasn't willing to set up a Mover's Connection, then it would be up to the customer to pay the tech, because DirecTV won't, and there's no way you should expect the tech to pay for your decisions (to switch providers, to not be there for the installation, etc.).

IMO, the single most important thing for an installation is that the person who is MOST knowledgable and/or MOST sensitive to issues related to the install to BE HOME for the install, and to get involved with the installation. I don't mean run cable or drill holes; I mean ask questions, give your input, and keep a constant eye on the installer to make sure the installation plan is followed. And if it isn't, be ready to stop the installer and, if need be, ask him to leave.

Sat & cable techs make VERY little money, so turnover is high. The average tech has little training and relatively little experience, and as in any organization of 10,000 low-paid workers, you're going to have a certain percentage who simply don't know or don't care. Yes, those guys eventually get weeded out, but with such high turnover, more are always coming in.

So... it's important for someone who knows what's going on to be present. Assume, until proven otherwise, that your installer is fresh out of training, is probably overbooked and under pressure to hurry the job along, and will try to take shortcuts to get it done. I'm definitely not saying that all techs are this way, but you probably have a 1/3 chance of getting someone who is, to some extent. You have to look out for yourself and your home.

 

Why he did that? This way, there is no record of him ever being there. So, he is not on the hook for a SIN7/30/90 call/backcharge in the event of something going wrong in the next 7/30/90 days.

As for the other guys comment about charging you even with the protection plan, it is possible. At the discretion of the tech, if it is determined that the customer caused the failure the tech can charge the customer full price for the call and any repairs.

Now before anyone gets their panties in a bunch, circles the wagon or rallies the anti-D* troll crew, I have yet to see or hear of that actually happening.

I have however advised customers that if their dog/kid continues to rip off the wires, chews up remotes, etc. Next time, they will be charged.

 

I regularly charge customers (or have the work order rebuilt so they are charged) for customer-caused damage, which would include the customer ordering another service and having that installer screw up the DirecTV system.

The Protection Plan is a *warranty*, and does NOT cover customer-caused damage (including damage done by dogs or other animals, or by non-DirecTV installers).

http://www.directv.com/mydirectv/pop_protectlegal600.html

The Protection Plan does NOT mean that "they will fix anything for free." Too many techs and CSRs don't know/understand the rules, though, and customers often get techs to work for free. I only work for free if I screwed something up myself, and that's pretty rare.