Comments on: AT&T’s Fast-Access DSL Service and their Laughable ‘Tech Support’

By: Alejandro

Alejandro — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 09:37:06 +0000

hey, i want to provide u some tips for better help desk support from ATT, excuse me if my english is not good enough,
in DSL tech support , yes there is a lot of people answering calls in english languaje that does not speak english as a native languaje so…
1- Give ONE CHANCE to the first person that answers the call, if u dont like, if u dont understand the agent or if u think that the agent is not understanding what u are saying, ASK to be Transfer to someone in the US,
2- be prepared for troubleshooting the problem, dont waste ur time asking for reasons, anyway if u DONT WANT TO TROUBLESHOOT u can ask for a technician to check the issue, if the problem is an outage for maintainance to the line the agent will provide u the information, there will only be charges if the problem is in what is yours, (ur cables, ur filters, ur modem, etc) if u see charges and u dont know what these are about, call to billing.
3 for a faster troubleshooting u can advice the agent what u already checked, if the agent insist in checking someting again, do it, the estimated time for a full troubleshooting on a DSL service with phoneline shouldnt last more than 30min, and the tests sometimes are helpfull
4-call the first day that u are having the issue, if the problem takes long to get solved, billing can adjust the charges. they will verify the dsl tech support reports.
5.THERE IS NOT A MAGIC BUTTON THAT REPAIRS LINE ISSUES

By: Anthony

Anthony — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 16:03:35 +0000

Dave,
Thanks for the input. The last time I had to call, I talked to a tech support person in the US. She told me that anytime you’re sent to someone speaking broken English, you can tell them to connect you with someone in the US and they have to do it…? But, who knows….

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 14:35:08 +0000

Wow, has it really been 3 whole years? Man! You can see my original comments from waaaay back when Anthony first wrote this piece and I was just starting to write my own FOUR part thing on ATT. And since that time I’ve helped, jeexz, maybe 100-200 people online and about a dozen family and friends, and fought them many, many, many times myself.

So @Bob up above, I just want to say yeah you might see this speed drop. When you first get an upgrade it’ll be super fast. When you call they’re give you the old “we promised UP TO those speeds.” But you CAN win this battle-I’m actually doing it for myself (because I snuck in as a new customer again so I’m only paying14,95 for like the 5th time!) My 3.0 started only coming in at 1.5. But you need some ammo when you call so…

-have all your account data like, what month you ordered the upgrade and those 3 or 4 digits after your phone number. If you have dsl only (aka dry loop) your account number will start with 081
-know mentally you’re about to have this discussion
-call during the daytime on a weekday (see my words for Pierce below)
-check your speed at your home level AND at the internet level. To check at the internet level go to speedtest.net and test your speed. And to see what speed ATT is actually giving you at home type 192.168.0.1 into your browser to access the modem page (you need to be connected straight to the modem without a router for this). And if you have one of the newer combo modem/routers from 2Wire just type the model number into google and the words “IP number.”
-if you see your download speed is like 1100′s or 1500′s write that down, call them and tell them to “turn you up.” You might actually end up talking to the sales dept instead of tech because that’s where your order was placed. But like I said just prepare yourself for a half hour call beforehand and you wont stress out WHILE you’re on the phone.

Also, you’re not going to enjoy the switch to Comcast, like many before you I’ve tried that-several times-and you’ll still end up fighting AND you’ll be paying an arm and leg for the privilege. You can try going the satellite route with like HugesNet, but again you’ll pay a premium price and of course rainy days will give you grief.

@Pierce I have to say in the last maybe year-year and a half MY experience has been that ATT has really reduced the amount of calls they’re sending to India. US Customers have made it crystal clear they do NOT enjoy having to deal with the outsourced help, so ATT seems to have accepted the profit loss and usually you most daytime calls go to US call centers. But for evenings and weekends you’re taking your chances-so avoid calling at this times if you can.

Hope this helps! (and if it didn’t you don’t have to let me know, I’m perfectly happy with silence over “screw you Dave!”)

By: Anthony

Anthony — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 12:52:25 +0000

I wish you luck finding a new provider. I was going to go the Comcast route at one time, and ended up in an argument with them on the phone before they ever came out. They had given me a price and a “confirmation number” and then transferred me to the local people that would be installing it. Once I was transfered, I was told I couldn’t have it at the price I was told because all of the same features were not available in my area. It went downhill from there. Anyway, I’m still with AT&T for the time being, but definitely on the lookout for something better than them or Comcast.

By: Pierce Arrow

Pierce Arrow — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 12:40:38 +0000

yeah tried the local Comcast and it seems that a fellow by the name of “Jay” has an account at my address. Now I am and old retired CATV Tech. and I know modern technology is great compared to what we had “Back Then” But I don’t beleive they can provide service with out a wire (drop) from the pole to the house and since there is none at m house I am going to call today and demand they send out thier technichian to help me find tthis “Jay” so I can server him with eviction papers since he sure as heck and contributing to the household expenses. But I am still looking for a provider other than AT&T ’cause I caled them and they said if I don’t like their service, as they want to provide to me, then I can find someone else but since they are the “Only game in town” good luck. and hung up.

By: Pierce Arrow

Pierce Arrow — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 09:08:37 +0000

AND according if you “Abuse” their employees they will disconnect your service. Never mind that they can’t speak english and sound like some Saudi Arabian Sand Bigger wit a mouth full of Came Dung and all they can tell you is unplug your modem if I can find another broadband suppiier I’ll do just that.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 03:22:18 +0000

Bob, I feel your pain. Unfortunately, I still have AT&T DSL, and there are times I can’t even watch a YouTube video without it stopping to buffer in the middle of it. Pretty sad.

By: Bob

Bob — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 03:19:24 +0000

I have had DSL since 2003. i WAS GETTING 1.5 mbps when I first got dsl. About a year ago I called them and they offered me 6 mbps but could only guarantee 3mbps. I did get 5mbps for about 3 days since then the speed has declined below 1.5 I statrted with?? Which changes when it rains? When I call support they claim that if there is a problem inside my home(no wiring has changed) they will charge me for a service call? I am really tired of their lousy service and lame excuses.
The local cable service (charter) just gave everyone a FREE speed increase to 12 mbps . I have also read that starting in may At&t is going to start to charge more if you use over limit they never had? At&t has lost it’s mind and thinks it is the only provider that provides phone and high speed internet. They seems to be great at abusing their customers and making lame excuses. It seems they do not guarantee anything but next months bill.

By: Titus Asbury

Titus Asbury — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:00:05 +0000

Talk about Idiots. i knew when AT & T was allowed back in business the communications service would not only go to hell, it would build it’s own hand basket. According to AT & T Technician who came out to repair my service, I have 7MB download AT the terminal block on the outside wall of my house. But because the “Lines in the area will not support the 6MB download” I can not get the 7MB already there to my cocomputer 4 inches away. M I C … K E Y MOUSE.. I am seriously considering calling the COO of AT & T at his home in dallas around 3:00 AM and ask him why. Perhaps after a few calls he’ll get them off their lazy buns to get it working.

By: Kyle Daniels

Kyle Daniels — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:30:32 +0000

I have had a run in with AT&T’s tech support for internet, for about a month now, my 3.0Mb/s downstream that I am paying for is running at 0.48Mb/s according to both speakeasy and speedtest.net. I have called AT&T several times but they keep telling me that it is a problem with Viruses on the computer, I then told them it was a brand new computer fresh out of the box, and unless Microsoft or HP installs viruses on their computers I guarentee it is virus/spyware free, but they kept on insisting, I then told them it is happening to all 5 of the computers at my house, and the two PPC cellphones I have that have Wi-fi connections on them. They say that remote tests on the lines show the lines as good, but I know that those tests are not accurate.

Does anyone know of anything to do to fix this, I have already ran new CAT5 phone lines, replaced the modem twice, even replaced the ADSL filters and phonejacks.

I talked with an AT&T tech that I ran into at a local restaraunt and he told me it sounds like an issue with AT&T’s lines going from the main box to my NID, but I can’t seem to get tech-support to see that.