At&T U-Verse vs. Time Warner?

[zingsheim]

I have Time Warner now, and yesterday I signed up for a free 1 month Trial of u-verse. The guy really talked it up (no surprize) and it really sounds better that TIme Warner. It's a few bucks more expensive but the system really sounds better and more reliable. Anyone have experience with U-verse? i would probably be getting the 200 channel package and the internet for the 85 dollar price. Sounds like they have more to offer. Let's hear the good and bad. Go.

 

 

Edit: Removed excessive punctuation in title. - Toby

[blatzlight]

I have three friends who have switched and love it. I will be switching this month. It is worth it.

[PaulRigdon]

its takes them like 6 hours to install it. My parents had it put in and the guy was there pretty much all day on a saturday. They seem to like it though. No complaints.

[zingsheim]

The biggest thing that's getting me is the bigger variety of HD channels. Plus he said it's a fiber optic network offereing better picture and sound.

[trwi7]

I have the same package that you're thinking about getting. I recommend it.

[Menotti80]

glad to hear the good thoughts on u-verse. im getting it installed next weekend!

[FVBrewerFan]

I tried the 1 month trial of U Verse and decided to stay with Time Warner.

 

1) U Verse requires a receiver for each set. We have 6 sets, so the extra fees add up.

2) To get the really good pricing, you have to use their internet service. Since we're used Roadrunner for years, it would be a huge hassle to change our email.

3) HD picture quality was not as good, and really detiorates when ou have several TVs on at the same time. I'm not a techy, but I know U Verse has to compress their signal. I could see there was a noticeable difference in PQ, especially on certain channels. Unfortunately, one of them was ESPN.

 

4) They advertise free HD, which isn't of course. You have to pay a fee for either the HD package or the HD receiver- can't remember which. Bottom line, I added up all the costs and U Verse was around $8 a moth more, with poorer picture quality, plus i have never had success with AT&T customer service. (Cell, long distance, etc.) I have received very good CS from TW believe it or not. But I rarely have had to call in the 10+ years I have been with TW. The picture is always there, and the PQ is very good. So I figure why mess with what works.

 

Now, I realize my situation is unique. Maybe the PQ is worse in NE Wisc for whatever reason. If I had only one TV it may nake more sense, etc. But I'll stick withTW and keep pushing them to add NFLN and Fox in HD- the only two things that bother me now that BTN has been added.

[FVBrewerFan]

By the way, I've found this site to be a great resource. It's for the Fox Valley, but some of it applies to Milwaukee as well. Nice comparison done between TW, U Verse, and DirectTV

 

http://www.foxcitiestv.com/

[PeaveyFury]

its takes them like 6 hours to install it. My parents had it put in and the guy was there pretty much all day on a saturday.

 

Are they making the receiver boxes by hand at your house or something? I can't even begin to think what could take a cable installation that long.

[jason21nl]

I guess I never can understand the hate for TWC. I pay about $110 a month and that includes Road Runner, digital cable with DVR, digital phone, showtime(which does suck). My cable never goes out, the dvr skipped a little but is fine. I don't have HD yet, so I'm not sure if that will make my bill go up or not. I have thought about U-Verse, but I don't want to go through the hasstle.

[FVBrewerFan]

Ah yes, I forgot. That's the other problem I had with U Verse. The DVR was horrible.

[Godspeed]

I guess I never can understand the hate for TWC.

I hate TW for their horrible interface on their DVR. It's lightyears behind Charter's MOXI box...almost as if the software was released with no testing. Having to deal with it more or less renders watching TV unenjoyable for me and is the main reason I don't use my basement TV as much as I should.

But other than that, it's just great. I love their slow internet and the fact that they released my phone number to telemarketers!

[tristarscoop]

We switched to DirecTV this week. Our bill for 2 DVR boxes, one regular box, phone and internet was over $200/month with TW - no HD.

I really, really, really hate the new boxes and new format the TW rolled out a month or two ago. The guide and DVR became less user-friendly and my box would spontaneously turn off on occasion and take up to 10 minutes to relaod.

 

We're downgrading to RoadRunner Light, which is $20/month and Even after our initial 4 months of free stuff, we'll have the second tier package on 3 boxes for about $75/month.

[sgtcluels]

Peavey - The installers are pretty new to it. I heard they are better at it now, but for awhile it was pretty slow as they haven't figured out all the flukes yet. Plus Installers are generally fairly limited on the scope of issues.

 

I had UVerse for about 6 months till I moved. UVerse is IP TV. Similar to Verizons FIOS, but since ATT is rolling out on older networks (Compared to Verizons Fiber) they run into alittle more limitations with "Last mile copper". It's still a very young deployment so there are some issues.

 

In the last year, I've had DTV, UVerse and now TWC. So I've been around the block with most providers.

 

DTV -

I loved DTV. There are some limitations with the systems, rain fade, 2 Feeds only, each TV needs own DVR and can't share information across your "DVR Network". Packages are more expensive, but their packages make sense, their customer services is amazing, boxes are nice, picture is awesome. Beyond Rain Fade I had zero problems. They are also launching some new Satellites to up their total HD bandwidth, IIRC they expect to have 150 HD channels up in February. If I didn't live in an apt building, I'd be on DTV.

 

TWC -

I hate them. Customer service is a joke. DVR is horrible, it's a giant peice of crap. Packages don't seem to make much sense, and the cost adds up fast. Why again am I paying 2bucks a month for a freaking remote? HD Quality is very nice, but channels are very limited, and their On Demand service is messy. Seems to be delpoyed like crap. I will be moving off them as soon as other options are rolled out.

 

UVerse -

I was a fairly early adopter. Got the best package for "on the cheap". Installation was a bit of a mess, but installers are new to this all. Customer Services is very good, ATT obviously thought about it alot as their service isnt' very mature so they want to put "best foot forward". DVR is alright. It's standable. They appear to use multicast for their IP TV deployment, so that's how they get the stream out. They can stream over RJ45 or Coax depending on what you have in your house. They like to run RG45, but some times it's a bit to much to replace all the coax. SD Picture quality is second to none. HD is a little light, and they compress. but they are supposedly rolling out new VDSL2 software on their IP-VDSL stations eventually increasing bandwidth to the house big time. The big thing that kind of stinks for multiple TV houses, the stream limiatation. Right now it's 2HD/4SD streams. So at any time you can only have 4 different channels on at your house. Not a big deal for a single guy like myself, but I could see that being a limit for people. Plus if yo uhave 4 TVs and they are all on, DVR can't do anything. On Demand is pretty nice, it's setup in a much better manner then TWC. No HD On Demand (Not sure if they'll roll it out). All in all UVerse offers a lot of potential, and could be great. i'll switch as soon as they are done rolling out here in Shorewood. (I hear they are fighting the city because the VDSL Boxes are "to big".. lame)

[germanking]

I think I am pretty well stuck with TWC, but as to tristar was referring to with the new format, my household was in the test market. That means I have been putting up with this for over a year and a half. This subject makes me angry b/c I can't do anything about it.

[B2k1121]

I have been trying to get DirecTv installed for about 2 weeks now. The install company is the worst company in the world. I have had 5 appointments for an install 1 guy said he couldn't do it, 3 guys forgot to bring a pole even though it was in the notes (I'm doing a pole mount) and 1 guy never showed up, he called saying he would be there but never came. I WANT SUNDAY TICKET!

[LouisEly]

Sounds a lot like Verizon FiOS, which I have had for a while now. I get the triple freedom package in which you get fiber optic internet (4x faster than DSL, even faster if you upgade; I have the base and I can download at over 600KB/sec where with DSL/internet cable it was 150KB/sec), fiber optic TV, and a home telephone line (not VoIP - a regular telephone line, my home office line for work; includes voice mail, call ID, and call waiting) for $99.95/month. With everything (four set-top boxes, distinctive ring for my fax, HBO, taxes & fees) the total is $160/month. I also get local weather and traffic with the service. If you don't need all of that you can probably get something cheaper, but I need all three services and for all three it is a pretty good deal.

 

They have a lot of HD channels but I don't watch much TV and none of us owns a HDTV. The HD receivers would cost more, and we did not go with a DVR (but we do have HBO On-Demand so we can watch just about anything on HBO at any time). I will say this - because the internet is 4x faster than DSL it will save you a lot of time downloading files and webpages. If you download a lot of music, video, large files, etc., the time it will save you is worth it.

[sgtcluels]

UVerse rolled out that traffic/weather/stocks bar as well. I didnt' use it, but it seems it could be handy for some.

[packfan79]

I switched from Charter to Uverse here in Fondy and haven't had any problems with it so far (about a month) I do have to agree that the HD service is slightly worse then what Charter was providing but they have more hd channels and I am not that picky. The dvr seems to be pretty easy to use although I have run into problems recording an hd show and watching tv's on other channels. Customer service is a push as both are pretty clueless when you call in with a question. The install did take quite some time as they basically re-wire your whole house(the wireless gateway will come in handy some day). Does anyone else in the Fond du lac/Fox Valley area have Uverse? I'm wondering because the Badger game is tomorrow morning and according to the guide we are getting Ohio St vs some D2 school?

[trwi7]

Check some other channels close to the Big Ten Network regular channel. You should get it on one of those.

[zingsheim]

Is t he u-verse hd quality worse because of having 2 or more tv's runnign at the same time? We only have a Maximum of 2 tv's going at once, so if this is the case it shouldn't be a problem.

[TheCrew07]

Does anyone else in the Fond du lac/Fox Valley area have Uverse? I'm wondering because the Badger game is tomorrow morning and according to the guide we are getting Ohio St vs some D2 school?

Go to www.bigtennetwork.com and they have a channel finder.. you put in your zip code, your service provider, and they give you the channel. Today's Badger game is on 9501 on Dish Network for example, in HD.

[packfan79]

Not having the big ten network last year with Charter I am not used to the BTN's format it looks like they have a couple different alternative BTN channels and the Badger game is on one of those as it looks like the Ohio St game is on the main BTN channel. I did check out the BTN's website but for some reason they don't have AT&T Uverse as an option. Go Badgers!

[sgtcluels]

Is t he u-verse hd quality worse because of having 2 or more tv's runnign at the same time? We only have a Maximum of 2 tv's going at once, so if this is the case it shouldn't be a problem.

No. They compress to about 2-4mbit stream, while TWC/DISH HD streams are about 5 - 10mbit (Depending on source). The compression is supposed to be very similar to the compression of DISH Networks. They are supposedly rolling out new codecs and increasing bandwidth from the VDSL unit. From what I understand they are looking at a roll out to the increase overall bandwidth to the premise up to 250mbit, which hopefully will decrease HD compression and improve quality. HD Quality and # of streams is what's causing UVerse to be adopted slower, I honestly hope they fix it. Anything to increase competiton to crap cable monopolies.

 

I also heard they rolled out this week, all room DVR and HD oOn Demand (Only 1 movie in HD ATM though!)

[zingsheim]

So is it still 1080i picture quality our is it lower? That's what I'm getting through TW now.