

AT&T: We need to buy DirecTV because U-verse TV is a failure  - sizzle
http://arstechnica.com/business/2014/06/att-we-need-to-buy-directv-because-u-verse-tv-is-a-failure/

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fernly
I am a long-time DirecTV customer and regularly (monthly) get glossy mailings
from AT&T promoting U-Verse with various discounts and enticing promises of
high-bandwidth internet and an advanced DVR. But when I specifically explored
it, I found that it wasn't available "in my area." Apparently my neighborhood
in one of the most affluent zipcodes in the nation (a few blocks from the
Jobs's place) is not one where AT&T has run fiber. But still, month after
month, the U-Verse brochures come through the mail slot...

Tantalized beyond measure, I went to an a physical AT&T office/showroom to get
f2f human verification of what att.com was telling me. Yup, true. Plus, while
there, I took a few moments to flip some channels on a U-Verse monitor. Not
impressed. I generously showed the salesman how on the supposedly hi-def ESPN
channel, there was clear posterization of the colors of the presenter's tie
and little fine detail in hair or beards -- as compared to the consistent 720p
that comes down from DTV. I was convinced by this demo that AT&T had
absolutely nothing to offer in the realm of TV either; after all, if they
can't get a decent picture in their own showroom...

~~~
jedberg
I had the same experience with the in store demo. I was blown away at how
terrible the quality was.

I actually have UVerse internet (in fact I just got them to double my speed
and lower my price today because I've been with them so long). My internet
came with free TV for a couple months.

The quality was so terrible that I stopped watching after about an hour. Also,
I think it stole my internet bandwidth when I was watching.

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stox
One of the reasons U-verse is a failure is that AT&T can't even figure out how
to connect customers in neighborhoods it has actually wired. I have been
trying to get U-verse for years, even though linemen have called the business
office to confirm I can be wired. They cant figure it out. My best guess is
that the maps of the physical plant are a complete mess and, at least in older
neighborhoods, they can't figure out what is wired to what.

Help me Google, you're my only hope!

~~~
colmvp
I had U-Verse in SF. Wildy inconsistent. Had to get a lineman multiple times,
before finally one of them literally suggested for me to switch over to
Xfinity.

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jmspring
How is adding about 20% to the subscriber base going to drastically put
downward pressure on pricing for existing DirecTV users. Consolidation rarely
helps overall pricing.

~~~
pktgen
More customers allows them to negotiate better pricing with TV networks, but I
guarantee none of the savings from this will be passed on to customers.

~~~
jmspring
It helps the companies cost of entry, but rarely does it translate into a
benefit for the consumer.

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pwarner
I think it's time for Google to spin Google Fiber out to an independent
company. Then wire up everywhere in the US that lacks fiber direct to the
home.

This would cost tens of billions of dollars, but Google could send them with
$1B seed money. Maybe some other web companies could pitch in? And I would buy
bonds from these guys in a second, there should be a return here.

Let me know if I can help.

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gunnm
I'd probably get U-Verse if they just sold me the full fiber connection
without all the TV crap...

~~~
kbuck
They do, but you'll be charged a $200 (or more) "installation fee" if you
don't bundle TV with it. When my service was installed, the guy literally
walked in, plugged the modem into the wall, and was done. However, if you do
order bundled TV with it, they'll prorate the fees if you cancel it... so I
ordered TV + internet, cancelled the TV the next day, and now have an internet
connection only (without paying their ridiculous $200 "plug it into the wall"
fee). I only bought one day of TV service (the cost of which was negligible)
and dropped the cable box off at UPS.

I would be using something else if there were ANYTHING else, but my apartment
complex won't let cable providers wire the place. I'm moving soon, to
hopefully greener pastures.

~~~
delucain
Not necessarily. I know it's a small subsection of their potential customers,
but in markets competing (or about to compete), the subscription process for
UVerse's gigabit service (contractually 300Mbps until September then 1Gbps) is
quite reasonable. I paid a $100 installation fee that included my first
month's service, and I got a $50 Visa card for signing up. Meaning, in the
end, my installation cost -$20. It's the same price as Google Fiber, but there
is a 1yr contract with a decreasing cancellation fee that makes sense
considering the connection process is lengthy and equipment heavy.

And, for the curious, I chose AT&T over Google because Google won't be in my
neighborhood for, at the very least, 6 months. I'll take a year of AT&T until
Google can get their fiber laid on my street.

Oh, and I only have their internet service. No TV. Although, the deal for that
was relatively nice too ($30 a month more, free HBO/HBO-Go for 3 years, free
Galaxy Tab 2).

