Ahead at Lightspeed

Jim DeVito · Post by **Jim DeVito** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 8:46 pm

Dave Mechenbier wrote:I thought all these large boxes housed the AT&T sales gnomes that keep popping up on our porch. I've received more Uverse pitches, than I care to count. Want to get a great blank stare? Just ask one of the sales crew why digital phone is better. Bet they can't tell you.

I've looked at Uverse very recently and I can't find a compelling reason to switch. We don't want hundreds of TV channels, we are satisfied with our analog phone and AT&T DSL connection. I've priced our present services (Cox cable, AT&T voice & Internet) and tried to get a comparable all AT&T Uverse package. All it saves is $5/month. Big deal. If the Uverse package with digital phone is such a great technology advance (tongue in cheek) and technology is supposed to lower the cost, what's in it for me?

The warm cozy feeling knowing that all you communications will be taped to make you safer.

"Go back to bed america you government is in control" -(pop quiz... who said that?)

Jim DeVito · Post by **Jim DeVito** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 8:53 pm

Am I correct in saying that the digital phone will stay on in a power outage only as long as the battery in the dsl modem (not the sales hut) will allow?

While I am not sure how long the battery's in the CO will power you POTS phone, I am sure it is longer that the one in the modem.

Bryan Schwegler · Post by **Bryan Schwegler** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 4:56 am

Jim DeVito wrote:Am I correct in saying that the digital phone will stay on in a power outage only as long as the battery in the dsl modem (not the sales hut) will allow?

While I am not sure how long the battery's in the CO will power you POTS phone, I am sure it is longer that the one in the modem.

Very true. During the big power outage a few years back, the regular phones continued to work just fine for the few days the power was out.

Ryan Salo · Post by **Ryan Salo** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:29 pm

For anyone considering the switch

1 week into service

Comparison of Uverse vs Cox

Pros of Uverse
Clearer picture
Quicker channel switching
picture in picture channel preview
full list of show information vs 2 sentences
better HD channels (personal preference)
ability to record up to 4 non HD channels (HD is sames as Cox)
Phone controls on internet and emailed voicemails
Consistent speed at all hours of the day on internet
Point and click DRV controls from internet
Channel locations are grouped together by interest rather then randomly
Less expensive
Free wifi

Cons
Customer service takes FOREVER on the phone
DVR issues in 1080i mode (720p fixed the issues)
No direct line to Uverse - have to call att and the auto attendant doesn't understand the word Uverse very well
Battery back up only lasts 4 hours or so
It seems NO ONE in tech support knows anything, they always put you on hold to check with someone who does (I want that persons direct dial)
Cox had higher peak download speeds (middle of the day)
No clock or channel display on cable boxes
number keys on remote do not light up

So far I am pretty impressed, but we shall see...

Jim DeVito · Post by **Jim DeVito** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:50 pm

Thanks Ryan, it is good to hear a comparison of the two services. To be fair and all.

Jim DeVito · Post by **Jim DeVito** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:51 pm

Please update us in the future.

Jim DeVito · Post by **Jim DeVito** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 3:18 pm

As a public service I am offering the use of my level to the at&t technician who apparently lost his.

Mike Deneen · Post by **Mike Deneen** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 5:40 pm

Ryan--thank you for the comparison.

Like many Big Ten fans, I am tempted to switch from Cox to Uverse due to the Big Ten Network.

May I offer a suggestion?

If you have any comparison updates, could you please do so on a new thread? I think there are many folks considering the switch, and many of them aren't looking at this thread anymore because they assume it is just complaints about the boxes.

Ryan Salo · Post by **Ryan Salo** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 5:55 pm

UPDATE:

Uverse has widespread phone outage.

I have not been able to make or receive any calls since around 3:30pm this afternoon.

I called tech support and must have been one of the first callers, they had no idea why it wasn't working.

I just called again and was told that at least 3 states have outages.

They had promised that during outages calls would be routed to VM, this is not the case. The callers hear that the number has been disconnected.

At least I still have internet and TV - if the electricity stays on

Jim DeVito · Post by **Jim DeVito** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 6:09 pm

Interesting. I believe that uverse still uses the POTS telco system. Am I correct in saying that with cox it is an ip based service. Does anyone have cox phone service that is still working?

As I am working from home right now I hope the power stays on!!

dl meckes · Post by **dl meckes** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:07 pm

We still have land lines, but our cable internet has been fine. (Cox)

Bryan Schwegler · Post by **Bryan Schwegler** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:06 am

Jim DeVito wrote:Interesting. I believe that uverse still uses the POTS telco system. Am I correct in saying that with cox it is an ip based service. Does anyone have cox phone service that is still working?

As I am working from home right now I hope the power stays on!!

Uverse is VoIP (Voice over IP), it doesn't use the normal POTS system, but it does leverage AT&T's net backbone to ensure call routing.

Cox also is VoIP in Cleveland (but not all markets, some of the early phone markets were POTS).

dl meckes · Post by **dl meckes** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:14 pm

Please 'splain that for us Luddites?

Bryan Schwegler · Post by **Bryan Schwegler** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:47 pm

dl meckes wrote:Please 'splain that for us Luddites?

POTS=Plain Old Telephone Service/System. It's essentially the normal phone line, copper wire, etc that every day telephones run on.

VoIP = Voice over IP. In this case, the call is actually carried over the internet just like any other net traffic rather than through the regular phone system.

VoIP is really not much different technology than if you've ever audio or video chatted through IM or Skype.

Here's some more info:
http://www.fcc.gov/voip/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VoIP

dl meckes · Post by **dl meckes** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 7:40 am

Thanks. It was POTS that I didn't know.