We've been having issues with our internet service and are looking for some feedback from the tribe, on reliability, speed and customer service experiences for AT&T fiber or Spectrum, as those are the two available where we are located.
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Internet customer service and reliability
- Thread starter Tricia
- Start date
Wait...you have options?
Spectrum has been fine here. I suspect it can vary from location to location. That's about my only recent experience with any kind of cable though.
Spectrum has been fine here. I suspect it can vary from location to location. That's about my only recent experience with any kind of cable though.
Andy Mink
Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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Did your new gear speed things up at all?
As I have said over and over, they all suck differently, it is a matter of finding the one that sucks least for you.
I have this, with 2 mesh points.
I also have Spectrum. Only choice. Though I do not do a lot of Uploading.
I also have Spectrum. Only choice. Though I do not do a lot of Uploading.
We're in totally different region, but choices are ATT and Spectrum also.
Spectrum has better download/upload speeds for same money. ATT was a bit more money, slower internet download, MUCH slower upload rate, but outtages/hiccups were very rare. Spectrum has more random hiccups than ATT. They are bad in different ways. ATT was better for me in WFH environment most of the time due to better reliability. It sucked consistently whereas Spectrum is great until it's not. Getting disconnected is very disruptive for me when WFH because of all the security layers.
Spectrum is better for recreational/home entertainment. We can watch higher definition on Netflix/HBO Max/etc with Spectrum than we could with ATT. Outage/hiccup frequency is low enough that it doesn't affect streaming much, but my PC/vpn definitely notices them.
Spectrum has better download/upload speeds for same money. ATT was a bit more money, slower internet download, MUCH slower upload rate, but outtages/hiccups were very rare. Spectrum has more random hiccups than ATT. They are bad in different ways. ATT was better for me in WFH environment most of the time due to better reliability. It sucked consistently whereas Spectrum is great until it's not. Getting disconnected is very disruptive for me when WFH because of all the security layers.
Spectrum is better for recreational/home entertainment. We can watch higher definition on Netflix/HBO Max/etc with Spectrum than we could with ATT. Outage/hiccup frequency is low enough that it doesn't affect streaming much, but my PC/vpn definitely notices them.
I am on the other side of the country. YMMV.
We have both RCN & Spectrum on our block. Verizon been promising Fios for more than 10 years. Still no.
They are both about the same. in terms of performance and monthly rate.
We switch from one to the other every 12 months. The rate goes up after 12 months.
Because we are loyal customers? 
I guessed they think we are stupid.
We have both RCN & Spectrum on our block. Verizon been promising Fios for more than 10 years. Still no.
They are both about the same. in terms of performance and monthly rate.
We switch from one to the other every 12 months. The rate goes up after 12 months.
Because we are loyal customers? I guessed they think we are stupid.
Thread Starter
TS
This is a long story to be shared over a beverage.
Turns out the new unit was sent on a residential plan, and we have a small business plan.
The only way we can do it is if we pay twice what we were quoted when they convinces us to upgrade the plan, so we spent 4.5 hrs on the phone and talked to 10 different people from...
Wireless - oops I can't work with you on internet
Uverse business - oops I can't talk to you about the new equipment because it is ordered under a residential account
Uverse residential - oops we can't talk to you because you have a small business internet account
Combined accounts....How did you get through to us? We only deal with residentail combined accounts and it looks like you have a wireless residential account and a commercial internet account.
.......(waiting - tick, tick tick,) Ma'am, let me transfer you to the loyalty department since you've been with ATT for 20 years.
Thread Starter
TS
We currently have a 100/20 plan and were trying to upgrade to a 500/500 plan.I have this, with 2 mesh points.
I also have Spectrum. Only choice. Though I do not do a lot of Uploading.
View attachment 174926
As you can imagine, working on the YouTube channel has revealed a necessity to upgrade.
I really try to not get on public wifi, but I did use the hospital wifi when I was there for three days last month and I was impressed how much faster the videos transported to YouTube while I was on their internet.
So @Dwight would this work with ATT Uverse and what could we expect from it?
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Thread Starter
TS
So, that being said, for moving video reviews over to our youtube channel is better on ATT?
Am I understanding this correctly?
Its the upload speads that are troublesome to us when doing the YouTube work.
Our ATT had lower upload limits than Spectrum. So when we moved to Spectrum, it was much better for uploading large files to a server, such as you do with a youtube video. It will depend on your specific plan as to which (ATT/Spectrum) is better.
Most users have lower upload requirements than download. If you saturate the upload, it usually makes internet terrible for everyone on the connection (even if they are not uploading themselves).
Thread Starter
TS
@Seldomski Good information.
That being said, I doubt the booster that @Dwight is talking about will do much for our YouTube needs unless we change the upload plan as well.
That being said, I doubt the booster that @Dwight is talking about will do much for our YouTube needs unless we change the upload plan as well.
Make sure you don't upload raw youtube files. Though even altered 4K files can be rather large.
You might need to go business account to get faster uploads. https://www.spectrum.com/business/internet
Thread Starter
TS
Oy, I wondered if I was exagerating the time on the phone yesterday so I just looked at the phone call times on my phone. Three calls total because we got disconnnected twice.
2h28m
1h 31m
0h 34m
2h28m
1h 31m
0h 34m
Thread Starter
TS
Am I confused about what upload means?
I'm talking about uploading our reviews to YouTube.
With ATT, our upload speed was <5 Mbps. That was noticeably terrible for uploading videos. At the time, I think it was serviced wirelessly and not with a fiber cable. With spectrum, we are now much higher upload rates and I assume it is a wired link. Over 20Mbps upload (tested with my phone this morning, but was probably limited more by my phone hardware and line of sight to the router than anything else).
5G phone can upload up to ~20Mbps. https://about.att.com/sites/broadband/performance
Spectrum is less transparent since I think their service varies considerably with specific location (ie what block you are on can matter).
We are several states away, so YMMV. We also have not shopped for internet in a couple years, so ATT could be better now.
Sounds like every time I have to talk to ATT for work.
Giant other thread about the 5G Home Internet services.. but my short answer to this situation is still going with TWO separate ISPs in addition to the cell phone hotspot option. Without two legit separate ISP working wifi routers I'd be having to put ip the hotspot 4-5 times a week for at least an hour while working.. Sometimes all day. They all suck so having a back up plan for said suckage is well worth another $30/month.
I no longer wake up and have a panic attack when the internet is out AGAIN.. I just hop over to the other one and complain about the service outage while chuckling to myself.
I no longer wake up and have a panic attack when the internet is out AGAIN.. I just hop over to the other one and complain about the service outage while chuckling to myself.
Thread Starter
TS
To be honest, we've had really good luck with ATT customer service for as long as we've been with them. This is the first time I ever felt like screaming to blow off steam.