Internet bandwidth tiers and being jerked around by ISPs ...

So I'm a little annoyed right now to say the least... We pay for an "up to" 12Mbps tier U-verse DSL internet connection. I've lived in the apartment I'm in for about 2 years. When I moved in the connection was great and consistently close to 11Mbps or so. Fast forward 2 years and the connection is ALWAYS just over 6Mbps. My connection to my PC is wired via Ethernet into the modem and nothing else is using bandwidth in my apartment when I check.

I'm not a tech expert for networking/infrastructure/ISP by any means, but I'm also far from being computer and tech illiterate. I had an awesome AT&T tech in my place a week ago to fix a disconnected connection and he did that no problem, but he also made it plain that there is no reason I should be consistently getting just over 6Mbps on a line where I know (and have seen) speeds up to 10-11Mbps in the past. Nothing has changed in terms of my lines or infrastructure in my apartment building.


I was on the phone with a rep/support guy in India for AT&T for an hour and after they had me run a their own speed check where I marked in at 6.21Mbps he promptly told me that technically I'm still in the range for "up to 12mbps" and that 6.1Mbps is the minimum for that range...


-----> So if I know speeds can and have been in the past easily up in the 10-11Mbps range and now any time I check it's consistently just over 6Mbps then (and I asked him this) is there any reason why I shouldn't be able to drop to the lower tier speed that is "up to" 6Mbps and consistently get exactly 6Mbps on a wired connection with no other devices using bandwidth?
It literally is the same infrastructure, right? He gave me bullshit about how if I dropped to that tier the minimum speed would be something like 2Mbps. Is there literally nothing I can do or should I keep calling or tell them my speed IS lower than 6.1Mbps and ...


I totally understand why people hate so many of the big telecom/cable/ISPs. There is no reason they should be jerking people around like they do. So they can provide a certain speed, but they are actually satisfied giving their customers literally half of what they essentially advertise, but then say they aren't able to provide slightly less than half (6Mbps) and drop me to a lower bandwidth tier? Even if I am just dumb and don't understand the tech aspect of it they literally showed no interest in even acknowledging that what I'm getting is HALF of what I'm essentially paying for. On top of that they are saying if I want to pay less I won't even be able to get just below the *minimum* of the 12Mbps tier.


Is there anything I can actually do? Should I go about this in a different way? The tech who was actually at my place agreed they should pro-rate my bill or something since it's so low. On the phone however they were totally fine with saying I'm in the "range" of what they call acceptable. I read on other forums people say generally you should get at least 80% consistently at least of your promised package.... The "support" guy I talked to for an hour seemed fine with me getting almost literally 50 percent of my promised package. Yes, I understand the phrase "up to," but when the speeds in the past have been almost up to 12 you're telling me that "network congestion" is now suddenly and consistently bringing it down to 6mbps?

If you are on old AT&T legacy DSL there's not a lot that can be done. It is being phased out and moved to U-Verse. If you're using U-Verse internet then you should consistently get 80% or better. "Network Gongestion" is a non-issue with U-verse. It's a direct line from your house to the point of service (VRAD or CO), and a fiber network at that point. Regardless of DSL or U-verse I'd make another ticket (making a repeat for the last tech, but unavoidable) and speak with that techs supervisor. Unless the last tech left you his number, then call him to reach his manager. They may choose to devote time to solving the issue. If not, then keep calling in tickets. With each ticket there is an escalation, and the next level supervisor is made aware of it. This is incredibly annoying, but is the only way to force their hand if they don't choose to devote time to it to begin with. You could mention to the supervisor that you don't want to keep calling in and making your account a CHRONIC. (that's like a 4 letter word at AT&T)

I don't know your specific circumstances, i.e. the contition of the cable in your area, or within the apartment complex, and the distance you are from the point of service, so I can't give anything other than general advice. And as a field technician for AT&T I need to be on both sides of the fence at the same time.

Talk about hating ISPs.....

I was with Comcast when I lived in the Chicago area for 18 months. When I resigned one of my employees asked me if I was with Comcast, when i said I was - he told me to make sure I save the receipt when i return the equipment, because they will say they didn't get it. Sure as sh*t that's what happened. A$$holes.

Thanks for the advice. I had a really good tech from them out a week or two ago and he told me that it could be I'm still on "ADSL" vs the newer "VDSL." Is there any way I can directly contact the point of service of AT&T nearest me that actually delivers me service and they can look into it that way? Obviously some rep in India doesn't know a thing (or care) about my area so he'll just give me the corporate run around.

I've read talk about "congestion" too, but even not understanding too much of the actual networking that seems insane to me. I understand I'm not on fiber or other options with much higher speeds, but in an age where we can get 50Mbps or even gigabit connections in some places you're telling me there isn't enough "bandwidth" to get an area a reliable 12Mbps. I don't know. I just feel like ISPs do need to be regulated and actually provide consistent speeds or at least not be able to vary so much in what is offered vs what you actually get.

Through your technician is the only way to get the local service info. Either call the last technician if he left his number, or get another one out and speak with his supervisor. The folks overseas don't have a single clue. It's best to deal with the folks that come to your house. They work the area, and are very familiar with it.

Tip: unplug your modem before calling the automated system. Sometimes it will see that you are out of service and go directly to making an appointment rather than troubleshooting with India over the phone. If you get one of them, refuse to troubleshoot and make an appointment. They will threaten you with a charge, but that doesn't happen unless the tech that comes out adds the charge. Given your intent to get a supervisor involved to resolve your issue, I highly doubt that would happen.

As a technician, I unfortunately hear your plight on occasion. There is almost always something that can be done to correct it. Get your local technician out, speak with his supervisor, and I'm sure that it can get resolved. It's all too often that folks on the other end of the phone says one thing, and the field tech that does it for a living has to explain how it actually works.

Yeah thanks. I love most of the actual technicians who come out as they'll usually do everything they can to address issues you have. I hope I didn't lose the guy's card, but I'll try to get the local info. If I can't find it would it most likely be in Cleveland? I live about 30 miles outside of Cleveland. Are they usually in the big cities or can it be pretty much anywhere. Hmm...

Yeah... I do NOT want to go through talking to random people in another country again. I could tell he thought I didn't know anything so he could tell me whatever BS he wanted. I know they are told to say certain stuff too, but it just boggles my mind how little they will actually do on the corporate end for customers who are obviously being screwed one way or another. I kind of want to "downgrade" my speed and see if I then get a solid and reliable 6Mbps since that's about what I'm getting now, but I'm afraid if I do that they'll do the same thing and I'll end up getting an actual 2Mbps with the "up to 6Mbps" caveat.

What is VRAD or CO and does it make a difference to me? The tech was telling me something about how possibly my line could still be the "older" ADSL and maybe it could be changed to VDSL? Is that a possibility and is there a way I can check that on my end?

Thanks tex.proud!

Sent ya a PM

Thanks tex.proud. Awesome peeps like you and peeps on Reddit are helping me so much with companies like AT&T who obviously actually despise their paying customers...


So I'm being jerked around by AT&T even more now... I just posted this on Reddit. Basically after my internet was disconnected accidentally somebody had to come reconnect it. I told the tech who came my internet wasn't even close to the max of my speed tier... he switched out my modem and guaranteed me to my face (of course not recorded) that I wouldn't be billed for that modem. Now my service actually cuts out more (aka is worse) AND they started billing me 10 bucks or more a month for several equipment fees plus tax.... are you kidding me? I'll just post what I posted on Reddit. No wonder people hate Comcast/AT&T/etc.... they literally do not care about keeping their customers happy at all.

So my connection with AT&T U-verse (DSL) which is an "up to 12Mbps" tier, but never goes a bit (pun intended) above 6.2Mbps (oh the minimum is 6.1Mbps conveniently for that tier) was out and I had to have a tech come to fix it...
Somebody did and got it all reconnected just fine. However, I mentioned to the tech I'm getting no where near the 12Mbps I pay for and he agreed that's not right. He switched out my modem I've had for years from them and have been paying NO monthly charge for. He said I wouldn't be charged anything for this new modem (no monthly equipment fee).
My internet speed has not changed one bit (still no where near the 12Mbps of the U) and actually the new modem seems to drop out my connection a few times a day unlike the old one we had. On top of that I actually just saw my bill and they are freaking charging me several equipment charges now adding up to 11 bucks a month now...


RECAP: Trying to fix my speeds and outages not only has resulted in worse service overall now, but also higher monthly charges. I want to scream and punch their corporate faces into oblivion. On the phone I was basically mocked by some useless "tech" support guy in India and treated like I knew absolutely nothing about tiers and how they work. I wanted to "downgrade" to 6Mbps and get exactly 6Mbps since that's what I get now and he gives me the run around about how my speed would be more like 2Mbps even though I've had techs in my house tell me that should be possible.


We HAVE to stop corporate lobbying of all types as is just hurts the consumer and with the example of telecom/ISPs like this gives them no reason to actually make things better for consumers. Internet NEEDS to actually become a utility in the USA and there needs to be way more competition. I'm so angry that a company would treat its paying customers like such poop and not do anything until you basically explode on them every day for months. I'll be calling them again and going to basically the one other provider in the area if they can't do anything for me and get rid of charges they said they wouldn't be giving me (and do anything about my abysmal speeds).


AT&T is horrible and should be ashamed of themselves as a corporation just like companies like Comcast. They not only aren't helping me with support and problems I'm having with their service, but have actually made it worse and now have the gall to try to charge me more when they specifically promised me in person (at least the tech who visited me) they wouldn't.