U-Verse Gets Minor UpgradesGames, search features and convergence... ( old news - 08:49AM Tuesday Sep 18 2007) tags: dsl · Video · business · TVIP · AT&T U-VerseAT&T says they've increased the availability of their U-Verse IPTV and VDSL service in the Fort Worth, Texas area. The market is also the first to see several minor functionality upgrades, including an IPTV Yellowpages search tool, new games (of the casual Mah-jongg variety) and something AT&T is calling the "U-bar": "[AT&T U-bar] brings Internet-like content to the television screen in the form of local weather, stock, sports, and traffic information. Customers who also subscribe to AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet U-verse enabled have the option to customize the U-bar from their AT&T Yahoo! broadband account to display weather at a specified location, their personal stock portfolio, and scores for their favorite sports teams." Related: See our discussion with AT&T concerning U-Verse expansion from last Friday.
Related:- U-Verse Hits 100,000 Users
- U-Verse Install Time Streamlined
- AT&T Hates Forced Bundling -- Or Do They?
- AT&T Revises U-Verse Deployment Projections
- AT&T Sets New U-Verse Goals
- U-Verse Arrives In Columbus
- U-Verse Hits Northeastern Illinois
- U-Verse Voice Launches In Austin, San Diego
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cypherstream
There's no place like 127.0.0.1
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
 ·Cingular Wireless
| Nice little touches I like the nice little touches AT&T adds to the service. Why can't Comcast do that with their TV service?
From the article:
* AT&T U-bar, which brings Internet-like content to the television screen in the form of local weather, stock, sports, and traffic information. Customers who also subscribe to AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet U-verse enabled have the option to customize the U-bar from their AT&T Yahoo! broadband account to display weather at a specified location, their personal stock portfolio, and scores for their favorite sports teams.
* YELLOWPAGES.COM TV, an intuitive new way to search for local businesses and other information via U-verse TV.
* AT&T Yahoo! Games, available over the television screen, including Sudoku, Solitaire, JT's Blocks, Mah-jongg Tiles, and Chess.
It seems as if they might have great software. It's a shame they didn't run fiber to the home though. Our area would never see it, were in Verizon territory, not AT&T. | |
| slcpd6469
join:2003-09-25
Valley Park, MO | Nice name With a name like AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet U-verse I think I'll stick with Charter HSI. Much easier to say. | |
|  | 
jslik
That just happened
Premium
join:2006-03-17
clubs:
| Re: Nice name said by slcpd6469  :With a name like AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet U-verse I think I'll stick with Charter HSI. Much easier to say. Not to mention the fact that "U-Bar" is awfully close to "FUBAR".....
--
If they told you wolverines would make good house pets, would you believe them?
-"Planes, Trains & Automobiles" | |
| deadzoned
Premium
join:2005-04-13
Baton Rouge, LA
 ·Cox HSI
| Here's a profound statement... Heh, it doesn't matter how much make-up or pretty clothes at&t dresses up their u-verse pig in because at the end of the day, it's still just a pig except with make-up and pretty clothes.
U-Verse - Lowering the bar and your expectations for over a year. | |
| | openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Navarre, FL
 ·AT&T Southeast
·Mediacom
| Re: Here's a profound statement... Do you have, or have you had, AT&T's Uverse service? Since you are able to formulate such a negative position, I'm curious if you have experience with the service, or if you're simply basing your opinion on other comments spread around the Internet.
Personally, I will welcome AT&T when they merge in the BS market and begin rolling out service. Competition is good. | |
| | | matrix3D
join:2006-09-27
Deep River, CT | Re: Here's a profound statement... I believe he's referring to the fact that U-Verse is a far more inferior product than a true FTTH solution like Verizon's FIOS. No matter what way you look at it, running copper as opposed to fiber for any part of a connection is inferior. | |
| | | | openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Navarre, FL
·AT&T Southeast
·Mediacom
| Re: Here's a profound statement... It's only inferior if you're following the "FTTH is the only way" crowd. Copper, fiber, wireless, tin cans and string, smoke signals....it doesn't matter what the conduit is as long as it's capable of carrying the data. So far (with exception of multiple HD streams, which I believe to be a minimal hurdle for most residential services), Uverse has proven that copper is capable of doing the job at this time. Utilizing existing copper lowers AT&T's expense, maintains relatively low consumer costs, and allows AT&T to do a phased deployment of FTTH at whatever point in time that it is required.
Bottom line is that for all of the whiners in this forum that don't feel they have competition, AT&T's efforts should be welcomed. I also fail to see how someone can legitimately bad-mouth a product without actually trying said product. | |
| | | | | deadzoned
Premium
join:2005-04-13
Baton Rouge, LA
·Cox HSI
edit:
September 18th, @10:58AM
| Re: Here's a profound statement... openbox9 -
I assume then that you have used the U-Verse service yourself? You seem to be just as bullish about your opinion that U-Verse is great.
I have news for you. Just because at&t is offering tv service in an extremely limited fashion to customers lucky enough to be in an area that actually offers U-Verse, does not automatically usher a new era of competition. We still have 2 major choices for tv - Cable or Satellite. We still have only 2 major choices for Internet - Cable or DSL.
This crappy, sub-par, U-Verse offering that at&t is "rolling out" is a loser in the race before it even starts. My current cable service blows away the current U-Verse offerings.
Oh, and I hope you are a patient person. I think pigs will fly and hell will freeze over before at&t offers U-Verse to the BellSouth areas. Besides, at that point, they will more than likely finally realize that U-Verse is inferior and begin considering running FTTH. I doubt it though, they seem pretty stupid to me.
Of course, you think that U-Verse is ushering in competition and choice, maybe you can wait. | |
| | | | | | bogey780
join:2004-03-19
Covington, LA | Re: Here's a profound statement... 'I think pigs will fly and hell will freeze over before at&t offers U-Verse to the BellSouth areas.'
Man, you should have read the memo before making that bet. | |
| | | | | | | deadzoned
Premium
join:2005-04-13
Baton Rouge, LA
·Cox HSI
| Re: Here's a profound statement... You act as if they haven't canceled a U-Verse roll-out before! I'll believe it when I see it. Between the State Franchise fights and the fact that they seem unwilling or unable to roll out U-Verse in any significant manner, makes me take the wait and see approach. | |
| | | | | | | | bogey780
join:2004-03-19
Covington, LA | Re: Here's a profound statement... Considering it's footprint is as big as it is with it going on a year about now, I'd say the roll-out is going at a decent clip. | |
| | | | | | openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Navarre, FL
·AT&T Southeast
·Mediacom
| said by deadzoned :openbox9 - I assume then that you have used the U-Verse service yourself? You seem to be just as bullish about your opinion that U-Verse is great. No I haven't, and I don't mean to be bullish any more than you intend to be bearish. I was asking the question mainly to determine if you have firsthand experience or not.said by deadzoned :I have news for you. Just because at&t is offering tv service in an extremely limited fashion to customers lucky enough to be in an area that actually offers U-Verse, does not automatically usher a new era of competition. We still have 2 major choices for tv - Cable or Satellite. We still have only 2 major choices for Internet - Cable or DSL. I hope you realize this, but any competition to any market will be incremental. There is simply no mechanism to "flip a switch" and all of a sudden have this great third competitor in a market. I realize that AT&T's buildout will take a while (just like Verizon's fiber deployment), but the fact that it is coming is a good thing. I may not see it before I move, but it is on the horizon somewhere.said by deadzoned :This crappy, sub-par, U-Verse offering that at&t is "rolling out" is a loser in the race before it even starts. My current cable service blows away the current U-Verse offerings. What does "blows away" mean in your context? As far as I know, Uverse and a majority of cableco offerings are fairly similar in services available. Video, voice, internet, and other various options. What am I missing?said by deadzoned :Oh, and I hope you are a patient person. I think pigs will fly and hell will freeze over before at&t offers U-Verse to the BellSouth areas. Did you miss DSLR's interview the AT&T's Uverse rep last week?said by deadzoned :Besides, at that point, they will more than likely finally realize that U-Verse is inferior and begin considering running FTTH. Once again, fiber is not the be all and end all.said by deadzoned :Of course, you think that U-Verse is ushering in competition and choice, maybe you can wait. Considering that I don't currently have much of a choice, I have no problem waiting  | |
| | | | | | bcoleman71
join:2007-09-18
Dallas, TX
| I wake up this morning and go through my daily routine of getting ready for work and then I turn on CNN and am shocked to hear this...
"Breaking news...we have been getting reports from all across the country that pigs have suddenly developed wings and are flying around terrifying the masses. We have also been getting occasional reports of pig turds falling out of the sky and breaking windows and smashing into windshields of cars on the freeway.
And this just in...It seems that we are also getting reports from farmers across the midwest that these pigs have been flying in and eating their crops. In response to the events unfolding this morning, President Bush has announced a new war on pigs and has ordered his staff to put together a plan of action for fighting these 'flying evil-doing mud dwellers'.
Also, we have been getting reports that some link these astonishing developing events to the fact that AT&T will be offering their U-Verse service in their newly acquired BellSouth territory."
At this point, I'm thinking this must be a dream...right? Then suddenly I hear a knock at the door...I open it and it's Satan!
Satan: I need a place to stay for a while...Hell froze over! Can you help me?
Me: NO!
And I slam the door in his face...after a minute I start to feel guilty because you know...I ask myself "WWJD?" and I go to let him in but before I could get to the door, my house is burning...
So, now, I'm on my cell phone (which happens to be with the 'new' AT&T) with my lawyer to see if I have a case against AT&T for starting this whole thing when suddenly the call drops... | |
| | | | | | | deadzoned
Premium
join:2005-04-13
Baton Rouge, LA
·Cox HSI
| Re: Here's a profound statement... I'm in newly acquired BellSouth territory and they don't seem to be offering it to me.
Are you saying that you can get it? Why not order it then? Let us know your thoughts on it, you know, if you can get it. I guess it's one of those limited-roll-out things huh? Hope the neighborhood is small and that you aren't too far away. | |
| | | | | | | | | | | openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Navarre, FL
·AT&T Southeast
·Mediacom
| Re: Here's a profound statement... said by etaadmin :You don't have to own FTTN uverse to learn how crappy the service is. Just visit some uverse sites and read the posts. I'm sure I can find positive feedback about Uverse as well. Uverse is a new service, still in deployment mode, and there will be bugs to be worked out. Until someone proves to me that FTTN can't work (cablecos have no problem with FTTN...and yes I'm aware of the differences between coax and twisted pair), I'll maintain my desire to test Uverse if/when it comes to my area. | |
| | | | | | | etaadmin
join:2002-01-17
Dallas, TX
edit:
September 18th, @01:49PM
| Re: Here's a profound statement... said by openbox9 :said by etaadmin :You don't have to own FTTN uverse to learn how crappy the service is. Just visit some uverse sites and read the posts. I'm sure I can find positive feedback about Uverse as well. Uverse is a new service, still in deployment mode, and there will be bugs to be worked out. Until someone proves to me that FTTN can't work (cablecos have no problem with FTTN...and yes I'm aware of the differences between coax and twisted pair), I'll maintain my desire to test Uverse if/when it comes to my area. I'm sure you can find positive feedback (like your unsubstantiated post) unfortunately I don't care about positive feedback, all I care about are results.
I don't care is the service is new or if the service is in development or if the details need to be worked out all I want is to turn on my TV and watch picture clear HDTV also I don't care about the new 'minor craplets' added to uverse's TV 'experience'
If you know the difference between coaxial and cat5 then you must know the difference between fiber (FTTP/FTTH) and twisted pair (FTTN). | |
| | | | | | | | 
Wah
@pteinc.com | Re: Here's a profound statement... quote:
If you know the difference between coaxial and cat5 then you must know the difference between fiber (FTTP/FTTH) and twisted pair (FTTN).
Yea not much | |
| | | | | | | | openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Navarre, FL
·AT&T Southeast
·Mediacom
| said by etaadmin :all I care about are results. Results are great and I would expect as much from any provider that I'm shelling money out to. I'm not disputing that one bit.said by etaadmin :If you know the difference between coaxial and cat5 then you must know the difference between fiber (FTTP/FTTH) and twisted pair (FTTN). Yep, I know the difference between FTTP, FTTH, FTTN, and many other acronyms. My point is that FTTN has served the cablecos well for quite some time, and now it is doing the same for AT&T. Pulling fiber to the house is not the only method to provide service; it's a good method, but there are others. If you only care about results, you shouldn't care if you have FTTN or FTTP. | |
| | | | | | | | | etaadmin
join:2002-01-17
Dallas, TX
| Re: Here's a profound statement... said by openbox9 :If you only care about results, you shouldn't care if you have FTTN or FTTP. AT&T can't get results without FTTP/HTTH... at least not the results I want. | |
| | |
StickToTheFacts
@cox.net
| said by openbox9 :Do you have, or have you had, AT&T's Uverse service? Since you are able to formulate such a negative position, I'm curious if you have experience with the service, or if you're simply basing your opinion on other comments spread around the Internet. Maybe he is basing his statement on the comments of users that actually have UVerse and aren't satisfied with it? The delusion that all of the UVerse subscribers that have the service are happy with it, ergo the service is the greatest thing ever, seems to be a common one on this site. | |
| | | | openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Navarre, FL
·AT&T Southeast
·Mediacom
| Re: Here's a profound statement... said by StickToTheFacts :
The delusion that all of the UVerse subscribers that have the service are happy with it, ergo the service is the greatest thing ever, seems to be a common one on this site. No different than the delusion that cable is awesome, FiOS rocks, or satellite TV is the only way to go. It's nice to have various options available for different people to choose from. That's why AT&T's entrance into the marketplace is good. People can make all of the Death Star comments that they want to, but the bottom line is that deploying Uverse is a plus for the marketplace. | |
| | | | skrupowies
join:2002-08-22
Wallingford, CT
clubs:
 ·AT&T U-Verse
| said by StickToTheFacts :said by openbox9 :Do you have, or have you had, AT&T's Uverse service? Since you are able to formulate such a negative position, I'm curious if you have experience with the service, or if you're simply basing your opinion on other comments spread around the Internet. Maybe he is basing his statement on the comments of users that actually have UVerse and aren't satisfied with it? The delusion that all of the UVerse subscribers that have the service are happy with it, ergo the service is the greatest thing ever, seems to be a common one on this site.
I have AT&T Uverse TV and have had it for about three months now. Thus far I have had ZERO problems with it. Prior to Uverse I had Comcast which I dropped as soon as Uverse was available. I am now getting far more channels for less than I was paying for less. As far as picture quality, since I don't have them side by side all I can say is they are both very good. I have occasional pixelation and I had occasional pixelation with Comcast.
As far as I'm concerned the DVR is better with Uverse, I can record 4 channels at once instead of 2. I also have the added flexibility of setting a program to record from my PC while at work or from my cell phone. I could NOT do that with Comcast.
How anyone can say Uverse is a "far inferior" product is beyond me. I am very aware that I can only get one HD stream at a time but I only have one HD TV so it's no big deal. Other than that I get all the channels I had with Comcast and more.
My 6Meg internet is rock solid AND it has NO caps. Can you Comcasters say that? NO CAPS!!! NO DOWNLOAD LIMITS!!!! I am also aware that I can only "only" get 6 meg service. I, personally, don't see that as a limitation. For general browsing it is actually a little faster because of lower latency. I am not a heavy duty downloader so 6 meg is fine.
In fact I would say that MOST people in this country would be more than satisfied with 6 meg or less. Believe it or not guys, the vast majority of internet users use it for email, web browsing and downloading an occasional song. That does not require 30 meg to do nor the extra cost for it.
Considering that I am getting more channels, rock solid internet (and they provide the wireless router) and paying less - I would have to say that AT&T Uverse is a hit. | |
| | | crwolv
join:2002-01-28
Trenton, MI
| I have att vdsl and accept for problems{witch they keep giving me credits for, haven't had to pay for 3 months!!!!}I LOVE it the picture is 5 times better than comcast was {for real} love the pic in picture channel surfing,just got the games and u-bar,customer service is great! When the kinks are out i will be in the lead for best tv out there and i allready like it better than me more expensive comcast!!!!!!!!! If u can get it ,GET IT!! | |
| 
digitalfreak
Frodo failed. Bush has the ring
join:2005-12-09
49533 | DSL I just want > 6Mbps DSL (at a reasonable price as well)! | |
| |
vzw emp
@qwest.net
| Re: DSL depending on where you live, AT&T already offers 6/768 dsl service in the columbus metro area. the problem i have with Uverse is, why roll out Uverse if it's no improvement over their existing service? does their fiber/vdsl plan offer more capacity or a better service? maybe it's cheaper to operate (not really)? if AT&T launches a 6/1 Uverse offering in the columbus area later this year as rumored, i don't see the advantage over their already existing service. seems like a waste of money, though waste is a relative term for a corporation who paid their departing ceo $125 million. wonder how many homes that could have wired. | |
| 
TeatherWind
join:2001-08-21
Euless, TX | UVerse Trying it out.. and just like anything else with their service, either the DVR is underpowered.. or they simply don't have the bandwith to support yahoo games. | |
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Question
@sbcglobal.net | AT&T Memo Apparently AT&T had a memo that had the release dates for the other markets for the U-bar. It got leaked online. U-talk took it down but apparently it's still online. Anyone know where I can find it? | |
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Question
@sbcglobal.net | Does anyone know where that AT&T memo that has the other market release dates is? | |
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