# Reason to go with Dish...or why AT&T Broadband Sucks



## dvdguyjt (Apr 22, 2002)

Hi all -- 

Please excuse the rant, but some of you may understand what I'm going through.
I have AT&T Digital cable. Today, I got no picture, sound, etc. from my boxes. I called AT&T and the told me my boxes had been disabled. They said that my boxes could not "talk back to them" and in order to get things working again, I would have to have a technician come out to re-enable the boxes (in about 2 weeks!!!)...which I think is crap. I'm sure they can reenable it over the phone, but they won't. On top of this, they said that this is my fault because I installed signal boosters on the cable line (two months ago...and there has been no problems until now.) They want to charge ME and make me wait for a technician. When I said I wouldn't pay, and I wanted to cancel the digital cable and go back to analog, they told me there would be a fee for that. What a jip. I said I wouldn't pay it, and they had no comment.

So, the lesson is that AT&T SUCKS!!!!!

They disabled my cable, without telling me...and Yes, I've paid the bills in full. Then they try to charge me and tell me things are my fault. What kind of operation is being run here???I can't wait until 6 weeks from now whan I move and can have Dish network again. I never had these kind of problems with Dish (when I had it) NEVER!!!!!

Thanks for letting me rant...rant mode is off now.

JT


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## RJS1111111 (Mar 23, 2002)

I'm on an AT&T cable modem, mind you.
They never sent anyone out to bury the cable.
I finally had to do it myself, for the safety of my kids.
Yes, I severed the Qwest phone cable, which was
buried about 3 inches deep in my backyard.

Other than that, and a couple of service interruptions,
one lasting several days due to the [email protected]
bankruptcy, I don't have any complaints abou the
service. The company pays the bill so far.

Our TV is DISH Network, however.


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## dishrich (Apr 23, 2002)

Well, not to start an argument with you after all this, but they are correct about the amplifier. Evidently, your system uses 2-way digital boxes that send info back over the system over the same coax. (as opposed to back over a phone connection, which some digital systems still use) If you are using an amp that is only "1-way", you will always have problems. Either you will need get a 2-way amp, or loose it altogether, at least on the runs to your digital boxes. BTW, Radio Shack now has such an amp in their latest catalog - it's about $40 I believe, which should solve your problem.

FYI, you can also cause problems on your cable modem if you put a 1-way amp on your main line as well. Our cable co. always puts a 2-way splitter on the main feed, one feed going to the modem & the other going to ALL TV runs. So, what I normally do is put the amp AFTER this 2-way splitter on the TV leg & have no problems with it then.


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## Scott Greczkowski (Mar 21, 2002)

I was at Best Buy yesterday and they are now selling General Instruments / Motorolla 2 Way Amps for $70 each. These things are real heavy duty.

Scott


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## dvdguyjt (Apr 22, 2002)

I do understand about the amps...but there are two reasons why it makes no sense. First, I have a 2 way amp. It says 2 way in large print on the top of it (and it better be, it cost a mint). Also, the amp is not on the line connected to the digital cable box. It is on the line connected to another TV in the house....Anyway, a follow up to this post, I went to the cable co. this morning and talked to a supervisor. They are sending a tech to my house ASAP, for no charge. Also, they gave me a credit for ALL of my cable service for the time my box was shut off.
A happy ending...except I still don't like AT&T....


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## invaliduser88 (Apr 23, 2002)

AT&T, bring the phone company mentallity to cable.


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## bogi (Apr 3, 2002)

ATT is the worst cable company in the world they just raised their prices for cable again


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## Karl Foster (Mar 23, 2002)

I was so happy with AT&T Broadband that I am now a satellite sub....


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## bogi (Apr 3, 2002)

I just found out from DSLREPORTS that i can get extended basic from the Internet Feed

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/18263

And it might be legal too:
According to the FCC, the demarcation point for CATV is 12 inches out from where the cable enters the house. So basically you own 12 inches from the hole in your house out towards the tap.

ATT never filtered my lines


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## Lyle_JP (Apr 22, 2002)

I was *so* pissed ff over my various experiences with AT&T (internet, cable, and long distance) that when I moved, I dropped _all three_!

I now have Pacific Bell DSL, Sprint long distance, and Dish Network television. My home has been AT&T-free for over a year now and I couldn't be happier.

-Lyle J.P.


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## Scott Greczkowski (Mar 21, 2002)

I must admit I have been getting free cable from my cable company due to this bug.

When I had my cable modem installed I also had their Digital Telephone service installed as well. I asked the techs (Both techs as there were seperate techs for each product) if they put a filter on to block out the cable channels, both of them told me no because if they used a filter it would effect my cable modem and telephone service. One tech even offered to wire up all my TV's in the house for me if I wanted it he said it was no sweat.

Do I feel bad that I am watching cable TV for free?

Not in the least. I inquired first (twice) about filters. The signal is coming in my house, the FCC rules are on my side.

Besides I subscribe to everything on DBS so I am technically paying for the channels I am viewing. I am not using any black boxes or anything like that, just a standard splitter and some cable. I feel that if I am paying for Discovery on satellite that I am also paying for it on the cable line. 

Its not my fault they didn't or can't block it, so I feel no remorse for using it. Again the FCC rules are on my side for this.


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## dishrich (Apr 23, 2002)

Insight here does things 2 different ways, depending on what u sign up for:

If you sign up for cable modem ONLY, (NO TV service at all) they just obviously run the coax directly to your modem & put NO traps whatsoever on your line. Of course, you can just put in a splitter in your line & presto, 60 channels of full analog FREE.

If you sign up for cable modem AND "lifeline only" TV service, THEN they will put traps in AFTER the main 2-way splitter, on the TV side leg, which filters out the expanded line-up. However, since the splitter is located on/in your house, you don't exactly need to be a rocket science to remove the traps. (then don't even bother using security collars here, like some other company's do) 

For myself, I had signed up for "lifeline" only, but since the splitter/traps are in MY basement...(you know the rest of the story) :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## boyddr (Apr 22, 2002)

Time Warner does the same as Insight. I too, have a cable modem (paid for 100% by the job because I do a lot of work form home) and the lifeline only service. However, here they put the filters in the cable junction box which services my house and my neighbor's house; and this junction box sits in my front yard. I guess that since this box is cable company property, I'll just have to live with the lifeline.


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## Guest (Jun 4, 2002)

Depending on the state, passive cable theft is a crime.


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## Scott Greczkowski (Mar 21, 2002)

> Depending on the state, passive cable theft is a crime.


I don't know if this is true or not because the rulling on what you can do with the cable line in your house is made by the FCC which is federal and overrides the local and state laws.

The simple thing here is if the cable companies do not want people to pick up those signals to put the proper filters on the line.

In this instance the person recieving the cable is not the blame, I feel its due to the cable companies lazyness / cheepness to install the proper filters which is the problem.


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## Ronmort (Apr 23, 2002)

I have a situation which is interesting. I live in a double house. I am the owner of the house. My aunt lives next door and has analog cable. I have the basic cable to supplement my dish with locals. Her line is connected in our common cellar to her tv. I would easily be able to add a splitter and run analog cable to one of my televisions without cutting their line. I haven't done so because I am not sure whether this would be considered cable theft. The only new channels I would pick up are YES and Comcast Sports Net, and I would love to have them. Mostly everything else she has is on my sat. Any loopholes here for me?


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## Guest (Jun 4, 2002)

What would the FCC allowing you to do your own wiring have to do with receiving an unauthorized service?

For example, here is Texas...

http://www.reporternews.com/1999/texas/cable1006.html

"The law also makes "passive" cable theft - not reporting that the cable is turned on, even though it wasn't ordered - illegal. It is also illegal to hot wire cable boxes and cable splitters."


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