Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Some of you may know that I have had ongoing problems w/ getting good signals w/ UVerse. First of all, I want to say - I know plenty of folks who have had nothing but great experiences w/ UVerse, but we are just too far away from the node (or whatever it is called) . . . and after a year of utter frustration and continued service issues . . . I am trying to untangle this UVerse mess.
I have set up all TVs as OTA w/ antennae. The reception is remarkable - better than what I had w/ either cable or UVerse - beautiful picture. So I am pleased, even tho I hate not having many stations. I have worked around that w/ Netflix, Hulu and am pleased w/ the $$$ I have saved monthly.
Today, UVerse was out yet again - both phone and internet. I held on the phone for nearly an hour trying to get things back on track. My bill is equivalent to my son's car payment, so this is past ridiculous (high cost, crappy service) and I have to make a change.
What do I do? Here are the options as I understand them.
I have to have a phone line b/c hubby and I work from home. Can't just have a cell phone.
No one can provide me with a landline except AT&T, correct? Can I get a landline from AT&T and then get Long Distance and internet service from Vonage? If I am having trouble w/ a good signal from UVerse, isn't Vonage the same set up - VOiP? I am so confused.
Please help me figure out what to do to have this set up:
1. landline, keeping my same phone number
2. Internet connection wh/ is robust and stable (had DSL b/f switching to UVerse)
I am in S. Charlotte, if that helps w/ figuring out what services are available.
Also - cannot use satellite - no direct line of sight - have already been through that.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,814 posts, read 34,722,678 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by anifani821
Some of you may know that I have had ongoing problems w/ getting good signals w/ UVerse. First of all, I want to say - I know plenty of folks who have had nothing but great experiences w/ UVerse, but we are just too far away from the node (or whatever it is called) . . . and after a year of utter frustration and continued service issues . . . I am trying to untangle this UVerse mess.
I have set up all TVs as OTA w/ antennae. The reception is remarkable - better than what I had w/ either cable or UVerse - beautiful picture. So I am pleased, even tho I hate not having many stations. I have worked around that w/ Netflix, Hulu and am pleased w/ the $$$ I have saved monthly.
Today, UVerse was out yet again - both phone and internet. I held on the phone for nearly an hour trying to get things back on track. My bill is equivalent to my son's car payment, so this is past ridiculous (high cost, crappy service) and I have to make a change.
What do I do? Here are the options as I understand them.
I have to have a phone line b/c hubby and I work from home. Can't just have a cell phone.
No one can provide me with a landline except AT&T, correct? Can I get a landline from AT&T and then get Long Distance and internet service from Vonage? If I am having trouble w/ a good signal from UVerse, isn't Vonage the same set up - VOiP? I am so confused.
Please help me figure out what to do to have this set up:
1. landline, keeping my same phone number
2. Internet connection wh/ is robust and stable (had DSL b/f switching to UVerse)
I am in S. Charlotte, if that helps w/ figuring out what services are available.
Also - cannot use satellite - no direct line of sight - have already been through that.
Ani, your choices are my choices.
You have to go with AT&T for the land line. Either go with AT&T for DSL or Time Warner for internet.
I personally think Time Warner Cable is great. Perhaps its because I moved from a place with awful cable/internet (Cox Communications) but Time Warner has not let me down after 5 years.
For that reason, I would go with their bundle for phone and internet. I think you can get it for around $70 per month but their promotions change all the time. You can keep your same phone number but the phone signal travels through the cable lines (VOIP). You could also do internet only through TWC ($45 per month) and get Vonage for $25 per month which is unlimited local and long distance. Vonage also lets you setup your cell phone as a backup in-case the internet goes out and someone calls you it will also ring your cell.
If you're going to go VOIP, and the prices are similar, I'd suggest you get your phone from your cable internet provider instead of Vonage.
Vonage uses your bandwidth from your internet connection, but most VOIP options I've seen that go through your internet provider do not hit your internet line (it's a separate line/IP). If you do a lot of downloads and/or have a usage cap, you'll definitely care about this.
Hi ani
I have a family member who is very happy with Windstream. She has phone, Internet, and TV Get a Double Play with a Lifetime Price Guarantee before it goes away! (http://www.windstream.com/Lifetime/ - broken link)
Windstream may not be good if you watch a lot of videos (Netflix, Hulu, etc.) since the download speeds are not as fast as cable or uverse. I have not actually tried it but it would be something to look into first.
Hi ani
I have a family member who is very happy with Windstream. She has phone, Internet, and TV Get a Double Play with a Lifetime Price Guarantee before it goes away! (http://www.windstream.com/Lifetime/ - broken link)
In reading more thoroughly, I keep seeing the word DISH for TV, but I haven't seen a dish at her house(?)
Well that is what confused us, too. It says DISH and we have already tried Direct TV here when we first moved here - didn't work at all. I am gonna give windstream a call and see what the heck it really is, lol.
If you're going to go VOIP, and the prices are similar, I'd suggest you get your phone from your cable internet provider instead of Vonage.
Vonage uses your bandwidth from your internet connection, but most VOIP options I've seen that go through your internet provider do not hit your internet line (it's a separate line/IP). If you do a lot of downloads and/or have a usage cap, you'll definitely care about this.
Well . . . we have our TV on antennae, so we don't have a cable provider and we had nothing but trouble with Time Warner. They said the lines were old to our house - tore up part of them - it didn't help. Replaced all the lines in the house and that didn't help, either. Then replaced lines again when UVerse was put in. Still lousy.
The picture on the TVs w/ just using OTA antennae is wonderful!
That is why I am trying to figure out how to do internet when 1. no use to go to Time Warner - already have TV . . . and 2. can't use a dish.
Now, b/f we had UVerse, I had DSL on our landline - that is how we had WiFi.
I don't want to get into a service that has a cap on it. My work is graphic intensive and we have gamers in the house, as well, lol. Maybe I should stay away from VOiP if useage will be capped. Dang. I am really confused now.
Location: livin' the good life on America's favorite island
2,221 posts, read 4,396,914 times
Reputation: 1391
I can understand how your head can spin on this technology. My wife and I both work from home(Weddington). I used to have 2 landlines. Both originally were with Alltel (Windstream). Years ago I switched our main line to VOIP (cable internet). and kept one landline w/Windstream for my business (and Fax) line. I use VOIP through a company called Nexboom/Nuvio($26.95/mo unlim.) which has office in SC (866-482-2183), they used to be called Champion Communications. My internet is w/Time Warner, my TV service is with DirecTV. You can get major savings by bundling your service. Since most of my communication services are company paid, I decided for convenience to not change my setup. Some day I may make the change but since I no longer have contract commitment w/DirecTV all I have to tell them is I may switch to TW and they drop my costs 50% and give me about any program I wantI am happy with all the services.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am happy with all the services.
