AT&T has become the latest big-name company to offer tech support in your house with the launch of its Connectech, at www.att.com/connectech.
This service is available nationwide and staff will do anything from setting up your brand new computer to installing your home-entertainment center.
(Wow! I should really get into this. For $119, AT&T will unbox your brand new computer, register it, set up Windows to get Microsoft updates, configure Windows’ security and connect a printer, scanner, camera — your choice of two gadgets, otherwise the price goes up. I could probably do this in 10 minutes, although driving to your house could be a pain.)
This in-home help is already a competitive market with Best Buy’s Geek Squad, Circuit City’s FireDog service and lots of other smaller companies. But Matt Davis, an analyst at market researcher IDC Corp., says it’s inevitable that companies like AT&T jump in.
“We’ve been anticipating that providers like AT&T are going to (offer in-home support) simply because they’re going to get the call anyway,” Davis said. “The service provider is going to have to take more and more responsibility or else a) the service doesn’t work or b) they’ll get the calls to their customer support anyway.”
Jumping on the Geek Squad bandwagon? Not so, says Davis. “I see it more that this is in anticipation of having the capability of what they need because without it, they won’t be able to keep their subscribers happy.”
Davis believes enough consumers are willing to pay for this and at these prices — installing a mounted TV and surround-sound system will cost $549. Plus, after your $119 PC installation is up and running, further remote support starts at $69. Prices are similar to Geek Squad and others.
An AT&T’s media spokesman says that ConnecTech will use AT&T technicians and contractors and AT&T branded vehicles.
Related: Nerds on the run in OC (Oct. 11, 2005)
Tamara 'the Gadgetress' Chuang
Here's a list of TV/mobile companies helping consumers one tweet at a time. 
AT&T??? Turn and run away … quickly!