Boy, O.C. really wants its U-verse TV.

I asked readers last week to tell me yea-or-nay on whether they can order AT&T’s U-verse or Verizon’s FiOS TV and Internet at their homes. I heard from plenty of people, though mostly from U-verse folks. This is probably because the U-verse post got more attention on the web.

Several readers mentioned that they can’t order the service, but their next door neighbor can. Also, lots of little issues trickled in that I’m trying to get answers to. I’m now compiling a list of addresses to help us figure out where exactly where U-Verse or FiOS is available. Right now, the map looks something like this:

Note: This is only from people I’ve heard from. FiOS is in parts of Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Westminster, Garden Grove, Stanton and certain unincorporated areas, plus it’s coming to Seal Beach in January.

U-Verse is in parts of Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Irvine, La Habra, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster and Yorba Linda. See “Guide to O.C. TV services” for more.

AT&T has responded with some answers (here’s the earlier response from Verizon regarding FiOS in Orange County):

The company began selling its TV and Internet service here last year. It’s now in 26 cities here. But many people who live in those cities can’t get the service and they want it badly.  Says one Santa Ana reader, “AT&T U-verse is available in my area, but I can not order even though my next door neighbor has it.”

What gives?

Deborah Lieberman, a spokeswoman for AT&T offered a response similar to Verizon’s:

As you’ve seen (and reported), we are expanding availability and reaching more customers in Orange County every day.  We are unable to break out results for individual areas for competitive and disclosure reasons.  In addition, availability changes on a regular basis, which is why we’re encouraging customers to check availability online at uverse.att.com. This is regularly updated to reflect the latest service areas.  

Then again, this didn’t help Yorba Linda reader Michael Merle, who said he got excited when he checked for U-verse and didn’t see the “service not available” notice. Unfortunately, he called and it still wasn’t available for his home.

Lieberman mentions that the availability checker will e-mail users when service is available at the address. She also mentions that people who are in a “U-verse green area” will get direct mail from AT&T that the service is available.

A possible holdup: Customers need to live within 3,000 feet of service. A few readers mentioned they lived just a few hundred yards beyond the limit and were unable to get service.

At least one thing we do know, Lieberman confirms that AT&T will target residents living in AT&T territory first. However, she adds, “… We’re excited to get this unmatched service to as many customers just as quickly as possible.”

AT&T does plan to ultimately offer service to more than 30 million residential units in AT&T’s 22 states by the end of 2010. So far, it’s available to 14 million of those folks.

If you haven’t told me about your U-verse or FiOS status yet, please do. I’m collecting addresses and a yea or nay. I plan to put all the data into a map, although I’m still working on the technical issues of this.

If you want to get an e-mail anytime I post on FiOS or U-verse, you can sign up HERE. 

Related posts:

• AT&T U-verse adds four more O.C. cities
• AT&T’s U-verse speeds reach 18 Mbps!
• O.C. wants to know: When is FiOS coming to my city?
• Guide to Orange County’s paid-TV services
• FiOS TV coming to Seal Beach
• UPDATED: Verizon FiOS TV heavily targeting apartments, condos in O.C. and more
• Speed up your Verizon FiOS Internet for free; just ask
• FiOS Internet service at a standstill in OC
• Speed up your Verizon FiOS Internet for free; just ask
• Behind the TV services in OC
• Verizon FiOS TV expands in O.C.
• Guide to TV services in OC

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