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New perks from AT&T U-verse sure to make cable users jealous
June 16th, 2009, 8:30 am · 15 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress
UPDATE, 10:15 a.m. Added image of U-verse’s new program guide, PDF of AT&T’s DVR comparison.
AT&T U-verse is rolling out lots of goodies and updates to subscribers today and in upcoming months, so that those of us who can’t order the Internet-based TV service can just grumble and shake our fist at our own TV provider.
One nice and very much needed fix is to its “Total Home DVR” system, which allows a family to share one DVR with multiple TVs in the house. The multi-room DVR lets users start watching a movie in one room, pause it, then continue where they left off in another room. But only people watching on the main box could record and manage recordings. This fixes that so all receivers can manage and schedule recordings — a feature AT&T says is exclusive to its multi-room DVRs. (See the company’s comparison of its DVR to others in this PDF document: AT&T’s reasons why its DVR is better then the rest.)
(AT&T isn’t the only one to offer multi-room DVR technology. Verizon’s FiOS TV also has the multi-room “Home Media” DVR. TiVo users also have had a version of this for a while. Cox Communications had thought about it but hasn’t implemented it in Orange County. Time Warner does offer multi-room DVR in some locations but, unfortunately, not in O.C. Both cable companies have said the service is coming this year. We’ll see about that.)
Other updates coming for U-verse customers:
- A 20 percent speed boost for Internet Max customers. Download speeds are getting upped to 12 Mbps from 10 Mbps. No extra cost required.
- Free access to the Starz channels in July.
- Easier-to-use program guide (pictured below) and an updated look for scheduling recordings online (sort by HD channels).
- A way to rate on-demand shows in order to get better recommendations is coming next year.
U-verse access is still very limited in Orange County. The service is available in certain 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. I keep an updated list of cities HERE.
More TV news:
Check out the Gadgetress Guide to local TV services
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Looks like a great system. Too bad I can’t get it, and probably won’t get it anytime soon. It would seem that AT&T ability to compete with cable is only as strong as it’s interest in getting the service to potential customers. Great technology that no one can use.
Too bad customers are still FORCED to buy an expensive TV service if you just want to order their Max internet package.
I don’t see where Verizon offers multi-room DVR. The article left out a great reason to get AT&T over Verizon and others - the ability to record more than 2 shows at once. I have Verizon and knwo peopel who have AT&T. Verizon FiOS has the worst service imaginable and AT&T seems to have a lot of issues with dropped signals (lose your phone, internet, and TV service for hours on end). Don’t feel bad if this isn’t available, all these companies have their issues…
Whoops! Wrong link. Here’s the link to Verizon’s ‘Home Media DVR.’ You’re probably right. As a TV service grows so will the complaints. Shall be interesting to see how FiOS and U-verse evolve in the next decade…
I had U-Verse and it stinks, cable and internet went out several times a week. The billing is messed up as well.
Wouldn’t know if it is any better than cable, they don’t offer it here. Sure, it looks great, but can’t get it. I guess the cries of a million new customers can’t get AT&T to offer it more. Oh well, their loss.
We have AT&T U-Verse in Anahiem and its great internet and 200 ch for $65.. I used to live in Irvine and Cox price is $$$ internet and basic cable came to $98.99 sure the cox internet is fast but once everyone got on after work it was slow as hell but with U-verse you get your speed 24/7 and more Ch… The service has not gone down…
ANY competition to the cable monopolies is welcome. Maybe if Time Warner spent a fraction of their advertising budget (starring “The Chubby Guy” from “That-One-TV-Show”) to upgrade their network, instead of selling me services that I already pay for, they’d be able to compete with these features. But they’ve been so preoccupied standing around the map with Cox and Comcast, divvying up the county, to bother with any of that nonsense. Ain’t de-regulation grand?!?
I’ve had u-verse since end of December. I have the top package but as far as the perks go, I can’t manage my recordings from the other boxes in the house. I called customer service today and they said they were still rolling it out. However, you still can’t beat being able to watch a show in one place in the house and then move to another room to continue watching. Very cool. Increase in internet speed was a nice gift. Customer service is great. Had some problems on saturday with my connections (I have old cabling) so they came out within a few hours and fixed everything just before the Angel game. I did not have to schedule and appointment. The service tech called and asked when it was convenient to show up. The tech even gave me his business card and said any problems with his service and he’d follow up. As far as service goes, cable can eat it. I am paying about the same as cable, but you definitely get more bang for the buck.
Just a follow up to my post…DVR recording management from other receivers is not available as of yet (according to customer service). It will be available, at least in Fullerton, at the end of July. However, according to the small print on the AT&T customer service channel it is available in Texas (yippeee).
att u verse is bomb ,, best service ever ,never went down ever, few time reciever had its share of hicups , it cause due to bad co ax cable ,,, just replace those and BAM good as new ,, att uverse ,,,,the fiOS is good , if u have a server running in ur garage cause u need massive upload fiOs is good but too much for my cheap ass :-p
I have just had to give up my U-Verse because I have moved outside of their footprint. Now I am back with Cox and am having a terrible time. Please speed up your roll out to the rest of OC, AT&T
Love my uverse, but I do have a complaint. The remotes suck. I will hit channel 2 and get channel 9. When you hit last, for the last channel you viewed it goes to a completely different channel also. We have 3 boxes and it happens with all 3.
i live in Anaheim and i’ve had u-verse since March 2008 and it just keeps getting better. Since the upgrade last week, you can now schedule, delete, manage your recordings from any box in the house. i’ve never experienced any problems since i’ve had it not even the remote. When i first got u-verse the u-400 was the everything channel but now they have a u-450 package which is an additional 3 - 5 hd channels for $5 more which doesn’t make sense to me. since i’m an old subscriber i don’t pay for the additional boxes either which is real nice but they are starting to sound like the cable companies where they nickel and dime you for everything…that is my only complaint with u-verse.
Why has DISH Network been left out of the conversation lately? They have had a multi-room DVR for years. It’s one of the reasons I didn’t accept a great deal to switch to DirecTV a year ago. I’m also interested to see how Dish continues to integrate sling technology.
I would love to try AT&T U-Verse but it’s only available it parts of Placentia. I can’t get it in my condo complex but my friend who lives on the other side of the wall in a new complex can.