attbroadbandnot

AT&T Customers Who Can’t Get Broadband — We Need Your Help.

Here’s What to Do: Send Us an Email Directly: [email protected]

Why?

We have filed a complaint with the FCC against AT&T, alleging that the company not only failed to provide customers with broadband, even though they had commitments, but then misled the FCC and public about it.

AT&T had commitments to have broadband available to 100% of their 22 state territories, which covers 77 million locations in the US, as part of a merger of AT&T and BellSouth in 2007. Yet, their own statements from 2012-2015 shows that they never did even the basic upgrades to at least 25% of the areas they serve.

And this is important, not only to expose what happened, but also because AT&T is planning to merge with DirecTV. Worse, AT&T is planning on ‘shutting off the copper’ networks, instead of upgrading them, and forcing customers onto more expensive wireless.

Map of AT&T, Verizon and Centurylink, the wireline (and wireless) phone companies.

We need to prove that there are many customers who either have had problems getting broadband or simply can’t get. We want to make this stick so that the FCC investigates — and use this as ‘leverage’ to get every AT&T customer broadband and/or have AT&T hit with other penalties and fines.

Also, AT&T has told millions of people, the media, etc. that their U-Verse is a fiber optic service, when in fact it is based on using the existing copper wires that were never upgraded. This needs to be exposed.

Here’s What We Need to Do.

  • Proof that AT&T Never Delivered Broadband — We are collecting ‘proof’ that there are plenty of AT&T customers that can’t get broadband.
  • Prove AT&T Told Customers U-verse is a Fiber Optic Service —We are collecting ‘proof’ that AT&T has been telling potential and current customers that U-Verse is a fiber optic (or fiber to the home) service, when it is NOT, and that the company never disclosed it uses the existing copper wires.
  • Volunteer — If you have time or some expertise, Volunteer — from sending out tweets to contacting congressmen and senator offices to investigate, as well writing the FCC, or expertise in fund raising or PR, contact us.

Here Are Some Facts:

  • FACT: AT&T made a commitment to have 100% of their 22 state territories capable of broadband by 2007 as part of the BellSouth-AT&T merger conditions.
  • FACT: While pitifully slow at 200 Kbps in 1 directions, (which was the FCC definition of broadband in 2007), we know that AT&T never fulfilled this commitment. Moreover, AT&T would have had to supply at least “DSL” to fulfill this obligation.
  • FACT: We believe AT&T committed perjury (lied to the FCC) because in 2012-2015, AT&T has repeatedly said that they can not provide broadband to about 25% of their current state territories. However, in 2008, AT&T sent a letter to the FCC claiming the commitment was fulfilled.
  • FACT: There were no independent audits by the FCC or even state commissions, who also had a say in the AT&T-BellSouth merger.
  • FACT: AT&T has been telling its current and prospective customers that U-Verse is a fiber optic service. It is not. AT&T’s U-verse is based on the old copper wiring into the home.
  • FACT: AT&T’s U-Verse “fiber” is connected to a box, called a “node”, which can be ½ mile from the customers’ actual location.
  • FACT: Many of AT&T’s states had previous commitments to deploy real fiber optic services, starting in the 1990’s and customers paid thousands of dollars in phone rate increases to pay for these networks, and there have been no audits or investigations in any state.

Here’s What to Do: Send Us an Email Directly: [email protected]

  • Tell Your “Can’t Get Service from AT&T” Story — We Need To Know:
  • State
  • Zip code
  • Town/community (if it impacts them especially)
  • What AT&T services do you have today, if any?
  • Did you try to order the service?
  • What was their reply?
  • Do you have anything in writing? — Please send that.
  • If you made a recording of the conversation — Some states do not allow a recording without consent (but it varies by state).
  • If you went into an AT&T store — Tell us what they said.
  • Did they tell you one story on the phone or at the store, then another when you tried to get the service?
  • Tell us your “But they told me it was a fiber optic service!” story. We are looking for specific instances where the company claimed that the U-Verse service was fiber optics,
  • Go into a store and video/record the conversation. A number of people have suggested that when they went into a store they were told U-Verse was fiber optics — (but it varies by state)
  • Privacy Protected: Your email will not be used for any other purpose. — We will not use it for marketing, make it available to others, etc.
  • We will remove anything that can identify you in any document you send us, unless you tell us otherwise.
  • The comments you send will be ‘public’ (minus any identify information) — Whatever you want the FCC and public to read is what should be in the comment.
  • Sent to FCC — Your information (without specifics about you) will be sent as additional info about our complaint to the FCC and wherever we send the Complaint.

Join Us

  • Volunteer — If you would like to get involved, please put “Volunteer” in the ‘subject’ line.
  • Put Me on Your List — This gives us permission to send you whatever happens with the case and other things we are doing at New Networks Institute. PLEASE PUT “PUT ME ON THE LIST” in the “subject” line.
  • SEND US LINKS — If you know of items, existing complaints, etc about these issues, send the links to us, please.

Sorry, But…

  • This is NOT for ALL Other Companies or Customers who “Can’t get Service” Yet — We will be expanding this to other phone and cable companies later in the year. However, we’ll be glad to put you on the list and/or include you in the volunteer efforts.
  • Sorry, we can’t help to fix your problem… We don’t have any additional resources at this time to help in individual cases.

More Info

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