AT&T quietly offers $10 DSL plan

[cyberia]

I just tried to place an order on BellSouth.com, and it is a no go. Here is what I did:

1) Went to Bellsouth.com and clicked on the Internet tab on the left.

2) Scrolled all the way down to the Term contract plans available link.

3) Read about the $10 plan there and an invitation to go to www.bellsouth.com to "and enter your telephone number to order the service".

4) On www.bellsouth.com entered my (non-BellSouth) phone number as instructed in Step 3.

5) Got a message that I entered "a non-BellSouth home phone number" and "need to order local phone service and Internet service together". This local service requirement already contradicts the arstechnica article mentioned previously, but OK: we don't know if it was accurate.

6) Clicked to find out if my address qualified. It did.

7) Was offered a $13.xx local service (not too bad) and a $19.99 DSL Lite. Bummer.

 

[c627627]

You need to have their phone service to get this $10 deal, naked DSL without their phone service is not out yet and it'll cost twice that or so when it comes out.


Note that AT&T spokesman Michael Coe said on Monday, June 18, 2007 that the $10 plan is "presented to customers who go into the application process." This is clearly not true for most people who tried.


If I wanted to get this deal, I would find a way to contact Federal Communications Commission department responsible for this deal to point out what AT&T said and what the facts are (they lied, officially) and to therefore force them to get AT&T to put it up as a clear option.


There is a procedure to do this for anyone who wants to bother to stick it to AT&T.

 

[cyberia]

What does the phrase "customers who go into the application process" mean?

 

[cyberia]

Here is a new thought about my failed attempt to get $10 DSL online last night (see a previous post):

I am guessing I might not be seeing the $10 offer because I am not a customer YET. In other words, if I do go ahead and get a local phone line, maybe THEN I can comeback and add DSL Lite for $10.

I am definitely not desparate for the DSL to pay for unnecessary local service. I thought if I could get naked DSL for $10, I would keep it as a backup plan or a dedicated VOIP "pipe".

 

[GTFan]

The $10 deal was only supposed to be offered as an upgrade to those with AT&T dial-up access, so that might be why you can't get it.

 

[blackrain]

Do you have to change your phone provider to AT&T if you want DSL through AT&T? Their phone plans suck.

 

[c627627]

Yes, you can't get naked DSL for $10. That's coming but it will be more like $20. There should be some low income cheaper local phone plans they don't advertise as far as I remember in earlier threads about DSL.


BTW, legendary Silversinksam is also on this case with his own way to get to an AT&T page where at least the deal is mentioned:
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=516127

He's the one who made OCZ and CompUSA pull OCZ Ultra II Premium Silver and the CompUSA Silver Thermal Grease off the shelves after he proved they had ZERO silver in it. Did you hear about that a few years back?

 

[xylem]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Fingolfin269
The agreement reached also called for AT&T to provide DSL to all of the customers in its service area. Does anyone know what the time table is on this because we can get Bell South (AT&T now) but I cannot get DSL in my area. I want to get away from Comcast but have no other option other than dial-up at this time.</end quote></div>

I just spoke with a rep of the FCC, and she declared this to be untrue. What is the source of your info? I'm also in a heavily-populated area which is covered by AT&T but does not have DSL service offered, and this possibility got me a bit excited .


Also, concerning the $10 DSL offer, the Bellsouth info plainly states that this offer is only valid on internet orders (in other words, it's not valid on orders placed through a phone rep). Also, the offer states that a person can get a free modem if the person is upgrading from the dialup service they offer (so a deal-hungry candidate who's not a dialup customer might, to save a bit of cash, consider signing up for dialup first, then upgrading... but it might be less hassle to just send in the $75 rebate).

 

[WindWalker]

Signed up for this deal in Raleigh, NC. Just waiting on the modem (today-they say) could never get any of the links to show me the $10.00 page. Clicked on "Ask jessica" and told the rep I was looking for the 10 buck deal. Signed me up on the spot. Painless. Had to but the modem-$75, but there's a rebate on that, and their billing me over 10 months for it.
As alway YMMV but I would try the ask jessica funtion

 

[c627627]

Is there a direct link to talk to a rep like you did?

Here's a direct link that talks about the plan:
http://www.bellsouth.com/consu...reement_plans_pop.html

 

[gcy]

I think if there are enough complains made to the FCC, AT&T might be forced to make this easy to get.
FCC complain site

 

[WindWalker]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: c627627
Is there a direct link to talk to a rep like you did?

Here's a direct link that talks about the plan:
http://www.bellsouth.com/consu...reement_plans_pop.html</end quote></div>

go HERE
Bottom left corner, should see QUESTIONS? click to chat for online help.
do it

 

[c627627]

Perhaps it's available only during business hours?

It's the middle of the night, all I get on bottom left is
» Help & Support
» Billing Help
» Troubleshoot & Repair
» Glossary
» Order Status
» Getting Started
» Contact Us

Perhaps a direct link to chat on AT&T's main site (instead of bellsouth's)would do the trick, if we could find one there, even if only during business hours...

 

[MIDealGuy]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've seen this referred to as Broadband, that's using the term loosely.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Only if i woman is using it....
(sorry about the bad gender-based humor, but i do have 2 shows, 7 & 9 --- come early for the best seating and be sure to try the tuna pasta, i hear it's excellent)

 

[osiris3mc]

Originally posted by: eggrolls
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://swot.sbc.com/swot/dslMassMarketCatalog.do?do=dslProductPage&offerId=160438&serviceType=DYNAMICIP">https://swot.sbc.com/swot/d......viceType=DYNAMICIP</a>

one year contract

Ha. Went to this link, and here's what I got:

Due to technical problems, we are unable to process your order online at this time. Please contact us at 1-866-999-6181 Spanish is 1-866-772-6932 Monday through Friday, 8 am to 6 pm and on Saturday, 8:30 am to 5 pm.


Fantastic.

 

[najames]

cyberia, I am really surprised you got as far as you did.

I have had Bellsouth/ATT DSL since 2000. I moved to Boca Raton in 2002 and have had 3.0Mbps DSL since.

They have been advertising the crap out of "The New ATT" here for a couple months so I tried to get 30% lower ATT/Yahoo rates. They refused, couldn't provide logical reason.

I called again yesterday and asked about U-Serve, cable+TV discount thinking. Supposidly they are working on it in Palm Beach county now. The cow on the phone was CLUELESS "U-Serve, what's that?". She looked it up and said "maybe next year". I asked about the same naked DSL they told me they would give me when I signed up in 2002, NOT. Her answer, the standard "maybe next year".

I would like to do one service for a discount somewhere. Scumcast cable has NEVER worked worth a crap. I get about 2/3 of the digital channels I am supposed to get. They could care less. When hurricanes hit, they are out for days. At least Bellsouth/ATT has been reliable.

Watch it on Bellsouth/ATT rebates. They didn't pay mine until I complained about it.

I think the technical problem message pops up for anyone in the SE. I got it too when trying to get ATT DSL rates.

 

[waffleironhead]

Just signed up for the deal!

Im moving from rural wisconsin where there is only one player in the phone/internet service CHEQTEL Currently paying $75 a month for phone and 386/128 dsl package.

Moving to new home in madison so I have choices.

New line is $12 a month before taxes/fees
dsl line = $10.00 a month
total for phone and dsl

= $22 a month before taxes

man is competition good!

 

[shinson]

Originally posted by: waffleironhead
Just signed up for the deal!

Im moving from rural wisconsin where there is only one player in the phone/internet service CHEQTEL Currently paying $75 a month for phone and 386/128 dsl package.

Moving to new home in madison so I have choices.

New line is $12 a month before taxes/fees
dsl line = $10.00 a month
total for phone and dsl

= $22 a month before taxes

man is competition good!

How did you order? on the phone, internet or chat with Jessica?
If phone, what number did you call?
If internet, what web page did you use?
If Jessica, how did you "ask" for this deal?
Thanks!

 

[waffleironhead]

Originally posted by: shinson

Originally posted by: waffleironhead
Just signed up for the deal!

Im moving from rural wisconsin where there is only one player in the phone/internet service CHEQTEL Currently paying $75 a month for phone and 386/128 dsl package.

Moving to new home in madison so I have choices.

New line is $12 a month before taxes/fees
dsl line = $10.00 a month
total for phone and dsl

= $22 a month before taxes

man is competition good!

How did you order? on the phone, internet or chat with Jessica?
If phone, what number did you call?
If internet, what web page did you use?
If Jessica, how did you "ask" for this deal?
Thanks!

http://www.consumer.att.com/
went in and ordered regular phone service and then went in and did the dsl at the same time. Nice bonus was that if i signed up online there was no install charge on the phone, plus the dsl modem is FAR.

The asmusing part was that when i got to the different dsl choices there were 2 different options a far as price for the same speed service. $20 a month or $10...hmm hard choice.

 

[LikeLinus]

Originally posted by: c627627
Yes, you can't get naked DSL for $10. That's coming but it will be more like $20. There should be some low income cheaper local phone plans they don't advertise as far as I remember in earlier threads about DSL.


BTW, legendary Silversinksam is also on this case with his own way to get to an AT&T page where at least the deal is mentioned:
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=516127

He's the one who made OCZ and CompUSA pull OCZ Ultra II Premium Silver and the CompUSA Silver Thermal Grease off the shelves after he proved they had ZERO silver in it. Did you hear about that a few years back?

OCZ...lol. For years they had a bad rep for some of the things they did to customers. I always stayed away of their products for that very reason. Now everyone loves OCZ and think they have changed their ways....all the while I have stayed FAR way from their ram and other products. For this very reason!!!

People are dumb. One a liar..always a liar.

 

[maxcom]

interesting

 

[weirdichi]

Anybody know if this is still going on? I need cheap phone and internet.

 

[soccerballtux]

Originally posted by: weirdichi
Anybody know if this is still going on? I need cheap phone and internet.

Why don't you check instead of being a lazy noob?

 

[Java Cafe]

A Senior Member calls a Diamond Member a noob. That's funny!

(Sorry for the thread crap, but just couldn't resist.)

 

[Shinare]

Is the naked DSL ever going to happen? I cant wait to drop my local phone service and all it's associated fees but retain the DSL connection.