Updated: 20 October, 2014
AT&T may be an ideal service if you are looking for multiple services and one monthly bill. Some of the Internet service plans may not be the fastest however, it may be worthwhile when you consider bundling it with other services.
AT&T is a leader of a broad range of telecommunications services and has installed many miles of cable to bring high speed broadband Internet and other telecommunications services to millions of customers. Several years ago, AT&T expanded its Internet services to provide more choices for connectivity, as well as additional telecommunications solutions that can be bundled together as an all-in-one type of service.
Depending upon where you are located, you have several options available to you when it comes to high speed Internet connections which can include Internet, TV, and home phone bundles. In this article we will provide you with an overview of some of the different options and services which are offered by AT&T. Some or all of the options may or may not be available in your local area depending upon where you live.
AT&T Internet
AT&T offers high speed DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) and advanced digital fiber optic Internet services (U-verse) which are offered in a series of plans to accommodate your budget, as well as your connectivity speed requirements. If all you want is an Internet connection, AT&T can provide connectivity speeds of up to 45 Mbps (megabits per second) depending upon where you are located and the package you choose. Each package includes the AT&T Internet Security Suite, email protection, and parental controls.
The standard Internet service is delivered via DSL and offers a slower connection. The U-verse high speed Internet service offers faster download speeds closer to 45 Mbps. The packages are as follows:
Basic: The Basic plan provides you with download speeds of up to 768 Kbps (kilobits per second) with no required contract at a cost of just under $20 per month. This type of connectivity speed will allow a 2MB YouTube video to download in about 20 seconds with music and video streaming at 54 seconds and more than twelve hours respectively. If you bundle Internet with home phone, this plan is offered at a discount price of $14.95 per month.
Pro: The Pro plan for Internet service offers up to 3 Mbps for the download speed with a required one year contract and a cost of just under $30 per month. This means a typical YouTube video may download in under 6 seconds with streaming music and video at 14 seconds and 3.1 hours respectively.
Elite: The Elite package is one step above the Pro and offers a download speed of up to 6 Mbps, requires a one year contract, and costs just under $35 per month. The typical download time for a 2MB YouTube video is just under 3 seconds with music and video streaming at 7 seconds and 1.3 hours respectively.
Max Plus: This Internet access plan is appropriate if you download movies, stream videos and use online gaming applications. The plan offers a download speed of up to 18 Mbps, requires a one year contract, and costs just under $45 per month. You can also bundle the Max Plus plan with U-basic TV and receive a discounted price of $39 per month.
Max Turbo Internet: The Max Turbo Internet plan offers up to 24 Mbps for the download speed with a required one year contract, and a cost of just under $55 per month. This means a typical YouTube video may download in under 0.9 seconds with music and video streaming at 4 seconds and 15 minutes respectively.
Power Internet: This is AT&T’s premium Internet plan and offers the fastest connectivity speed with up to 45 Mbps for downloads. This plan requires a one year contract and is offered at a cost of just under $65 per month.
All AT&T Internet plans include access to Amazon Prime for one year, popup blocking features, up to 10 email accounts with 2GB worth of storage and spam filtering. When you are traveling on the road, all AT&T Internet subscribers receive free dialup Internet access which operates at slower speeds than DSL Internet however, it still helps you to stay connected.
In terms of security, all DSL Internet plans offer antivirus and antispyware protection, parental controls, firewall protection, and a dynamic IP address which means that you have a unique IP address each time you log on to the Internet. This prevents both marketers and hackers from tracking you via your IP address.
The upper end plans offer access to the AT&T Wireless Gateway which allows you to share a single high speed connection with more than one user in your household. This type of connection is compatible with a broad range of devices, regardless if they are mobile devices, desktop or laptop PCs, or tablet PCs.
The AT&T service is relatively easy to set up plus, they have around the clock tech support available via toll free number and online chat. If you would like a visual representation of what is involved with getting started, here is a video that shows unboxing and steps associated with getting started with AT&T Internet.
AT&T U-verse
U-verse one of AT&T’s more recent products which offers a comprehensive digital package for Internet connectivity, television, and phone services that are fully integrated for compatibility and ease of use. The package offers improved television viewing quality, higher quality voice communications, and high speed Internet. You also get additional services such as the ability to record up to 4 programs simultaneously using the upgraded DVR service.
U-verse TV
The U-verse digital TV service offers high quality television viewing with a variety of packages which are tailored to meet the needs of your budget. There are five different U-verse TV plans that range from being able to get the local television channels up to the premium plan which allows you to access more than 470 channels and take advantage of the Total Home DVR service with a high definition–ready receiver.
You can also use the multi-view feature which allows you to choose your favorite television channels and watch all four at once. You also get on-demand services, gaming applications, and multimedia sharing. The U-verse TV plans start as low as $19 per month when you bundle digital TV with Internet and phone services. The plans that are available include the following:
U-basic TV: The U-basic plan allows you to access local and U-verse information channels and is the least expensive plan at $19 per month when you bundle the service with AT&T Elite Internet and phone services. The discount is valid for 24 months and then the standard rates apply after the two-year period.
U-family TV: The U-family plan provides you with access to more than 140 channels. Most of the channels are family oriented such as the Disney and Nickelodeon channels, with access to more than 35 music channels that cover a variety of genres. You also receive a Total Home DVR, free access to HBO and Cinemax for the first three months and a $50 Reward Card for ordering online. The U-family plan is offered at just under $30 per month for the first six months.
U200 TV: The U200 plan provides you with access to more than 300 channels and includes most of the channels in the U-family plan plus, news and sports channels with access to more than 45 music channels. You also receive a Total Home DVR, free access to HBO and Cinemax for the first three months and a $50 Reward Card for ordering online. The U-family plan is offered at just under $45 per month for the first six months.
U300 TV: The U300 plan provides you with access to more than 390 channels and includes everything we mentioned in the U200 TV package. Plus, you get access to the movie package which includes Showtime, Starz, Flix, and more. When you sign up for this plan, you receive a larger capacity Total Home DVR, a $50 Reward Card for ordering online, and access to MLB and NBA channels for just under $60 per month for the first six months.
U450 TV: The U450 plan provides you with access to more than 470 channels and includes everything we mentioned in the U300 TV package, in addition to HBO and Cinemax packages, a sports package, and the high definition Tech Fee which allows you to access more than 170 high definition channels. You also receive a larger capacity Total Home DVR and a $50 Reward Card for ordering online at a cost of $91 per month for the first six months.
All plans have access to U-verse on Demand where you can find new titles, rent movies over the Internet, and watch other programming simply by pressing the On Demand button on your remote control. Additionally, the U-verse app allows you to take your entertainment with you on the go using your smartphone or tablet PC.
The following video provides you with additional review information that will tell you more about the U-verse service.
U-verse Bundles
AT&T also offers bundled services at a discounted price when you sign up for two or more of the services simultaneously. Customers have the choice of bundling high speed Internet, digital TV, and digital voice services into one monthly payment. This provides you with one convenient bill and the capability to manage all of your AT&T services in your online account.
You can choose to build your own bundle or use one of the three bundles that AT&T recommends which include the following:
U-family TV and High Speed Internet: This bundle is offered at a discounted price of $59 per month with access to more than 140 channels and Internet download speeds of up to 6 Mbps. You also receive a $50 Reward Card for ordering online, a free Total Home DVR, and access to U-verse.com and free U-verse apps. This plan also provides you with free access to all AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots.
U-family TV, High Speed Internet, and Digital Voice: This bundle is offered at a cost of $89 per month with access to more than 140 channels and Internet download speeds of up to 6 Mbps. You also receive a $50 Reward Card for ordering online, a free Total Home DVR, and access to U-verse.com, free U-verse apps, and U-verse messaging. This plan also provides you with free access to all AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots.
U450 TV and High Speed Internet: This plan provides you with access to more than 470 channels, HBO, HBO GO, and Internet download speeds of up to 18 Mbps. You also receive a $50 Reward Card for ordering online, a free large capacity Total Home DVR, and access to U-verse.com, free U-verse apps, and a movie package including Showtime, The Movie Channel, Encore, Starz, and more. This plan also provides you with free access to all AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots.
As an AT&T customer, you can also choose to design your own bundle of services according to service availability in your local area. If you choose to use AT&T’s digital voice services, the U-verse Voice service offers digital sound which provides a higher quality of voice communications.
In addition to improved voice quality, you also receive access to Caller ID and the Messaging Waiting Indicator which appears on your TV, Call History, and Click to Call which can be accessed using your TV. The fully integrated U-verse Messaging allows you to combine your AT&T wireless voicemail with U-verse so you can access all of your messages from one location via your smartphone or other mobile device.
Conclusion
The performance and quality of service you receive with AT&T Internet and U-verse often varies according to where you live. In a recent J.D Power 2014 US Residential Television Service Provider Satisfaction Study, AT&T customers gave high ratings to the service in the Dallas, Texas area. AT&T has added many services and features, that have significantly improved the customer experience, especially within the last year.
In a few areas of the US, AT&T has rolled out its GigaPower technology which offers AT&T customers with Internet download speeds as high as 1 Gbps (gigabit per second). The company is currently working on to bring GigaPower to the major metropolitan areas and eventually to more areas around the United States.