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General discussion

AT&T/ Yahoo DSL Un-Support

Jun 20, 2007 6:50AM PDT

Here's a tip for those of you who are shopping for cheap DSL....unless you have a problem with phone lines or AT&T-provided hardware, don't bother getting AT&T/Yahoo DSL, any speed, because any software problems you have with the products they use to update their portal will be met with 'I don't know, I'll connect you to Tier 2 support', then from Tier 2 support you will get 'Sorry, that's not our problem even though you were told to contact us if you have any problems, you'll have to contact Yahoo as that is their area of expertise'. And if you try to contact Yahoo (as I have, getting very high up in mgmt, surpising myself) you'll hear 'Sorry, unless you have a premium account with us directly we can't help you, you need to contact AT&T'. Simple things that a less experienced pc user might see as a problem will most likely be taken care of by AT&T if you need it, and I won't bother getting into the problems I have had with this company as this isn't a blog, but mine weren't simple, and fair warning: unless u have land phone line trouble or problems with hardware provided by them you won't get anything but the run-around from them. Customer support: I give them a 3 out of 10. It seems the joint venture between the communications giants has yet to figure out how to take care of anything but where on your screen to place their combined names, and how to push your DSL problems onto anyone but themselves.

Discussion is locked

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No kidding
Jun 26, 2007 9:48AM PDT

In addition to the infamously confusing and convoluted help process that gets quickly lost as to who does what or even who's help pages are who's, both companies have entered in to a disasterous product change whereby users paying for net access now get ads in the e-mail interface. It's upset a good portion of their user base, and many seem to be switching service providers, or at least threatening to.

I myself did switch, not only net service, but phone service too. The only thing I can't figure is why I waited so long to do this. It's like a breath of fresh air. I'd avoid both brands, if you want halfway decent service. Neither one seems to be on the ball at the moment, or maybe is just too big for their britches...

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"unless you have a problem with phone lines or AT&T-provided
Jun 26, 2007 10:08AM PDT

"unless you have a problem with phone lines or AT&T-provided hardware"

Did you write that you wanted them to support hardware they didn't provide?

Bob

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Who can tell me what is the best Hispeed internet provider?
Jul 1, 2007 12:11AM PDT

I meant in the US?
Thanks.

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(NT) Shouldn't you post that as a new discussion?
Jul 1, 2007 2:43AM PDT
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Original posted is MORE THEN RIGHT!
Nov 4, 2008 7:23AM PST

I am currently an ATT/Yahoo customer. As soon as I am able I am discontinuing my service, saying, so long, see ya...wouldnt wanna be ya! In my opinion this is the MOST HORRIBLE service I have EVER delt with! If possible refrain from using this service/company.

My story...I have had internet for years...even played on the old bulletin board systems. Have had several providers over the years. NEVER had issues besides a line down, cable down, box out....Have also had SEVERAL security suites, parental controls, etc....Again...NO problems with them.

Two months ago I moved - established service with AT&T. Have had nothing but problems ever since. Virus software updating 2/3x's a day..bogging down system...parental controls updating 2/3x's a day...bogging down system. Parental controls "losing password" and problems with modem. Having to log in repeatedly to get parental controls to "take"...Called customer service, tech support regarding issues....got same as above posting...the "passing of the buck", "we dont know how to help you", we'll have someone call you...(NEVER RECEIVED A CALL BACK...), uninstalling and reinstalling several items - "oh that didnt work...lets have level II contact you....", several times, waiting on hold, 16 minutes, 26 minutes...once for as long as ONE HOUR AND 34 MINUTES...YES...93 minutes!!! Never to no avail and no answers...oh and absoutley no call backs....

Got sick of it a few nights ago and called to "shake the roof down". Norton has updated AFTER I had switched it to have to manually update. I was plain tired of the continuous problems! Spent 2 1/2 hours with level I tech support SUPERVISOR who actually made my problems WORSE!!! AFTER he was done working his "magic" uninstalled Norton, uninstalled parental controls - promised me pratically a miracle product with the McAfee virus protection/security suite and new fancy schmancy parental controls...went and installed and every time I tried to load IE it would crash and disappear. Tried adding the parental controls THREE times! They wouldnt take!! Had me install a program called aace because he "thought" that might be the right one...Lost ALL add-on's and java. After 2.5 hours SUPERVISOR told me...oh sorry...theres nothing else I can do...I'll have level II tech support call you in the morning. I asked "what time!!" - He PROMISED 8:00 am - Well guess what...just as in the past...(typical behavior of ATT)...NO CALL BACK! I waited until 12:15ish to call them...after 1.5 hours (waiting on hold...having to call back....transfering me all over the place...passing the buck...) finally reached level II supervisor. Supervisor was unable to help me in the time alloted (as NOW I had to go to work!!!) So she assured me that tech support (level II - supervisor) WOULD call me at 8pm....HA!!!!! ATT played their typical joke on their customers and never botherd to call me regarding all the problems I had....8:45 pm called them. Spent from 8:45 until MIDNIGHT being bounced around, put on hold...got a real level II rep at NINE FIFTY ONE - OVER AN HOUR after I had originally called!!!! He proceeded to tell me (after hours on the phone) that I would have to live without my java in internet explorer and use firefox but for anything else (that didnt need java) I could/would use internet explorer!!! At this point I had/have NO parental controls, NO virus protection, because a LEVEL II Supervisor can not get it installed and working properly!!!

I could only WISH this was all a joke!!!

So at midnight - he gave up and said if I had further problems/concerns to call back the next day...(like we were just "finished"!!!) More then likely he was tired of "dealing" with me and figured since I could access java pages through firefox and anything else with IE I was "just fine!!!"

So.....YES this DOES get worse!!! Because this was NOT fixed properly and because what the other reps had done and screwed up my WHOLE computer system and caused me more problems then I even started with I called back! Mind you...in the previous 48 hours I had spent...SEVEN + HOURS already with tech support!!!

Called back and 2nd level support was able to return my java to my IE (we'll give him a gold star for that) BUT kept insuinating that it was my system that had caused the problems....and why we could not get mcAfee nor the parental controls to work! I DIDNT HAVE THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE INSTALLING ATT / YAHOO SOFTWARE AND USING THE ATT INTERNET SERVICE!!!!! He also told me and I quote "I usually do not go through this much, spend this much time and go to this extent with customers"...NOW WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!!!?? Oh were sorry we screwed up everything on your computer...sorry we made the problems worse...but we just dont have time nor do we care if we even fix what WE broke! THATS what it tells me!!!

So...Whatever they have to run the internet, parental controls, virus protection is CONFLICTING!!!!!! But of course...this is typical ATT pratice...blame it on the user/customer and their computer, THEN screw things up and say "oh well!! we dont have time to deal with you!"

What is funny is that we have another computer - a laptop which runs BEAUTIFULLY!! EVERY program running on both computers is the SAME EXCEPT...The ATT / YAHOO software!!! (Go figure...but it's not their fault right??)

So after spending over 10 HOURS in THREE days on the phone with tech support I still have NO virus protection, NO parental controls, and was given a whopping $50.00 credit for my inconvenience. (WHOOPIE!!!)I have been accused of being the one to have the issue. I have been lied to. I have been promised call backs yet received none, I have been put on hold for more time that I'd even like to imagine, It makes me SICK to think of the time that I've wasted!

Oh and one last thing I just thought of...my wonderful tech support agents (several of them) said...NO ONE has had the problems you have....Well I guess the jokes on them...because I'm NOT the only one!!

I WILL be switching internet providers. At this point I would rather have excellerated dial up then deal with ATT another month. The author of the original post is right ... AT&T / Yahoo DSL UN-SUPPORT

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I have come to the conclusion...
Nov 4, 2008 3:44PM PST

that ALL DSL are iffy at best regardless which company we subscribe because I think they are all using the same lines and maybe the same server (more or less). Try cable if you have it in your area; but from what I see, even cable company are using DSL for their internet services.