New Member
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16 Messages
Randomly lose fiber internet service multiple times a day almost everyday for the past several months
I am an early adopter of AT&T Fiber and have been on Internet 1000/Fiber 1 GIG plan since the service became available in my area in 2019. I decided to switch from cable internet to fiber because I believe the fiber optic system would be more reliable and faster which it was for the first few years.
I started working from home early in 2020 and rely heavily on the internet from work-related stuff such as phone and remote connection to personal things like streaming services and home security system.
My internet connection has been dropping off randomly multiple times a day. Anywhere from just a few minutes up to a few hours each time. It started with intermittent connection losses that were annoying but bearable. But, it has been quite unreliable for the past several months. It got really bad when I started losing internet connection multiple times a day. Either during the day (disrupting my remote work) or night (streaming online content is unbearable).
I was able to reach out to a technical support a couple months ago and it turned out to be the gateway problem at the time. I had to endure the service disruption for over two weeks before my gateway finally got a firmware update (pushed directly from AT&T). But, the problem didn't really go away. Now, there is simply no fiber signal.
It is quite difficult to contact technical support because my phone is running on VOIP service. I cannot reach them when the service is down. And once I could reach them, there is nothing that they can do because, of course, the service works during the call. This connection problem has become quite a nightmare. Is there a way to reach customer service/technical support to resolve this ongoing problem?
TIA
PGT96
New Member
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16 Messages
2 years ago
Rubbing more salt into the wound. This is what I'm seeing just a few minutes after posting about the problem.
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PGT96
New Member
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16 Messages
2 years ago
This evening started from around 10:30 PM.
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PGT96
New Member
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16 Messages
2 years ago
At 2:30AM, it was still down. Can I get any help, AT&T?
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PGT96
New Member
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16 Messages
2 years ago
@ATTHelp can someone help with this?
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browndk26
ACE - Professor
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5.9K Messages
2 years ago
This is a customer to customer forum. Call 800-288-2020. Tell the operator you need a tech visit for internet disconnects. They will read through a script. Be firm and say schedule a tech visit.
Wired or wireless disconnects? What speed plan, model gateway and ONT do you have(internal or external)? What color lights on each device when you have no service? Have you tried changing the Ethernet cable that connects the ONT to the gateway? Ethernet cable or port from gateway to the wired computer you use for work? Fiber cable to the ONT is fully seated and not damaged?
Do you have a smart phone? If yes, get the myatt app. Run support checks through it. You can schedule tech visits through it if it detects a service issue. If you try the app, turn off all att equipment so the system will see no service.
Have you tried unplugging your gateway and turning off the ONT? Leave gateway unplugged. Power the ONT down. Turn on the ONT. Let lights fully come on. The plug this gateway back in.
(edited)
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my thoughts
Former Employee
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22.5K Messages
2 years ago
Need a service appointment…
Could be low light level, a twist or bad connection on the fiber drop, the ONT (010?) needing replacement, an issue with Ethernet cabling from ONT to the gateway…
A tech with equipment is best option for resolution.
Fiber (inside or outside) is subject to all the same problems of copper service. Animals, weather (winds, storms, temperature changes), humans (digging most often) Fiber has as many different points of failure as copper, just offers faster speeds with lower latency.
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PGT96
New Member
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16 Messages
2 years ago
@browndk26 @my thoughts Thank you both for your replies. I understand what the forum is mainly for. I was hoping to get help from @ATTHelp like the person in this thread.
https://forums.att.com/conversations/att-fiber-account/att-fiber-barely-works-spent-10-hrs-with-customer-service-just-being-passed-around-to-no-solution/5df00df0bad5f2f6060d3c99
Like I said, everything runs on the fiber internet. I can't get help via phone/chat when it's down. And they can't give me any helpful response over the phone when it's working. It's my last ditch effort to get help (while the internet is working). I've done everything you said (and more) except scheduling a tech visit which I'm reluctant to do so because of the tech visit service fee.
To be honest, I don't expect to get any kind of meaningful help directly from AT&T based on my experience with the tech support so far. This is more of a complaint made available to the public for future reference.
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my thoughts
Former Employee
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22.5K Messages
2 years ago
Outside of ATTHelp running the same tests as when you call in or use the app in scheduling a service appointment I am not sure what your expectations are.
Intermittent service issue with copper or fiber requires a process of eliminating possible causes, this is what the tech performs on site when dispatched. Depending on the tech discoveries will determine if billing applies. Issues under your control such as pet chewing on the cable to the gateway would be billable while if the damage is outside unless can be contributed to a party such as lawn service damaged drop should not be billable.
I would estimate 80+% of repairs are not billable, this is 4 out of 5 not charged.
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PGT96
New Member
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16 Messages
2 years ago
@my thoughts Thank you again for your reply. A technician stopped by earlier today to replace my original equipment (OTN & Arris BGR210 gateway) with the new Humax BGW320-500. It's been a few hours and so far so good.
He didn't perform any testing at the cable outlet in my apartment nor the neighborhood box (I saw him from the time he arrived/parked his car until he left the property) which tells me the problem(s) is with the outdated gateway/OTN AFTER AT&T updated the network.
Another thing that really bothers me is home network names/passwords are now stored on AT&T accounts. I can see this an a convenient way for non-IT inclined customers. But it seems like another customer information hack waiting to happen to me.
I'll update this thread again if/when there's another service disruption.
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browndk26
ACE - Professor
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5.9K Messages
2 years ago
There is nothing wrong with the ONT or gateway setup. Many customers, including me, have used them for years and they work fine.
I suspect you will continue to have problems even with the newer gateway.
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