Internet connection keeps dropping, I want to buy my own router

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I have Smart Home and it reviewed my internet and again suggested a technician come out. The technician who came out last week told me to call him if I started having problems again. He has not answered my messages. I wanted to give him time to answer me so I did not schedule an appointment today but I have another one scheduled for Friday. I was hoping to find out about getting my own router before then. If this is the online automated chat I have already done that.

The Fix Your Internet also found an "issue" and told me to wait for my technician visit. I would prefer NOT to rent a refurbished BGW210-700 router. I will use the rent money and buy my own.

So I had my second AT&T technician out. The first thought I had a bad port. The second thought it was a distant issue possibly due to AT&T doing some work nearby. He told me to get a mesh system. My internet is going out more frequently. I am no longer using my WIFI to make calls. The Smart Home wanted to make me another appointment but failed because the internet went out- same for my AT&T. I think I at least need a "new" modem.

The second thought it was a distant issue possibly due to AT&T doing some work nearby. He told me to get a mesh system.

These two statements don't seem to go together.  Were they supposed to?

Yep. He came to my home said he fixed issue distantly. Then looked at my system and said that though I was getting a good WIFI signal at the time - the signal strength was not able to "carry data" and I should get a mesh system to attach to the AT&T modem. I am somewhat rural and am unlikely to get fiber or cable and satellite was just as bad when I last tried it about 2 decades ago. Starlink maybe better but probably costs more than I can spend. I am retired but not stupid.

If you have a Wi-Fi issue (and that's not unusual, the AT&T Gateways don't have stellar WiFi; the new ones could be described as adequate; before that... um, adequate isn't a word I would have used), then a mesh system is a good idea.  But a mesh system will not fix a remote problem, or a problem with your line, or Gateway (other than the Wi-Fi), so that's what I'm asking.

I cannot confirm the remote issue except than AT&T supposedly did close a road about a mile away for some reason. I do not know if that continues but my WIFI (DSL) keeps going out. My phone for the first-time messages me to connect to the internet even though it is on autoconnect. My Wi-Fi in the past was frequently "unstable" but now it is gone for periods.

You probably need to have a technician come back out to determine where the problem is and fix it. It usually takes 2-4 visits before they are able to fix DSL issues at my location.

There is an unfortunate pattern in many of the forum complaints showing AT&T constantly repeating instructions to reboot, factory reset or replace the gateway. They do not work because the problem is not with the gateway but with the service.

For DSL, technicians often lack tools to locate the problem, the knowledge of what to check, or are reluctant to do so due to the decline of DSL usage at AT&T and problems with replacing parts (e.g., no replacements available) or repairing damaged wiring on a dying technology.

So they run a couple of tests, say the outside wiring is good (which it may be at that instant) and walk away.

Did the tech connect at the NID and keep the line up for at least 10 minutes? If so, what were the rates during that time? Did they do this again after any "repair"?

This is an example of some of what I have experienced which shows it takes alot of detective work to figure out the problem (and why it usually takes a few visits).

In my last visit, the tech could not even get his equipment to sync at the NID (which the gateway could). It was narrowed down to a bad connection at the yard terminal.

In the time before that, the tech could synch but during the 10 minutes the signal varied alot. The network settings (those maintained by AT&T) had the wrong service speed configured.

In one of the prior visits there were connection and speed issues and the tech realized there was a splice in the wiring from the terminal to the house and it had gone bad. They had to replace the cable to the house.

In one of the prior visits, the tech realized the network card had gone bad and had to replace it (resetting it did fix the connection and speed issues).

In one of the prior visits, a tech realized the wires at the terminal in the yard were fried by lightening (and ants) and barely touching the connectors.

Well, he replaced my gateway this morning. He said that if it did not work, he would put in a ticket for an outside evaluation. I will let you know. Thank you for your information about your problems.