Complaint Review: AT&T

Att: Mr. Randall L. Stephenson, Mr. Jose M. Gutierrez, Mr. Tim Harden
Subject: Discrimination
I can't get High Speed Internet Service from AT&T even though they keep sending me information with prices starting at $14.95 per month. I have chosen to live in the Hill Country of Texas just outside of Austin by about 20 miles. I have been using their service since 1988 and their Internet service since April 1997.

I live on 5 acres of land where it is peaceful and quiet but in doing so I do not live within 3 miles of a DSL Gateway or the main office. I feel this is why I am being discriminated against. I could get HS Internet service through a satellite service but being retired and on a fixed income I cannot afford $60.00 a month. Also I cannot use the full service that the Internet can provide like send and receive large e-mail, videos and download some music files. Even though AT&T has enough money to purchase large phone companies like Bell South, approx. 67 billion or more, 944 million for Central Wireless in CA, donated one million to the University of Texas for what I don't know, didn't know they needed money.

I have made a suggestion to several people who are employed by AT&T that they supply me with a laptop card at the $19.95 price until as such time as the can supply me with land line high speed service. But NOOOOOOOOOOOO that is too simple, they can't think of that. They have my email address but I never get a reply from those that have the power to make changes. They have my physical mailing address but I don't hear from them using that method but I still get their advertisements in my mailbox telling me of DSL and how fast it is at a reasonable price.

I use the paperless billing system for my bills, which average $113.00 a month with 2 phone lines, one for my wife to use and one for me, which is for the computer.

I know that somebody from AT&T will read this and I know that they will do nothing about it but there should be others out there that will read it and know they are not alone. There are no other landline phone companies or cable companies in the area so one does not have any choice.

John
Dripping Springs, Texas
U.S.A.