Thanks for nothing, AT&T U-Verse

For the past year or so, AT&T U-verse has been calling my house and trying to get us to become customers.

For those unfamiliar with U-Verse, it’s pretty slick. I finally said “OK” to AT&T and arranged to drop my AT&T DSL, AT&T phone service and Dish Network satellite for a U-Verse bundle. We were all set to pick up phone, Internet access and TV service – complete with a DVR and 80 high definition channels – for about $130 a month (for the first year, anyhow).

That’s a heck of a deal, kids. Unfortunately, we’re not able to get U-Verse. Why? They sent some folks out here and told us we live too far from the U-Verse switch to activate the service.

In other words, I’ve been hounded on a weekly basis for something I can’t get. Didn’t it occur to them to check and see whether I could actually get U-Verse before they started their relentless calls? What the hell is going on over there? Have they heard of the public relations pitfalls of pulling such things?

The sad thing about this is that the U-Verse service looks very, very cool. Up to four televisions can utilize the receiver and happy U-Verse customers can record up to four shows while watching another one.

Sadly, I’m not a happy U-Verse customer. I’m not a U-Verse customer at all, in fact. Instead, I’m stuck paying $90 per month for a standard definition digital DVR (and two additional receivers) through Dish Network.

So now I’m mad at U-Verse (because I can’t get that service) and Dish Network (for offering an expensive service that isn’t that great).

AT&T should have left well enough alone. Ignorance is bliss, after all.