AT&T Users Already Complaining About Inaccurate Meters Measuring From DSLAM Inflating Usage Numbers? While the consumer response to AT&T's T-Mobile is generally negative, AT&T's fortunate in that the deal at least has shifted media attention away from AT&T's recent decision to start charging DSL and U-Verse users overages. Over the years as we've watched ISPs (especially in Canada) embrace metered billing, so enamoured with the potential new revenue -- they often forget to make sure their usage meters actually work (see: Cogeco. Bell), Judging from posts in our forums by AT&T users, AT&T's effort on this front so far isn't any better. Comparing AT&T's new meter system to their firewall and router logs, several users note that AT&T's meter is off -- by as much as hundreds of gigabytes: quote:

Another user in the thread suggests that the discrepancy is because AT&T is measuring usage at the DSLAM, thereby creating unrealistic totals that incorporate PPPoE and ATM overhead: quote:

We've asked AT&T for confirmation and comment. While many ISPs say they want to be able to bill like a utility, you'd be hard pressed to find any that want to be regulated like one. In particular, no ISP wants government regulators confirming their meters are accurate, and no regulators in North America have the courage to demand it, leaving consumers alone to fend for themselves and try and keep their carriers honest. We'll note that AT&T is already facing a lawsuit for allegedly Another user in the thread suggests that the discrepancy is because AT&T is measuring usage at the DSLAM, thereby creating unrealistic totals that incorporate PPPoE and ATM overhead:We've asked AT&T for confirmation and comment. While many ISPs say they want to be able to bill like a utility, you'd be hard pressed to find any that want to be regulated like one. In particular, no ISP wants government regulators confirming their meters are accurate, and no regulators in North America have the courage to demand it, leaving consumers alone to fend for themselves and try and keep their carriers honest. We'll note that AT&T is already facing a lawsuit for allegedly artificially inflating data usage and over billing wireless users







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tim92078

join:2010-07-15

San Marcos, CA 3 recommendations tim92078 Member Relevant state department of weights and measures... Every deathstar user that doesn't have the option to quit should all write the attorney general in their respective state pointing out this inaccuracy.



These meters tie directly to the bill. They should not be treated any differently from the scale in the deli (has a state certified sticker that its accurate) or a gas pump.



Every bill that's inaccurate should be disputed too. Not just through the deathstar's complaint channels, but through attornies general.



Every time. Every bill. Make UBB cost these greedy bloodsuckers more than they ever dreamed it could.



That's the way to nip this usage-based-billing BS in the bud. When the attorney general of every state afflicted with the AT&T cancer raises questions of whether their meter could be certified - I bet that's when some suit at AT&T realizes "Oh, wait a minute, this is going to be really expensive to implement."