ATT u-verse modem

[Little Marine]

I have an ATT u-verse modem that is also wireless. I need to replace it. ATT wants to charge me every month for there modem. Can I buy a modem to replace it or does it have to be an ATT modem?

[Geek-9pm]

Noway has answered yet.
I have, in time past, been able to use another brand of DSL router with my AT&T service. But you need e to have a frank talk with them and tell them you do not want to rent the modem. They should offer the option to just outright buy it from them. Expect to pay $100 for a unit that elsewhere would be $75.

Bear in mind  that other brands of routers may be hard for them to support. What is the model of the one you have? Is it made by a company called  'Two Wire' ?

[Little Marine]

They told me I couldn't purchase it. It is made by Motorola

[Geek-9pm]

OK. You will have to buy one of the other brands they use.
Here is a place where AT&T sells stuff.
https://www.att.com/equipment/accessories/dsl-equipment.jsp
Is this a DSL service?
If not, look at this: https://forums.att.com/t5/Residential-Wi-Fi-Gateway/List-of-U-verse-approved-3rd-party-modems/td-p/3731397

Here is a model that is often used for DSL. (attachment.)




[attachment deleted by admin to conserve space]

[DaveLembke]

To add to this... I ditched my modem rental years ago and bought my own modem for $58. Be prepared to give them the MAC Address for this modem that you buy. The MAC Address is how they identify this modem to being licensed for use with your account. Once they add this MAC address to their system, you will need to turn the modem on in which you may need to loginto it to configure it. For myself I didnt require any configuration as for once my motorola was connected to the ISP when booting they had me on the phone and they had access to flashing it. The modem then did a reset and when it came back up it was ready to go. Hope this info helps. The MAC address is usually on a sticker on the modem. And something like 01:e4:fe:98:4a:c0 or 01e4fe984ac0 in which your 12 hex digit mac address will be different than this mac address example, but should be on it for easy identification, although usually in very small print. *Additionally to get my modem set up I had to talk to 3 people, 2 of them said it wasnt an option and that i had to continue top pay on the rental modem. The 3rd person I chatted with processed my request and I just had to return the rented modem to my ISP. My ISP is Comcast and not AT&T. They could play stubborn, but hopefully your able to find someone that allows it.

[Little Marine]

I called them again. Since I was upgrading my internet speed I had to get a new modem. They told me I couldn't install it. It had to be done by their technician.

[Geek-9pm]

AT&T has a forum and others have there posted what you also have heard.
https://forums.att.com/t5/U-verse-2014-Archive/want-to-buy-my-modem-told-I-can-only-lease-in-my-area/td-p/3715955
want to buy my modem -- told I can only lease in my area

I prefer not to depend on used equipment, so today I called 800-288-2020 to try and buy a new modem and was told that my modem was in fact leased with a monthly leasing charge.  I was told AT&T would not sell me a new modem "because they only lease in my area."  They did say they would send me a new leased modem (presumably without scratches) which I could self-install and then return my old one.

He got more information about what option  he has with AT&T. It seems that his contract did not specify the rules that somebody told him.

Judge nor your self. After your read this:
http://money.cnn.com/2015/06/17/technology/att-unlimited-dat-plan/
AT&T fined $100 million for misleading customers...
It is NOT about your specific issue, but it shows that the company deliberately misleads its customers on large scale as part of its business model.   

You have multiple options for filing a complaint with the FCC:

    File a complaint online.
    By phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322); TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322); ASL: 1-844-432-2275.
    By mail (please include your name, address, contact information and as much detail about your complaint as possible):

https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us

Hope this helps.