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To: E. Davies who wrote (23684)	7/19/2000 11:49:21 PM
From: ahhaha	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 29970

I don't agree. Truck roll is necessary and it confirms or finalizes the deal with a human touch. This can go a long way to keep people patient during down times. Att may be a dog, but they have done a helluva a good job of support. Att also has a chance to peddle other services this way. There are too many complications in the existing CATV systems to relegate installation to automation. You can intellectualize away this consideration all you want, but I have been on the front lines and have had various problems with my service, so I know the practical reality will not disappear. Nothing to do with Att or ATHM, but everything to do with MSO. The last mile is so problematic that the truck roll is critical. It is now the case that the truck roll itself isn't the disaster it once was. They are bringing down its marginal cost every week.

To: E. Davies who wrote (23684)	7/20/2000 3:48:00 PM
From: KailuaBoy	Respond to of 29970

Eric, It works out better in the long run when the truck roll is performed. A lot of times they will string new cable to replace what would require a truck roll to repair later. The part that takes them out of their area of expertise and causes most problems is the data tech installing "stuff" on the computer. That is going away as cable ready computers come on the market. Device conflicts and unrecognizable ethernet cards, etc. are going away as well. I believe that the truck roll will always be there but that the best kind of truck roll is one where one cable tech can show up during a 2-hour window and do what they know how to do...string cable and leave. There's nothing wrong with that. KB