Can We Talk 2

Service Back On

On Friday August 10, after 6 pm, but before ten, our land line and Internet went down. We frequently lose power or the Web, so we didn't panic. But 12 hours later, it wasn't fixed. I called a hard to find service number, and through a series of recordings requiring input, I found a recording that told me the cable was out in our area and would be repaired by 6 pm Monday. Monday night came and no service.

I called Tuesday am and went through several computers, then operators until I found one who gave me a lecture about how it would cost $85 if the problem was inside the house even if the technician didn't come inside. I had checked all that and had already switched routers with new ones. So he made an appointment for September 4! "You're kidding me! " I cried, louder, but not screaming. "I've got a 90 year old man in the house who can't use a cell phone. What if I have an emergency?"

"I'm sorry. That's the first opening I have." So I took the appointment, but told a lot of people what lousy service we have. It turns out another woman had the same pickle with service. Her son is a state level politician. He made a few tweets, and she got her phones fixed immediately. This came to the attention of a local reporter who wrote an article in this past Sunday's paper. So on Monday, I got a call on my cell phone from this guilty company, telling me that "today" my phone lines would be fixed. Today came and went. Finally Tuesday, sometime between 11 am and 1 pm the phones came back on with no one coming to the house. The problem was somewhere else apparently. Thursday I got a call from the service department to follow up and ask if it was resolved, but she didn't wait for my response. She could hear the horrible static for herself and supposedly was going to report it to the technician. The Internet is slow but fine.

The technicians are independent operators and overloaded. The service supplier, according to the paper, has no intention of increasing its workforce or updating equipment and lines. As far as I'm concerned, we have to change our service as soon as my Internet contract expires. I'll just have to get Dad an I-pad to use as a phone with large keys and high volume. We don't have a lot of options for Internet where I live, but hopefully that will soon change. With as much construction as we have going on this mountain, there will be a greater demand.

Meanwhile I've tried to consider this a vacation from surfing and incessant sales calls. I've done more reading, more yard work, and cleaned out a closet. Maybe I should disconnect on purpose.