Stupid phone company

[bnwalker2]

John had called the phone company about getting DSL over two months ago. They said it would be 1-4 weeks so they could update the "boxes" to provide the service in our area. Well, it's been over 10 weeks now and we haven't heard from them. Both of us tried to call all day yesterday and couldn't get any information. John just called a different number this morning and was told that "the cabinet on your road is full, we can't help you at this time"... they were supposed to call us when the service was available here and now too many people on our road have it, so we can't get it.

He told her that we'd switch our services to a different company (which, unfortunately, he won't actually do).. and she said she'd see what she could do and call back. I'm tempted to call her myself and tell her that if they don't find a way to get us DSL that I'm going to spread the word about them and they'll lose a lot of customers that way, but John won't let me. Sorry, had to vent a little!

 

[lunasmom]

Ehhh...its just like the car shop. They'll say they'll call, but they never do; you have to keep bugging them.

Can you do cable modem instead?

 

[bnwalker2]

Right now we have dial-up, but John's dad is cutting the line today because John couldn't fix his computer... and yes he tried everything possible to fix it, his brother killed it by downloading over 1,000 game add-ons and it caused a virus... that computer is dead forever. We used to have cable internet, but John's dad cut that too after the cable company raised the bill... we went without tv and internet for 3 months until we finally got satellite and dial-up.
I just read on the phone company's website that they have a SELF INSTALLATION KIT which is actually much cheaper than the professional installation... so what in the world is the problem? Another reason we got for them not giving us DSL was that the techs are too busy to install it... SO? All they have to do is update a box and give us a kit.

 

[momofmany]

(I work for a phone company so sort of understand how this works).

If you don't have the option for cable modem, you aren't going to find another company to install DSL for you. In this case, the only line that runs to your house is from that box they referred to that is overloaded. If you call another company, they are competing for space in that box and won't get it any sooner than you would thru your existing company.

The self install kit won't work either, as again, the connection has to be made at that overloaded box. The phone company has to run a bigger line into the box, replace the box and rewire all of their existing customers. That is why it is taking too long. It costs the company hundreds of thousands of dollars to do this and they can't justify doing it for a single customer.

If your only option for TV is satellite, you are at their mercy. Keep calling and pestering them. Ask about a waiting list to be the first one connected when someone else cancels their service.

 

[bnwalker2]

Well, we went up this afternoon and the woman did NOT want to help us. So we told her to cancel our service and as soon as John said that, a woman came running out of the back "wait, give me your address and I'll see if we can run it off of another box on the next road". So we waited for 15 minutes until she came back out. We've been first on the list of 6 people who have ordered DSL since March... she said they are working on an upgrade and we should have it soon. So John asked her what kind of time frame we're looking at. She said that provided it doesn't rain, equipment doesn't fail, and the technicians feel like working... we should have it between 1 week and 3 months.

BUT, John was able to fix his dad's computer, so we have dial-up until we get DSL... if we ever do.

 

[catsallover]

I feel your pain

...we can't get DSL because our switch hasn't been upgraded. Now, my BIL, who lives less than a mile down the road, can get it in his neighborhood, and my MIL, who lives at the most 2 miles the other way has it, but our switch hasn't been upgraded yet? It's not like we live out in the country (when we did, cable was a rare thing, as was water lines...)! We live about 15 minutes from the heart- not the city line, the heart- of the biggest city in Alabama...The real kicker is, we could get DSL for $15 a month!

grrrr...

 

[mygirl919]

Funny how that works... you get the run around..so fed up you just want to say heck with it all - then a miracle....oh, yeah we can help. That cracks me up...funny how that works. As long as they still get your money - they can help! :-)