ATT and wireless -- tech support sucks!

There's not too many things in life I hate worse than having to call any computer tech support! Today was one of those days. I have ATT/DSL. All was fine till I left the house to go mail in my reason for not being able to serve on Jury Duty (ah, yes, another woe, but not worth a whole blog) - and when I got back, I had no internet connection. I hit the reset on the modem, and that didn't work. I called them, and the recording said, "Did you unplug modem and restart?"

Well, no, I didn't. So, I hung up and did that. But I still didn't have a connection. So, I called back. Apparently hitting the reset erased my password; and the guy walked me through setting a new one. All is fine -- so far.

Then he has me turn on my laptop, which I might mention has not been turned on for quite some time - months - but it had connection when I used it last. But I agreed a good idea to check it. Good thing, because there was no connection.

He had me do several things; then had me delete the connection, let it create a new one; didn't work. An error message came up, something about the ISP wasn't compatible. Then the phone went dead. I suppose he hung up! They make it a big deal to get your phone number so they can call you back - but he didn't call me back.

So, I called them back, started over. "Let me connect you to the wireless tech support." GEEZ! Okay.

Then we go through the same things again, answering the same basic questions about modem and operating system and all that . She does the same stuff the first guy had me to do - properties, look at this, look at that -- then delete the connection; let it create a new connection, etc. Got to the same place - three or four times. Each time she would say, "Can you hold while I check your account?" Sure, I'll wait. Then she'd come back to do the same thing we did before.

Then she's quiet - then asks me, "You are having trouble getting the wireless to work on your laptop; is that right?" YES!!! Damn!!

I tried to tell her about the message, the ISP wasn't compatible; but she pretty much ignored me and said bla bla bla about ATT supporting Internet connection and I could connect; apparently it was something wrong with my laptop; and did I want her to connect me to the Connect Tech Support? I said there's nothing wrong with my laptop, and I thought that's who she was!! Yes, connect me.

Well, getting connected to that department, the recording alerts me that it is fee-based and to have a credit card handy. OH, NO YOU DON'T! So, I hung up; got out my ethernet cable and hard wired it, and it connected just fine.

Once again, I got the message about the ISP not being compatible; but when I tried to click on the error for more info, it went away. By this time I had wasted well over 2 hours, maybe even three, of stress and rising blood pressure; so I gave it up. I know I'll have to call them back and go through the whole thing -- again! But it won't be today!

There's no reason in this world that so much time and mental energy should be expended on something that should be so minor!

ATT vs ROADRUNNER PHONE SERVICE

It's been a very long time since I've aired my Woes on this site. I won't go so far as to say life hasn't had its shares of woes over this past time period, but I've been preoccupied and pretty much rolled with what has come my way. But it's time to complain - at least a little bit.

Several months ago I chose to change my home telephone service from ATT to Roadrunner, both for the free long distance that it offered, as well as a cheaper phone bill. Usually Roadrunner is amenable with service calls and the like, and I do love my Roadrunner Internet connection. However, as it would happen, the quality of the voice transferral, both receiving and sending, suffered. No, not 100% of the time, but intermittently. Either I would hear a low volume, muffled voice or I would send a garbled, underwater sound out to the person I was trying to communicate with. Of course I would call RR and complain and they would be attentive and come out and check lines and connections, etc, but they never could fix it.

Then a new problem developed that I would lose Internet connection much more frequently than before. By frequently, I mean, maybe once or twice a month or something, sometimes for a few hours, sometime only minutes. Sometimes they had to reset my modem. Sometimes they told me to. Sometimes it would reset itself. They even gave me a new modem. But the problems persisted. The last time was for over six hours and their phone was out of service and I couldn't even call them. So, I had no phone, no Internet, and no way to reach them. So, in a fit of rage - albeit, panic, I called ATT. Moving from Cable to DSL gave me much consternation, but I was tired of not having consistent reliable connections. When the cable went, my phone went.

ATT explained it would take two weeks to set up the takeover of my accounts. Two weeks was the 24th. I received my modem from ATT, along with promises of two $50 rebates, 3 months of free phone, and a $50 Visa gift card. Geez!

They called me in a few days to say it would be the 28th because they didn't give Roadrunner all the correct info, and they had to start over. Um. Okay (is this a hint of what is to come?)

It dawned on me I would lose my RR web space of which I do utilize for my web page. I called ATT back to see if they had free web space available. I was put on hold. Finally I got a person as opposed to animation. The person didn't know. "Let me transfer you." Hold. Next department - well, you get the idea -- two hours and six departments later and still, nobody knew. The 6th department was literally the 1st department I started with! I'm growing less and less happy about this decision.

I asked around and decided I would be giving up too much Internet speed and opted to change just the phone to ATT and keep Roadrunner Internet. That was easy enough to change. ATT didn't give me a hard time, told me about the return label for the modem, and informed me I was losing all incentives since I wasn't getting the Internet. Well, okay. So be it. I didn't have those incentives to begin with.

Finally the 28th came. Roadrunner was prompt to disconnect my phone early in the morning. My appointment was for ATT to hook me up was 12:00 to 5:00. I think at least 4 times ATT had called over this period of two weeks' wait, leaving messages on my answering machine that they would be here on the 28th. Great! By the way, as if it mattered to ATT at all, the 28th just happens to be my birthday.

They weren't here by 2:00. This is Friday, mind you. I called ATT customer service with my cell since I now have no house phone, explaining I wanted to be sure the repairman would be coming because it was Friday. "Oh, yes, ma'am. You're next."

I called at 4:30. "Are you sure he is coming?" "Oh, yes, ma'am. It may take till 5:30 but he's coming. " "Here's my cell number." She assured me she gave it to him.

It reached midnight. He never came! He never called! If I ever do find out who "he" is, "he" will certainly get a piece of my mind!!

I called at 6:15 and got a recording that I have to call back during business hours. I tried to call technical support. Since I don't have an active account, the animation tells me I have to call back during business hours. There is no one to talk to -- only a machine!

So, here I sit, wondering what to do. I seriously am considering going back to Roadrunner's crappy VOIP and begging them to take me back; but the quality really is annoying! Either way I have to wait till Monday, set up a new appointment, wait around another whole day for a repairman who might or might not come. God help anybody who has phone problems on the weekend or after 5:00! Guess I best keep my cell phone charged and bill paid!

This ride turned out to be quite a bumpy one. But then why would I think it shouldn't have been. When do you ever deal with these companies and all go like clockwork.

Does all this explaining and complaining help? Well, maybe a little. At least I got it off my chest. Take a deep breath, and wait till Monday!

Maybe I'll tell you next about what Sears did to me about my car! It's a story of equal frustration.