Internet Up, cont

So after the failed fix for our Internet connection on Thursday, I started calling the cable company number again the first thing Friday morning. Surprisingly, I got past the automated system and actually got a live tech on the line.

The first thing the tech did was ask for our account information. Now this is something that annoys me about any help system that uses an automated system as the gateway to getting a live tech. The automated system gets account information in the beginning, but when you get to the live tech, they still have to ask for account information. Why does the automated system not forward that stuff on to the tech when you get transferred?

I explained that a thunderstorm had knocked out our connection, and that we had gotten a new modem, but we were still without the Internet. The tech had me go through all the basic procedures that I had already gone through before, on my own: shut everything down, restart in a certain order, etc. Unfortunately, my keyboard stopped working.

I have a wireless keyboard, so there are a  number of things that could have been going wrong. I tried a couple of quick fixes, but they didn’t work. I told the tech I’d have to call back once I figured out my keyboard. She gave me a ticket number for my call, and I hung up. I ended up just plugging in an old wired keyboard. Then I called back.

I went through the automated system, again giving my account info and going through the first level of “diagnostic” that I had to do every time I had called before (just before getting disconnected). Then I was connected to another live tech. I gave the tech my account information and my ticket number.

This tech again had me perform the basic procedures for checking my system. We tried some more options but nothing was working. This tech needed to transfer me to another department to see if they could help me. Fine, let’s resolve this. He transferred me, but I waited on hold for 30 minutes, and then got disconnected. DAMMIT!

I called back, went through the damn automated system again — giving my account info, doing the basic diagnostic — and got through to another live tech (my third of the morning). I explained what had happened a few minutes ago, and he read what the previous techs had written under my ticket number. He tried to help me again, but ran into the same problems the previous tech had.

All three techs were friendly and helpful, if ultimately, unfortunately, ineffectual. I have no complaint about the people. But this tech had to transfer me to that other place, too. I waited on hold another 30 minutes only to be disconnected again. DAMMIT TO HELL!!!

I had wasted two hours of my morning trying to get this problem resolved, and I was no closer to a solution than I was a day before. We had been without Internet access for over 24 hours, and we were looking at a weekend of more. Cowgrit said she’d go by the cable office and demand someone come out to our house and fix it. I went on to work, and she went to the company. Because of this problem throughout the area, the earliest they could get a service person to our house would be Wednesday afternoon.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com