DSL...Fixed...Finally

There is something about AT&T's organizational structure that causes me to experience rage and frustration at a level that I usually reserve for bad breakups. I mean really. Every technician I've ever met in person has been an excellent and competent individual. The problem is getting to the real people. The phone and departmental set-up is some sort of byzantine labyrinth complete with dead falls and nasty monsters.

The storm last Wednesday night really only clipped us. We had some high winds and some thunder and lightening. However, it was bad enough to knock out our internet. Thursday morning we woke up to red flashing lights and no connectivity. No problem. These things happen. We went to work, worked hard dispensing knowledge to the young and ignorant, and then came home. Still no internet. We checked the outage sites, but nothing really popped out.

By this point, I'm actually twitchy. It's one thing when I choose to be a slacker and don't blog. It's another thing entirely to lose the ability to choose. I even tried the mobile blogger app. Oh my gawd is that a buggy app. It's kept closing itself for no apparent reason and losing my progress.

Anyway, Friday morning, still no internet, so after school we call AT&T and get a very personable fellow named Carlos on the phone. Ryan opened with, "We've cycled the modem several times." Carlos naturally takes Ryan through the step-by-step process of cycling a modem... cause you know, we just lied about already having done it...yeah that's likely. I know they have to follow a script, but jeez. 40 minutes later, Carlos agrees we have a problem and tells us a tech will be out in the morning.

Saturday morning, out comes a very nice technician named Brian. Brian cycles our modem, checks the connection outside the house and at the street. Brian replaces the modem. Brian runs a new line from the pole to the house. Nothing works. Brian puts in a ticket for a DSL technician. Very nice guy, Brian. He keeps pit bulls and is looking for a large breed of cat for his girlfriend so that the cat has a fighting chance with the dogs. Nice guy.

So, Brian told us that the DSL technician would probably just show up outside and not bother us. However, Ryan and I have had dealings with AT&T's disorganization before. So, Ryan checks. He got a text saying that our service call has been delayed due to a network outage. Now, what does that mean. I understand all the words but they don't really string together. After all, we called because we had a network outage. He calls AT&T tech support (big mistake). The most unhelpful lady on the phone makes him verify his identity by reciting the alphabet backwards, listing off his favorite vocalists three years ago, and sending a pic of the bottom of his right shoe. (not really, but it felt like that.) Once Ryan's finally had enough to snap (rare event) the woman says, "well I see here that your service call has been delayed due to a network outage." Oh really. Thanks for that new and fascinating information.

So, what can you do. We went to bed. Sunday morning, Ryan called again while chanting a vulcan mantra in aid of calm under his breath. Ryan starts by overviewing the situation and saying, "and we are still without internet." There is a long pause followed by, "hold on a second while I check something." Well, it turns out our ticket was marked resolved somewhere along the line. She reopens the ticked and tells us someone will be out by noon. At this point I put on work boots and start beating up the front lawn with a shovel.

However, less than 20 minutes later a new tech shows up in a boom truck and ultimately fixes the problem. Apparently, lightning struck somewhere up the line on Wednesday night. So that's all great. However, why does it take three days to get anything done with AT&T and why is it that every time I have to deal with them, they screw up something meaning that I loose even more of my time waiting around for them to fix their equipment.

*fume*