What Customer Service?

I have been completely offline since Wednesday.  Why you ask?  Because I had to have the telephone transferred to the new house so the alarm could be activated.  That sounds fairly simple right?  WRONG!

I called in to AT&T on November 3 to set up service at the new house as of November 17.  I sat there all day long (over 12 hours) that day, and no one ever showed up!  I had a school thing with the kids the next morning, but called as soon as it was over from a pay phone (oh the joys!).  After holding and dealing with the automated system for 20 minutes, I finally reached a real live person.  I was told there was a "glitch" in the system but they would expedite my order and have someone out that day.

I waited 5 hours, then called back.  This time I was told that my request for an expedited order was denied and they would be out Friday between 8a-8p and someone must be at the house.  Are you kidding me?!?  I did nearly 20 hours of waiting already and now I need to wait up to another 12!  This delay also meant my alarm install had to be rescheduled.

I was, needless to say, way past unhappy.  I was transferred to every employee AT&T had, and in the end, told there was nothing I could do but wait.

I tried to find an alternate carrier, but in my small town, it's the big one or nothing!  No wonder they treat you like that!  No competition.

Finally, the technician arrives around 11a today.  Great!  Not too long of a wait today only 3 hours and soon I'll be back online at both houses (we were off temporarily at the old house to get a new number so our old number could move with us since the little ones have already learned it).  No such luck!  Apparently, someone had elected to cut all the telephone lines from the box.  Oh, they could reinstall them at $125 per jack. 

Really?  Just $125 per jack?  What a deal!  I can't afford that right now.  So I guess we leave the phone off until I can. 

"Sorry" says the tech.  "I can't leave until I complete the work order.  We are only responsible for the signal reaching the house, not getting inside.  If you don't want the service, you can call back and make an appointment to cancel it but it will be on when I leave today."

So even if I can't use the service, I still get to pay for the install and have to wait for the uninstall, or pay a bill every month, even unable to use the service.  Great!  And, this is approximately when the tears started.  I don't usually act so, well, female but at almost 12w pregnant, and on my 3rd day of telephone nonsense, I just couldn't take any more.

Fortunately, my contractor was on hand.  He worked until he got me a live line into the house, then he went back to the job he was there for!  He was my hero today! 

Well, I should get off here, we are starting to work at 9a tomorrow and I am completely wiped out from today.  The house is finally gettting close and we are hoping to be in by Christmas barring any other major delays.  Fingers crossed, we'll see what happens.