AT&T DSL - Rant!

My DSL at work has been going in and out today.

I'm not an idiot, and did the usual steps of unplugging the router, resetting it, rebooting the PC, etc. I finally called AT&T and dealt with their automated system from Hell for two calls and a total of almost 20 minutes before I was able to reach a live person.

About five minutes into the chat with the real person, he says, "Oh, it appears there is a partial outage in Houston. Your service should be fully restored by Midnight."

My rant is why the automated system didn't tell me this when I entered my account number. While I'm not exactly a fan of Comcast (which I have at home) either, at least their automated system has the courtesy to automatically tell me if there is a service outage or problem in my area once I enter my phone or account number.

You'd think they would be smart enough to set up such a service.

Oh, wait. It's AT&T. Never mind. :tas

 

I have literally never called Comcast about my service being out and had a recording tell me there is an outage. Usually, the person I talk to doesn't know there's an outage, either. It takes Tier 2 to figure it out.

I feel your pain, though.

 

I have a similar rant although not broadband related, stoopid business rules and computer networking related, bit long sorry.

Needed some parts for my soldering iron which is sold by Maplin in the UK. The last time I was in the store they said anything that isn't in stock or web only can me delivered to he store for collection next day free of charge. Great.

So I phoned up the UK Maplin sales hotline and ordered the parts and asked for the parts to be delivered to their store, next day I though with their daily shipment of stock, won't miss delivery guy, pick them up in my own leisure when I received a call saying they've arrived.

So Friday comes and nothing so I phoned the local store and they knew nothing of the order, not only that they couldn't check the order because their online computers are not connected to their store computers, phoned the head office hotline and they confirmed the parts have been shipped by royal mail:confused Hmmm So basically I've ordered parts online through a person which took forever and she has just entered the store address instead of mine.

Phoned the local store the other day to see what's happening, still no parts or they can't find them. So I asked if I phoned up the ACTUAL store instead of the main sales hotline could I have the parts delivered to the store for next day collection? Nope! They can't take payment over the phone in the store, I would have to physically be in the store and pay for them then come back the next day to collect.

Long story medium :-D It's been a week still no parts, needed it really badly for a project I'm doing so been and bought a DIY cheapo which sucks and as crapped up my lovely soldered PCB:cry

If Fred or Phantom reads this and wondered why I haven't finished the electronic target this is why :cry No wonder we lost the empire...

 

I must be a market by market thing. Hopefully they'll update the system where you live soon to do this.

 

Welcome to DSL! :-D

I just a couple month long fight with my provider over repeated outages that resulted me in having to involve the BBB just to get a fix (which I did).