measi's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- it's all a conspiracy... Cable companies run the most open-faced scam I know. I can't fathom how they get away with this bullshit sometimes. I got up yesterday morning, turned on the TV, and the TV Guide channel/Lineup preview channel thingy was running on my screen. On all channels. Dammit, I must have forgotten to pay my bill. Okay... well... let's fix this. Called them up. I was up to date, but my next payment of $19.95 was due next week, so might as well get it over with. Paid them. Didn't even cross my still sleep-filled mind that they stated I was up to date, yet had no cable service. Went to work, assuming that they'd flip the switch, and I'd be back and running by the time I got home. Nothing had changed by the time I came home. Not a damn thing. Called up again, this time directing to technical service since I knew it wasn't a billing error. The woman who answered the phone sounded like she'd been drinking-- her words were somewhat slurred. The conversation went something like this.... Me: Hi there... my cable account is paid up to date, but I'm not getting service. The box is working-- I'm getting that TV Guide channel thingy, but that's all I'm getting. Techie: Okay... (gets account info and such from me). Um... I don't have a box listed in name. You don't have cable service. Me: Huh? Um, no. I have a box right here. Techie: You do? How? Me: Because I have an account and cable service through you. Techie: For how long? Me: Um... about three years Techie: Well, I don't have a box number here. That's probably the problem. Me: Interesting-- then why am I getting monthly bills for service. Techie: You are? How? Me: (starting to get the b.s. picture here and starting to get a bit irate) Listen... I HAVE an account with you. You just brought it up. You can look through my payment history. I have an account. Okay? I want my cable fixed. Techie: Okay, well... like I said, I don't have a serial number on the box for you. Me: Well maybe someone accidently deleted it in your system. I can read that off for you. Is it this one on the bottom of the box? Techie: I'm not sure. Um... just read me that number. Me: (do so). Okay... now... can you flip the switch and get me back up and running. Techie: I don't know how to do that. I'll have to send someone out there. Me: (getting angry now). No. I'm not taking another day off of work this year for you people to come out and jerk me around. I did that three days earlier in this year when you did this with my cable service. Techie: (not hearing a word I said) I can make an appointment for you on Thursday. Me: I just said that I can't afford another day off of work for you people. What is the problem here? Just flip the switch. Techie: I can't do that. I need to send someone out there. Me: You don't understand. I went through this in January when you guys decided to cut my line completely. It took three appointments for them to come out here and determine that my box was also dead. I can't afford another round of this. The service is connecting, it's just a scrambler issue. But I'm starting to think that this is just a scam you guys pull to charge extra service fee money, and I'm a step away from reporting AT&T to the Better Business Bureau. Techie: I don't know what to tell you. You can do whatever you want, but I can't do anything here. I don't know what to do. I gave up after that, telling her that I'd wait another day and see if it returned, and then I'd call back. Because I knew this woman just had no clue. You could tell by hearing her. Not to mention that she sounded so intoxicated that she probably deleted my box number out of the system herself by mistake. So I went onto the website for AT&T Broadband, which was extremely disheartening, considering that the GRAPHICS don't even work on the site... really helpful when your button graphics links don't work, folks. But I found the service feedback form, and ripped them a new one about the person I'd talked to. I called again this morning, and they say that my cable is on. We'll see. It's a scam, I tell you. A huge one. "Customer Care Professionals" indeed. Fucking AT&T. 10:52 a.m. - 23 May 2002 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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