This page was last modified 2007-01-23 18:33:51 by Puchu.Net user Choco. (Show history)

No Phone Service!

Yay. For some reason this happens every 3 months. We use AT&T/SBC for phone and DSL services, and it has been a real pain to have to experience some problems regularly.

I used to call them up, because I didn't know of other ways to find out what the heck is wrong with the service. Every time the automated support system would greet me and make me wonder what is wrong with people who came up with this support system. Not only is the voice recognition inaccurate, it always asks if my phone is broken after having described that there is a problem with phone service. What's wrong with just pressing numbers? Why do I need to answer multiple times before the system gives up and give me a real person?

But then I found out this could be done online, and my experience has not improved. Not so useful when the landline is down, because the DSL line goes with it. Clicking buttons is much easier and faster than talking to an idiotic automated support system, but the response is just as vexing. Today it gave me a message saying "...Estimated restoral time is 2:00PM, on Thursday...," that's two days from now, and it's not the first time it takes multiple days to address phone problems. It's not even just our house, it is affecting my neighbors as well.

None of this is more annoying than the fact that there is no reason provided explaining why things are broken, and we are not getting what we paid for. If it's a planned maintenance then they should let their customers know ahead of time. If somebody fogged up somewhere then they need to clarify what the problem was, and that it was unavoidable. Otherwise it simply shows lack of respect towards customers. Instead of trying to communicate with customers the current situation with real information, it gives them the middle finger: wait until AT&T/SBC is done with whatever it's doing.

Separately, you can read an interesting article by Russ Beattie about the old and new AT&T logos; his conclusion: the new logo sucks. I think changing to bad logo design is prerequisite for a sinking company. In that light I guess it is okay for the poor service. If they can't get their acts together, I hope they piss off enough customers that they can disappear quickly at least.