Still Waiting

18 Days without internet.

On February 20 the internet went out. We live "down the line" and we've had intermittent problems before so I didn't think much of it. A few days later I called. 

We had an appointment on Wednesday, March 2. They of course missed the window and showed up about 4:00. He was nice enough but he didn't actually do anything and told me he'd see me "first thing tomorrow." 

Thursday came. We have very different definitions of "first thing" because he didn't show up until 1:00. I was getting the kids ready for rest time and for the first time in her life put M to bed with a bottle because I didn't want to miss the guy. Only he just sat in our parking area and then drove off about 15 minutes later. The internet was still not working. 

So I chatted with the internet help line. They were still working on it. 

And sure enough a little while later he came back. And I waited. 

Then I went to get the kids from nap. And you can try to rush grumpy 3 year olds through the bathroom but they only go the speed they go. I got back downstairs and he was gone. 

So I got back online with the online chat. They were still working on it. 

Then I got an email. Telling me that because I wasn't home, they couldn't complete my repair and I'd have to reschedule. 

Now, it is possible that he did come knock on my back door while I was getting everyone up and about. But he did not ring my doorbell on my front door. And I was home. And seriously, I was going to take the kids out on Thursday but couldn't because I was waiting for the tech, now apparently I can't even go upstairs for 10 minutes?

So I got back on the chat and they were all booked up for Friday so they could come Monday. 

Well there wasn't anything I could do about that so FINE. I was grumpy but I settled down quickly.

Yesterday I woke up ready to finally have internet. I even wrote a (not snarky!) note and taped it on the back door, informing the tech that I WAS home but since there was no doorbell on this door I may not hear a knock. Just in case you know.

I watched the "Where's My Tech" page like a hawk. The time kept getting pushed further back into the day. Until about 4:00 when it magically jumped backwards in time and said that they should have completed the service about two hours prior. 

So I got back on the chat. And the went through the dispatch to page the technician and that they would call me soon. 

Well a half hour later, no phone call and FAST approaching 5:00 I got on the phone and called. I talked to Jake who did the whole page them again thing. 

No phone call. Then I got back on the chat. Evan in Boise who, to his credit was very sympathetic, took a long time to figure out what went wrong and no one could give him a reason why this kept happening. But he rescheduled me for today and made it absolutely clear to the dispatch that they could not push me back again. 

So now I wait. The (still not snarky) note is on the back door. And *luckily* (maybe? I don't know, anyway) school got cancelled so I actually can sit around all day and not worry that I am missing the technician. 

If they do show up, and they do fix it, I will still get to call back again to finally get a proration on my bill for the time that I did not have service. They won't do that until they fix it you see. 

A lot of sanctifying going on over here. In defense of the company for a minute, only one customer service person I have chatted with or talked to has been unhelpful. 

The part that is so frustrating, is that I know I don't have the greatest connection possible at my house. (Previous techs have told me that.) But it doesn't change the fact that I am a customer and have had a relatively non-eventful 3 years of service to this address and then it just went kaput and no one can figure out why. 

Wish me luck. 

**Update: A very nice gentleman spent about an hour and half restoring my internet. I then talked to 3 different people before someone was authorized to give me a credit. It may not show up for 1-2 bill cycles but it should there.**