My husband and I decided to change internet providers after Old Provider decided we should be paying a lot more money each month for services we’d been using for fifteen years. Apparently we slipped through the cracks when one company bought another company and changed all the rates and schedules. Well, fine, but did they try to keep our business by offering us a sweetheart deal as a transition to full service. Nope, not during that first call.
My husband was most inconvenienced because he had to give up an e-mail address he’d had for all those years, but he went to work setting up a new account and getting all his mail and contacts transferred. Once that was done, and he’d had preliminary talks with the New Provider to verify their services and costs, he called Old Provider to discontinue service.
It took over an hour on the phone and extensive repetition of the word “No” to the new improved offers from Ricky in India to finally get free.
Then it was time for the call to New Provider to set up service. My husband spent nearly an hour on the phone with Young Lady H_ and when all was arranged, wrote down the contract’s confirmation number.
The next day, Friday, Young Fellow J_ from New Provider called and asked if we had been talking to Young Lady H_ and did we still want the service discussed. I said yes. He said H_ had to leave and that he’d call back in a few minutes from his work phone. A half-hour later, he called again to say it would be another hour or so. Two hours later, my husband called New Provider and talked to someone new, Young Lady C_, who said the original confirmation number was invalid because there were mistakes in it.
My husband went through the whole setup process again, discovering new costs and charges never mentioned in the past, but still more favorable than Old Provider. He was given a new confirmation number, and the promise of a confirmation e-mail which C_ was in the process of sending as they spoke.
As of Sunday afternoon, we had received no confirmation e-mail.
The thought of being without online access at home was pretty scary at first, but now I’m resigned to the situation and making the best of it. My Tuesday Chiseled in Rock post will explain why this adventure has turned into a blessing in disguise.
Ugh, sorry, we have been through that, as well. I don’t know if they’re truly that incompetent or if that’s how they get you to agree to higher rates! Good luck with the situation. You’re right, though, that it can be quite a blessing in disguise. I’ve found I return to my old bad habits pretty quickly, though. (From a fellow Coloradan).
Tina @ Life is Good
and I are joining forces in another challenge. We’re going to visit and comment at each of the participants, starting with the reflections post. We hope you’ll join us!
Shannon @ The Warrior Muse
Oh dear. During a holiday it can be quite nice with a few days offline to stress the difference between holidays and work, but involuntarily? Not so fun. I hope they´ll sort it out very soon.
Yikes! That’s so frustrating. I hope it all works out soon!
I’ve been without phone service for four days. It’s weird to be out of the technology loop. See you at Chisel.
A really good addiction takes about 3 days to recover from. After that, you almost get whimsical when thinking of the “old days.” And as you have mentioned, there is a blessing in all of this; which is so true in everything in life. Sometimes we just don’t take a deep enough breath, slow down, and see the gift before our eyes.
Though I must admit, I’ve missed your posts and tweets. The blessing: I’ve made some new connections, but it’ll be so nice to have you back full time…if you so choose.
That’s terrible! Can’t you use one of the free email services to avoid at least that hassle? I had to get satellite because of where I live, but I don’t use their email.
That sucks! Hate it when I spend that much time on the phone with a company and they basically lose all of my information.
Good morning, everyone. I’m online for about an hour at the writers’ studio (which is better than the coffee shop partly because I’m not tempted to buy a bunch of breakfast goodies).
Thanks for the nod, Jan. I can’t figure out why Blogger is being so mean to you, but there are at least two other people who can’t post here so you’re not alone.
Be sure to check in on Chiseled in Rock tomorrow to see how I’m trying to make the best of a bad situation.
Why do they make it so difficult? I’d hate to change emails now – I’ve had the same one for over 12 years.
What a nightmare. I’ve just returned from a trip that was great fun, but afforded me little Internet access for a week. I didn’t break out in hives, but another day might have done it. Good luck in getting things back on track. Liz
Major pain. And where we are, services are very limited so we don’t have a lot to pick and choose from. Our provider said, we now have higher speed access in your area, and it will actually save you XX/month. After getting our last bill, it looks like that savings was for ONE month only. Hubster has “call provider” at the top of his to do list today.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
Sounds positively awful, Patricia. Hope it gets resolved soon.
Karen
What a horror of a time, thought my week-end was bad enough with blogger, it wouldn’t publish new post, also still being anonymous to many followers whom I don’t know if they read their anon comments.
Hope all goes well for you.
Yvonne.
Yikes – what a story. Unfortunately it is too common. I see that when I come to your site and about two others I have to sign on as annonymous – simply won’t accept me as me. Luckily a great blogger named Pat taught me how to embed a link! Jan Morrison
Pat – Sounds like an absolute nightmare! I’m sorry it’s gotten so complicated for you, and I’m eager to hear, as Paul Harvey used to day, the rest of the story…