Unfiltered Story #56750

(This story is about three screw-ups about a single situation, so I decided to We live in a small neighborhood in the woods, so the vast majority of the area uses satellite TV and Internet services. The main road leading to our neighborhood has [Cable Service] Internet lines underground and recently, [Cable Service] decided to expand their coverage into our neighborhood as well. They just started the project. Meanwhile, I’m on the phone with my mother, discussing the school day.)

Me: (over the phone to my mother) “I got the highest score on the test in Geometry-” *there is a click and a hum and the line drops dead* “Hello?”

(I walk outside to investigate, suspecting that they had accidentally severed our [Phone Provider] line. I was right.)

Me: (to a worker) “The phone stopped working…”

(He gets his supervisor)

Supervisor: We’re sorry about that. We’ll contact [Phone Provider] about it.

(I go online to chat with [Phone Provider]’s customer service.)

Me: “our neighborhood is getting [Cable Service] Internet lines installed underground, and the underground telephone line was cut.”

Rep: “okay, can you provide your account information?”

(I send the billing address and phone number)

Rep: “okay, can you try using a corded phone and check for a dial tone?”

Me: “the line for the entire neighborhood was severed. There is no dial tone at all.”

Rep: “okay, try calling your home phone number from a cell phone.”

(It doesn’t ring, just a buzz and hum, a few clicks and the call is dropped.)

Me: “It just hung up without ringing.”

Rep: “okay we will send a technician to your address on [Date]. Are there any dogs, locked gates, etc.”

Me: “no”

Rep: “Just a note, you don’t seem to have [Interior wiring protection plan], so there may be substantial charges to your account.

(I explain the situation of the severed underground cable again to the rep.)

Rep: “okay, so the line was cut. We will send you a text message to [Cell phone number also on same account] with details.”

(A week later, we are informed that the appointment is moved one day later. A technician comes and I arrive home just as he is leaving.)

Me: “Is the phone back up again?”

Tech: “It should be. You’ll get a call in an hour or two from us about the repair.”

(He drives away. I walk down my driveway and toward where the line was cut. I see a black wire running above the road parallel to our driveway and follow it. I see a fully exposed splice and notice a bright orange wire running sloppily across the driveway, where my father parks, where my mother parks, and across a walkway where it could he tripped over and it ends at the telephone box on the side of the house. Now our house has phone service again, but the line is still cut, meaning the rest of the neighborhood still doesn’t have service.)