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Truth be told, I was convinced to enter the blogging sphere by my ISP.
More precisely: by attempting to "upgrade" my internet access from a creepy-crawley 56.6 kbits to DSL. The process is so far running since July 27 and I'm currently seriously contemplating on covering the whole republic with posters telling exactly what followed.
(read on - if you dare)
July 27:
I ordered a DSL bundle including a T-Com DSL1000 port, a flatrate, and a DSL modem from my ISP (T-Online) (TO) by phone. After quite some time they finally offered a bundle that offered a more features for less money. Fine. Only that "less money" doesn't calculate the costs for the psychiatrists...
August 5:
I get an email from TO telling me that the ordered DSL bundle is no longer available and that I ought to choose from their new offers. I looked them up on their website and actually found one that fit my needs even better: T-Com DSL2000, flatrate, router & modem for only (4.95 EUR) more than the other one. I ordered that one.
August 6:
I get a written confirmation of the order from July 27. Because the new bundle is better and already ordered, I cancel the July 27 order in writing and via the phone.
August 9:
I get an email telling me that I can't get DSL on my phone line because I'd already have DSL.
I call the T-Online service hotline (TOSH from now on) to sort it all out. I spend about 15 minutes telling TOSH person #1 what happened and demand an explanation.
It turns out: my phone line is listed as having DSL from the T-Com.
TOSH #1 insists that she can't do anything about that because it would be a T-Com issue and that I would have to contact the T-Com about the DSL on my phone line. But she retakes my order of their DSL bundle (T-Com DSL2000, flatrate, router + modem) because the order from August 5 had been cancelled automatically after my phone line was discovered to already have DSL. But for that to work I would have to call T-Com customer service (TCCS) to make sure the DSL on my phone line is cut off ASAP. She even gives me the TCCS number.
TCCS person #1 tells me that they have an order from TO to put DSL onto my phone line as of August 11. The order for that dates from July 27! I tell TCCS #1 that that order is cancelled and that they should erase the DSL from my phone line. TCCS #1 says it's entered and done.
August 17:
I receive a parcel containing a DSL *modem*. The freight papers date from July 27. (After the first fuming reduced to a mild bubble) I call TOSH telling them I got hardware from an order placed on July 27 that had been cancelled on August 6.
TOSH #2 tells me (after listening attentively during the now about 20 minutes necessary to inform him about all the proceedings) that the hardware shouldn't have been sent (what it was and what I already knew!) and that I may send it back without postage. Ok. Because all this is rather twisted now, I ask her to confirm the order that has been placed by TOSH #1 on August 9.
Turns out: My phone line is still listed to have DSL until August 18 (which is why the order has been cancelled without even telling me this time!). Of course, my phone line has not really DSL at this time but it is listed as "going to get DSL" because of the cancelled order from July 27. The listing as "going to get DSL" is scheduled to be removed on August 18. TCCS #1 apparently didn't cancel the DSL order from the cancelled July 27 order but entered an order to cancel the DSL port to be set on... *aaaah*
TOSH #2 tells me to wait till the port is set to be free tomorrow and then call TCCS to check that it is really free and then place the order again. Ok.
August 19: (added a day because with those T%§O(!! you never know)
I call TCCS. TCCS #2 tells me there is an order to cancel the DSL on my phone line but that cancellation hasn't been confirmed by TO which is the company I have to deal with but he would confirm the cancellation of the DSL on my phone line now, even though that would be highly unusual.
I call TOSH and tell them what TCCS #2 had said and that they ought to confirm the darn cancellation. It can't be that difficult to get a DSL bundle, can it? By now it takes about 30 minutes to tell TOSH #3 the whole proceedings and demand that they -finally- clear the sh*t up! (Okay, she was nice, I said it politely.). TOSH #3 checked all the proceedings in her computer against what I told her on the phone, then contacted her direct superior, and confirmed that the DSL on my phone line had been cancelled by TCCS on 11:21 today. Ok.
She suggests to replace the order on Monday. growl
August 23:
I order the DSL bundle including T-Com DSL2000, flatrate, router + modem from TO.
August 24:
I get an email telling me that the order from August 23 can't be executed because my phone line would already have DSL.
I call TOSH, spend about 30 minutes to tell TOSH #4 the whole stuff, he says he will look it up, the phone beeps, and I find myself connected with a nice, surprised lady who - after my first astonished, not too smiling outburst - tells me that she'd be the ordering hotline and that I would have to call the service hotline (TOSH) because the problem is with an existing phone line and therefore I need to call the service hotline. I tell her I called the TOSH and had been connected without being even told and that she should redirect me back.
I call TOSH again because ordering hotline is not equipped to do redirections (AS IF!) and find myself connected with TOSH #3 ("Hello, Mrs. Baggins(*), do you remember me?" mean grin). I first nail one of the most evil customer complaints I ever voiced onto TOSH #4 (Mr. Beutlin(*), you are SO dead!) then ask TOSH #3 if she recalls the proceedings from Friday. Turns out, she does and she is mighty embarassed. Ok. That's why she actually got to live through the call.
We ended up with her printing and filing the whole proceedings, adding the information I gave her on the phone to it, and assuring that she would take it to the head of the house ASAP, and make sure it is taken care of. Including my order. She promised personally, that they would come back to me. Ah ha. And my pig requests landing clearance in Cape Canaveral!
August 25:
they didn't come back until now. Now, I'm a nice person who will wait till Monday (when hopefully my throat and nose are no longer killing me) and if they haven't sorted out their "§/&!=( by then, then I am going to play n - i - c - e (as in Seishirou or Goose).
If there were any alternative, I'd go to a rival ISP, but the problem is the link between the ISPs and the T-Com. And that would be the same what ISP ever. AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!
(*) names changed for legal conveniences.
More precisely: by attempting to "upgrade" my internet access from a creepy-crawley 56.6 kbits to DSL. The process is so far running since July 27 and I'm currently seriously contemplating on covering the whole republic with posters telling exactly what followed.
(read on - if you dare)
July 27:
I ordered a DSL bundle including a T-Com DSL1000 port, a flatrate, and a DSL modem from my ISP (T-Online) (TO) by phone. After quite some time they finally offered a bundle that offered a more features for less money. Fine. Only that "less money" doesn't calculate the costs for the psychiatrists...
August 5:
I get an email from TO telling me that the ordered DSL bundle is no longer available and that I ought to choose from their new offers. I looked them up on their website and actually found one that fit my needs even better: T-Com DSL2000, flatrate, router & modem for only (4.95 EUR) more than the other one. I ordered that one.
August 6:
I get a written confirmation of the order from July 27. Because the new bundle is better and already ordered, I cancel the July 27 order in writing and via the phone.
August 9:
I get an email telling me that I can't get DSL on my phone line because I'd already have DSL.
I call the T-Online service hotline (TOSH from now on) to sort it all out. I spend about 15 minutes telling TOSH person #1 what happened and demand an explanation.
It turns out: my phone line is listed as having DSL from the T-Com.
TOSH #1 insists that she can't do anything about that because it would be a T-Com issue and that I would have to contact the T-Com about the DSL on my phone line. But she retakes my order of their DSL bundle (T-Com DSL2000, flatrate, router + modem) because the order from August 5 had been cancelled automatically after my phone line was discovered to already have DSL. But for that to work I would have to call T-Com customer service (TCCS) to make sure the DSL on my phone line is cut off ASAP. She even gives me the TCCS number.
TCCS person #1 tells me that they have an order from TO to put DSL onto my phone line as of August 11. The order for that dates from July 27! I tell TCCS #1 that that order is cancelled and that they should erase the DSL from my phone line. TCCS #1 says it's entered and done.
August 17:
I receive a parcel containing a DSL *modem*. The freight papers date from July 27. (After the first fuming reduced to a mild bubble) I call TOSH telling them I got hardware from an order placed on July 27 that had been cancelled on August 6.
TOSH #2 tells me (after listening attentively during the now about 20 minutes necessary to inform him about all the proceedings) that the hardware shouldn't have been sent (what it was and what I already knew!) and that I may send it back without postage. Ok. Because all this is rather twisted now, I ask her to confirm the order that has been placed by TOSH #1 on August 9.
Turns out: My phone line is still listed to have DSL until August 18 (which is why the order has been cancelled without even telling me this time!). Of course, my phone line has not really DSL at this time but it is listed as "going to get DSL" because of the cancelled order from July 27. The listing as "going to get DSL" is scheduled to be removed on August 18. TCCS #1 apparently didn't cancel the DSL order from the cancelled July 27 order but entered an order to cancel the DSL port to be set on... *aaaah*
TOSH #2 tells me to wait till the port is set to be free tomorrow and then call TCCS to check that it is really free and then place the order again. Ok.
August 19: (added a day because with those T%§O(!! you never know)
I call TCCS. TCCS #2 tells me there is an order to cancel the DSL on my phone line but that cancellation hasn't been confirmed by TO which is the company I have to deal with but he would confirm the cancellation of the DSL on my phone line now, even though that would be highly unusual.
I call TOSH and tell them what TCCS #2 had said and that they ought to confirm the darn cancellation. It can't be that difficult to get a DSL bundle, can it? By now it takes about 30 minutes to tell TOSH #3 the whole proceedings and demand that they -finally- clear the sh*t up! (Okay, she was nice, I said it politely.). TOSH #3 checked all the proceedings in her computer against what I told her on the phone, then contacted her direct superior, and confirmed that the DSL on my phone line had been cancelled by TCCS on 11:21 today. Ok.
She suggests to replace the order on Monday. growl
August 23:
I order the DSL bundle including T-Com DSL2000, flatrate, router + modem from TO.
August 24:
I get an email telling me that the order from August 23 can't be executed because my phone line would already have DSL.
I call TOSH, spend about 30 minutes to tell TOSH #4 the whole stuff, he says he will look it up, the phone beeps, and I find myself connected with a nice, surprised lady who - after my first astonished, not too smiling outburst - tells me that she'd be the ordering hotline and that I would have to call the service hotline (TOSH) because the problem is with an existing phone line and therefore I need to call the service hotline. I tell her I called the TOSH and had been connected without being even told and that she should redirect me back.
I call TOSH again because ordering hotline is not equipped to do redirections (AS IF!) and find myself connected with TOSH #3 ("Hello, Mrs. Baggins(*), do you remember me?" mean grin). I first nail one of the most evil customer complaints I ever voiced onto TOSH #4 (Mr. Beutlin(*), you are SO dead!) then ask TOSH #3 if she recalls the proceedings from Friday. Turns out, she does and she is mighty embarassed. Ok. That's why she actually got to live through the call.
We ended up with her printing and filing the whole proceedings, adding the information I gave her on the phone to it, and assuring that she would take it to the head of the house ASAP, and make sure it is taken care of. Including my order. She promised personally, that they would come back to me. Ah ha. And my pig requests landing clearance in Cape Canaveral!
August 25:
they didn't come back until now. Now, I'm a nice person who will wait till Monday (when hopefully my throat and nose are no longer killing me) and if they haven't sorted out their "§/&!=( by then, then I am going to play n - i - c - e (as in Seishirou or Goose).
If there were any alternative, I'd go to a rival ISP, but the problem is the link between the ISPs and the T-Com. And that would be the same what ISP ever. AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!
(*) names changed for legal conveniences.
