So, I have been without phone service for five days now. I wanted to bundle all my services into one cheap low price, so I tried to switch to cable company for phone. Well, they didn't send an installation guy out when they said they would, but the person in charge of cancelling my prior phone service did do his job. So, ATT cut off my phone service. Now, I am playing this really fun game with cable. I call, they promise that a supervisor will call me or a truck will come out that day or something good will happen. Then, nothing happens. The latest guy said looking over the notes in my file, he knows I don't believe him for a minute when he says a superisor will call me back, but his supervisor's a real good guy and really will do this. I filed a complaint with the BBB and also with the company's complaint department. Since then, they have been much more polite to me, but still nothing getting done. All I want right now is home phone service. And I have no clue what else I can do to get them to hook up my phone (ATT says I am a new customer since I cancelled and that new customers take ten days). I have my prejudices against cell phones so don't want to switch exclusively to them. I am at the learned helplessness phase. Nothing I do is going to fix this. I am never going to have phone service. I should just go hide in my room.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
Since you have a working internet connection get Skype. You also need some headphones and a computer mic.
It's free if you call other people using Skype, it's rates are ridiculously cheap if you call a phone. You can also purchase special USB phones that plug into computers and use the Skype service.
My wife and I use it all the time so that she can call me as we only have 1 cellphone and no home phone.
Posted by scholar (Member # 9232) on :
My friend at the cable company who swore he would call me back hasn't. I am on hold again. I have gone through three people to get to hold. I just want to cry.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
I would keep calling.
What cable company is it? I had a major issue with mine...they TOOK A DEPOSIT from my account and then....nothing. For over a month. No one showed up to set up service, and when I called them, they claimed I didn't have an account with them. I think I had to ask to speak with several supervisors for someone to fix the problem, but they ended up giving me a nice discount on my service package and crediting me the amount of my deposit, since I was kind of spazzing out that they'd just debited my bank account and then sat around twiddling their thumbs for over a month.
-pH
Posted by scholar (Member # 9232) on :
The company is Comcast. I have talked to several managers, but sometimes they tell me that I can't talk to one. One guy told me that a supervisor wouldn't be able to help me anymore than him. Though one of the guys today read the notes in my account and went, um, I think I need a supervisor. I definetely can't handle this.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
I'd just nicely ask them as soon as they get on the phone to let you talk to someone who can fix the problem for you, be it a supervisor, manager, whatever. You might have to explain the situation a couple of times, but you might get lucky and end up with some free stuff.
-pH
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
I'm thinking seriously about making Skype my only phone service. So far I lived in this apartment since the second week of August and I haven't had any phone of any kind (cell included). People (my parents in particular) want me to get a phone, and it's not like I never want to use one, but I'm skeptical. I have Skype now, but just the free peer-to-peer calling. I'm pretty sure it would be cheaper by about half to get Skype inbound and outbound than a normal phone, but besides being leary of having a phone at all, I'm leary of having a computer based phone. Does anyone have inbound Skype?
Hobbes Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Why are you leary about having a phone at all?
I'd be concerned about having only a computer-based phone in case of electricity-affecting emergency.
-pH
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
Because I'm weird.
Hobbes Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
What do you mean by inbound Skype Hobbes? Do you mean those USB phones you plug into your computer?
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
No, I mean the Skype service for making calls and recieving them is seperate, placing calls is cheaper, and easy to try out (which I'm going to do). Having your own personal number and allowing people to call you is hard to test and more expensive. And I wonder how it works (as in, as a convience thing).
Hobbes Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Whenever you call them, call from a friend's cellphone or a work phone that has speakerphone capability and turn on a tape or digital recorder. When you finally get answered, tell the rep immediately that you are recording the call, and then make your case. Assuming the rep doesn't panic and hang up, you now have a record of what was told you. Next time you call -- and you will be calling again -- play select portions back to the new rep as appropriate.
"I'm sorry, I don't have any record of--" CLICK: "--and we'll get that right out to you tomorrow, sir!"
Record that call, too. Eventually you can edit it to a greatest hits tape to include in your letter to the Comcast company and to the Better Business Bureau.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
Oh you mean somebody being able to pick up a phone and call you via Skype? That would be a bit tricky seeing as how you'd have to be at your computer to receive the call, unless you got one of the USB phones because then they'd notify you if somebody was calling. They retail for about $28-$30.
Ebay Listing, you can also just google Philips Skype USB Phone and you will get a good listing. Apparently on the Skype forums some people were having problems with the phone back in July, might want to see if that problem was resolved.
And apparently Windows Vista hates the phones too, but is that a surprise to anybody?
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
I'd assume it's ring, and since I always have my computers and speakers on I'd guess it'd be just as easy that way as a normal land-line. To be honest I'm not sure what my concerns are with a computer phone, since I can't really think of any significant (negative) difference between it and a land-line, which is my other option. I guess it would just make me feel better if I knew someone who had done it... Or not, I don't know. Maybe I'm just insecure and that's why I've never had a stable relationship.
Hobbes Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
My parents are now using Skype-in, but they're using a dual-connector phone (POTS and USB, I think). So far, I'm about as impressed as with their old VOIP -- not very.
It's bad enough having a call cut in and out on a cell. I don't expect that nor am I ok with it on a landline (or facsimile thereof).
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
Hmmm... anyone else experienced this? I did a trial run (you can buy limited minutes on Skype without agreeing to a plan, and at the price offered it was a good deal so long as it worked) and the conversation went just fine. I lasted for a while too. Now given that it was an outbound call, not inbound, but I wonder if that really makes a difference in something like this.
Hobbes Posted by scholar (Member # 9232) on :
Well, I finally got a repairman. I got the installation fee waived, which considering I used over fifty dollars in cell phone minutes (they liked to put me on hold and cell phone is a pay as you go since I never use it and don't like to) I am not that impressed. The repair guy came out and said, ok, so it looks like the guy who came out yesterday did something wrong? We were like, well, by doing something wrong, do you mean never showing up? But I have phone again so the world is right.
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