[GRLUG] OT: Telecom hell!

[adderd at kkmfg.com]

Sorry for this being offtopic but it is related to what a lot of users on
this list seem to do for employment. If you don't want to read sad stories
of telecom incompetance then delete this now and don't look back.

Has anyone got a better story of telecom mishaps than this:

We were supposed to get a T-1 line installed on Nov 29. They came Nov 5
(before the order was even finalized) and installed one. Then, on the 24th
they came to install it again. I told them that they already did it. So
they left with the circuit ID's in hand. Later I come to find out that
they can't seem to use that circuit (mind you, the circuit is fine and is
indeed working on both ends) so they really do have to change it. So I
say, fine, go ahead. They schedule this for a few weeks out (great!) On
the scheduled day they don't call, they don't write, they just don't show
up. About a day or two later they show up. The tech determines that there
is nothing wrong with the circuit (which there isn't) and calls in about
it. They all come to the conclusion that there is no reason not to use
this perfectly good circuit. The tech leaves. No sooner do they leave than
I get a call from my ordering contact. They can't use the line. So now we
have to schedule for a tech to come out again (apparently it's too much to
ask the tech to turn around.) This also requires a week or more to
schedule. They don't bother to come out for this appointment either. I
have now found out that they repeatedly claim that I, the customer, have
refused the installation. Mind you, they don't bother to show up, they
just claim I refused installation. This turns out to likely be because I
refused a duplicate circuit way back on the 29th of November. Also keep in
mind that I only refused once and it was because they already installed a
perfectly good circuit. The only reason anyone can tell me why this
original circuit can't be used is because it was associated with an old
revision of our order... or something.

They were supposed to come out today for an appointment too... So far no
one has come. I'm not holding out much hope. What on earth do I have to do
to get a tech to actually come here?!?

Note I didn't mention the company responsible for this parade of
incompetance but you can guess as there is only one LEC I know of around
here... Please, if anyone can top this story I'd love to hear it! Also, if
anyone has an inside line to the unnamed but obvious company I'd love to
get that too.

-Collin, whose forehead could start random fires about now.