Because Ridiculous Things Still Happen…

 Like spouting toilets of yonder year…

Our internet went out on August 30th, with a text message that it would be back up in four to six hours.  It came back on three days later, but was out again when we returned on Sunday, Sept. 5th (not sure which day it actually went out), so I called to talk to tech support; they didn’t know when it would be fixed.

I called Tuesday.  Same story.

I called Thursday, but by then I’d had it up to here (reaching up on tippy toe).  When I pushed tech support, he told me he would connect me with sales, which seemed odd, but at this point whatever works, you know?  They weren’t open yet.

I called back later to talk to sales.  Keep in mind that every blessed time I called the automated system tried to ‘help’ me by keeping me from talking to representative. 😝 Sales tells me they don’t have any short term solutions, just long term contracts.  I should drive to an AT&T store.

At the store, the clerk was very sympathetic, but told me it wasn’t fair to expect me to buy a hotspot for several hundred dollars.  Instead I should go home and call retention.

I spent a couple of hours with that person.  She insisted on dialing in to tech support with me on the line.  The first person was so incomprehensible that she hung up on him.  Finally the person we got told her what I had.  She told me it was out and she couldn’t fix it.  I finally pushed about a hotspot, so we got approval for me to go to a store (again) get a hotspot, waive my service fee, and allow me to return it after service resumes.

I drive to an AT&T store, but the person is helping someone else.  After half an hour, I inquired if he thought he knew how it would be, but he estimated another 45 minutes, so I headed home to get the girls for AHG.

We rushed through and stopped on our way to the meeting, and quite thankfully he was finishing up with a customer.  He had no hotspots…really.  He recommended I buy a hotspot at Wal-Mart and order service through them.  He could set up service now and then I could get the hotspot after.  I looked and the local Wal-Mart listed them in stock, but two things made me wait—one I was trusting Wal-Mart’s inventory AND the ridiculousness of the whole thing.  He also cautioned me that he didn’t see the note that my costs would be comped. 🙄.

We went to AHG, then stopped at Wal-Mart after.  They DID have a hotspot.  In the morning the older three were helping with MOPS childcare, so Ellie and I waited for the AT&T store to open at a local coffee shop (yes, my fourth trip in less than 24 hours).  We got the service set up.

I charged the box with the cigarette lighter in the car.  The girls were giddy to answer their friends’ messages they’d been missing.  It took a little finagling to find a spot where it received we’ll in the house.

An hour later, Gabby told me to look out the window…. There sat an AT&T truck—the house internet was back on. 🤣