A couple of recent ISP retardedness threads prompted me to share my experience trying to get Adelphia's HSI for anyone looking for a funny story.
Setup:
I've been living in my apartment for 6 months.
I have no landline (so DSL is out).
I have Cable TV for "free" through the homeowner's association (I pay rent, Landlord pays dues, HOA pays cableco).
I have my own cable modem which is already "online" and awaiting activation.
1st Call to setup service:
They ask for my address, I give it to them. Building #, Apartment #, Street, Zip, etc.
They tell me that address isn't in the system. Are you Building Number (my number + 1)? Cus I have that.
No, pretty damn sure of my building number. This is my address. I already have cable TV through the HOA. My modem is already online. Just give me an account number please and send the bill.
No, can't do that. We need to send a tech out to make sure the location is serviceable and that we can get a line into the building.
Um....no. I already have cable TV. I already have a line. I just want an account number.
So she changes her story and says that the tech has to make sure the lines are setup properly for apartments. Not sure what that means, but I say ok, I figure it will only take a day or two to get someone who isn't retarded at my door and we can get this done. She says it will take 2-5 business days.
5 days go by, nothing happens.
call again, explain everything over again.
I have cable TV, no hookup is needed.
ALL of the buildings in my complex are hooked up, my address is "good".
I am part of a HOA that has an account for ALL the addresses in the complex.
Says tech "usually come in 5-9 business days". Remember, previous person said 2-5. Tries to lookup the address, finds the right building number, but not my apartment #. Now how did that get there since last time? Can't find the HOA name. Talk to a supervisor, tells me that he's very sorry. A tech will be out soon.
But I don't NEED a TECH!
Supervisor says he'll escalate it, I'm first on the priority list. Whatever.
5 more days go by. I call back up, they admit they have no idea what is going on. Don't know when a tech will come. Don't know what to tell me. I ask to talk to a supervisor again. same thing, all over again. No tech needed. Have cable.
If my cable goes out, does it take 2 weeks for a tech to come? He says "its not the same thing".
So we argue for awhile, and he tries to say that I can't get cable unless a tech hooks up the line. FOR THE FIFTH TIME, THE LINE IS ALREADY HOOKED UP.
So he says that I didn't tell him that. I told him that I told the first 3 people and that they put it in the notes on the file. Guess not.
So the supervisor asks the name of the HOA. I tell him (same thing I told the first two people). Oh, here is is. I found it. Here's your account number.
.............
Why couldn't anyone find it before?
Dunno, its right here. Anything else?
No, thanks.
Cliffs:
called Adelphia 3 times, talked to 2 supervisors trying to get HSI. Said address wasn't in system. Tech never came after 2 weeks. Finally supervisor finds my HOA and puts me in manually after I asked 4 people to do it and said they couldn't.
Setup:
I've been living in my apartment for 6 months.
I have no landline (so DSL is out).
I have Cable TV for "free" through the homeowner's association (I pay rent, Landlord pays dues, HOA pays cableco).
I have my own cable modem which is already "online" and awaiting activation.
1st Call to setup service:
They ask for my address, I give it to them. Building #, Apartment #, Street, Zip, etc.
They tell me that address isn't in the system. Are you Building Number (my number + 1)? Cus I have that.
No, pretty damn sure of my building number. This is my address. I already have cable TV through the HOA. My modem is already online. Just give me an account number please and send the bill.
No, can't do that. We need to send a tech out to make sure the location is serviceable and that we can get a line into the building.
Um....no. I already have cable TV. I already have a line. I just want an account number.
So she changes her story and says that the tech has to make sure the lines are setup properly for apartments. Not sure what that means, but I say ok, I figure it will only take a day or two to get someone who isn't retarded at my door and we can get this done. She says it will take 2-5 business days.
5 days go by, nothing happens.
call again, explain everything over again.
I have cable TV, no hookup is needed.
ALL of the buildings in my complex are hooked up, my address is "good".
I am part of a HOA that has an account for ALL the addresses in the complex.
Says tech "usually come in 5-9 business days". Remember, previous person said 2-5. Tries to lookup the address, finds the right building number, but not my apartment #. Now how did that get there since last time? Can't find the HOA name. Talk to a supervisor, tells me that he's very sorry. A tech will be out soon.
But I don't NEED a TECH!
Supervisor says he'll escalate it, I'm first on the priority list. Whatever.
5 more days go by. I call back up, they admit they have no idea what is going on. Don't know when a tech will come. Don't know what to tell me. I ask to talk to a supervisor again. same thing, all over again. No tech needed. Have cable.
If my cable goes out, does it take 2 weeks for a tech to come? He says "its not the same thing".
So we argue for awhile, and he tries to say that I can't get cable unless a tech hooks up the line. FOR THE FIFTH TIME, THE LINE IS ALREADY HOOKED UP.
So he says that I didn't tell him that. I told him that I told the first 3 people and that they put it in the notes on the file. Guess not.
So the supervisor asks the name of the HOA. I tell him (same thing I told the first two people). Oh, here is is. I found it. Here's your account number.
.............
Why couldn't anyone find it before?
Dunno, its right here. Anything else?
No, thanks.
Cliffs:
called Adelphia 3 times, talked to 2 supervisors trying to get HSI. Said address wasn't in system. Tech never came after 2 weeks. Finally supervisor finds my HOA and puts me in manually after I asked 4 people to do it and said they couldn't.