“Settle Down”
Another blog post about the internet. Exciting, I know. Before long you’re going to know so much about this company you’ll hate them, just like family. LOL. Okay, so we have an internet provider that is like a mom and pop operation. It’s basically one man with a service/install guy who is a good-old-boy.
Yesterday the service guy was supposed to be at the house at 3, but didn’t actually knock on our door until about 5, and it wasn’t the normal service guy. It was an old Indian hippy who looked disheveled and out of sorts. He slowly made his way into the living room and was talking the entire time Devil was trying to tell him about our set up. We have two routers. One is yours and one is our satellite provider that we use for back up. We run a cable from here to the studio.
The guy asked if we’re wired or if we primarily run wireless, because that would be the reason we have sudden drops in usage. Devil told him that we are wired into a desktop and laptop in the studio, but do use wireless in the house… and both have sudden drops.
Devil also had a mechanic at the house, so he had to go outside and talk to that guy, while I stayed with the internet guy. Who thought that would be a good idea?
The internet guy asked me exactly what happens. So, for a second time I go through the explanation of what happens. It works for an hour, then it suddenly drops down to a .06 testing and it could be down for 20 minutes or two hours. Then he asks what time that happens because peak times could cause that. I responded with- no set time. Sometimes it’s 10a, other times it’s 3p and a lot of times it’s at 1a, when our neighbors are most likely sleeping, so that’s not a peak time… I wouldn’t think.
The guy does tests on his computer. Finds no issues. Goes outside to check the wires. No issues with corrosive lines or frayed wires.
He comes back inside and asks me again if it drops at peak times and if it’s only for a minute or so. I told him, again, that it’s at all hours. There’s no rhyme or reason. It’s at 7a, 1030a, noon, 213p, 7p, midnight, 1a… and sometimes it’s 10 minutes but usually it’s down for hours. When I cannot even load a speedtest or send an email there’s something seriously wrong with the service they are providing. That’s not normal fluctuation. That’s a sign they have issues on their end.
He makes a phone call. They discuss other ideas on what it could be.
He asks me if we tested the line that goes into the studio. I told him there’s not an issue with the line. When the two computers in the studio test at a .06 and the computer in our house doesn’t test any better, that’s not the line going into the studio. Plus, I can switch to satellite and it works fine, which tells me there’s nothing wrong with the cable that is running to the studio.
In walks Devil.
The internet guy asked him pretty much the same questions. I sat quietly while Devil reiterated everything he had said earlier, and I confirmed later. Then the guy said he used to be a mechanic and people would always bring in their cars because they thought they heard something wrong, but he’d drive it around for a day and there wasn’t anything wrong…
OMFG. Are you kidding me?
I let out a sigh and said, this isn’t a car, this is our internet. We didn’t just have one bad day of service, it’s been months. We pay for a service that you’re not giving us and I am beyond pissed off! Having internet is detrimental to what we do and we are not making this up. We have told you five times now what happens and you’re not hearing me. This is not the first time we’ve reported it, in fact, we text or call the owner each time now because something needs to be done. So, how about you guys stop telling us nothing is wrong and find a damn solution! That is all I want. A solution!
Devil looks at me from the corner of his eye and says, “settle down. what has gotten into?” And I laughed and said, “yeah, I don’t know where that came from.”
The guy wasn’t even phased!!! He just kept right on talking and told us that we’re not the first customers to have this issue and we just have to keep on the owner and continue to complain until he finds the problem. So, I suggested they get the bucket truck out here and test their radio, or see if the wind has moved the line of site antenna. The guy just laughed and said, well I’m involved now, you can email me screen captures of the test when it goes down… okay, how about I call you at 1a when it’s fucking down and I’m pissed the fuck off because it took me 5 hours to get online and now I just want to cancel your piss poor service? How about that? The guy gave me his email. LOL.
Whatever. Fucking assholes.