step 1: spend an hour on the phone with a very helpful local comcast internet tech who determines that the problem is either with your cable line or with your modem. he suggests picking up a new modem before sending a technician over, because if it did end up being the modem, you’d have to pay $50 for the technician call.
step 2: purchase new modem.
step 3: call cable again, on hold for 20 minutes, and get another nice local person, give them MAC number for new modem, so that it can be activated onto the system.
step 4: realize immediately after hanging up that what you gave the nice man was the USB MAC number, not the cable MAC number. but it’s late…call back tomorrow.
step 5: once again, call the 800 number, but instead you are connected to a international support person. woman is rude, condescending, and has absolutely no idea what you are talking about.
rude woman: what IP address would you like to use, ma’am.
ESC: what? no, not IP address. MAC address. for our new modem?
RW: it’s the same thing ma’am
no it isn’t! but give the number anyway, get put on hold
RW: ma’am, you or your husband will have to change it on your end, we can’t do anything on our end.
ESC: what???? that makes NO SENSE! we got a new modem. I gave the wrong number last night. I need to give you the CORRECT MAC number for the NEW modem.
RW: please hold.
gaaaaahhhh!
RW: ma’am, I’m gonna have you unplug your modem and shut down your computer, can you do that for me?
ESC: what? ummm…OK
RW: is it shut off? are you listening to me?
ESC: YES, ok everything is shut off.
RW: OK, i’m going to have to send a technician over, because I’m not getting a reading on your modem.
ESC: what??? you just had me shut it off! LOOK, IT’S A NEW MODEM! WE JUST BOUGHT IT!
RW: it’s not our modem?
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! After more of the same with RW, you refuse to schedule an unnecessary technician visit and hang up.
step 6: call your husband and vent, while he calmly suggests calling the local cable number, where people obviously know what they are doing.
step 7: call local number. get UBER-friendly woman:
good afternoon! it is a beautiful day in atlanta! how are you doing on this fine day?
who understands right away what happened. New number is accepted, activation ticket is revised with new number, activation will take up to 24 hours. thanks you for being patient and sympathizes with 800cable help issues.
step 8: while waiting for activation, continue to “borrow” neighbor’s unsecured wireless to blog out frustrations.
step 9: remember that you blew your birthday wad at Knitch last night, go fondle pretty yarn. work on selfish new project instead of christmas knitting. breeeaaaaathhh…
I always heard that “Comcast” and “Helpful internet tech” were mutually exclusive.
Make sure they don’t bill you for that tech visit.
no tech visit. everything is SORT of fixed, at least on their end. now it looks like our router might be the problem. oy!
testing if anyone but ESC can leave comments…
I HATE the international support people!!!! Don’t the companies realize that they TOTALLY tick off their customers with that crap?!?! Ughhhhhhhhhh.
Hey!!!!!! The comment thingy is working right!
yes, the comments are working again. but I can’t run either Bad Behavior or Spam Karma until I find out why they are causing a problem with my theme.
I only have Askimet and a 7 day comment timeout to protect me! waaaaahhh!!!
Blick! I’m taking notes on this for the next time I have a WordPress blog. I want a big girl blog bad.
Anyhoo–I had a run-around with insurance customer service that might cheer you up–check it out.
Oh, I’m making Apple Jack and Peel soap tonight–nummy spicy soap!
OY! Nate’s dad had a run-in with an international customer support rep for his CELL PHONE! She got especially ticked off when he asked if he could record their conversation because it said they could be recording theres. She was less than cordial.