Moving Sucks
It’s been a while since I last posted, and I’m still not back online. I’m posting this from work, because I don’t have Internet at home yet.
My DSL line is provided by Bell, but my ISP is Magma, who is generally excellent, but they failed me in this case: I scheduled my DSL move, waited while the service was transferred, and when it wasn’t, called them to see what was up. Bell hadn’t activated the service on the new line, they said. So I waited two more days, and called back. This time, they told me that DSL isn’t available at my new location.
Argh!
So I called Rogers. Rogers said I could have High-Speed Internet the same day if I went into a store to pick up the modem. So into a store I go. I waited about 40 minutes while the person in front of me lazily went over every single cell phone, plan, and option with the single staff member, and then asked for my modem.
Turns out self-install isn’t an option, and the guy on the phone shouldn’t have suggested it. Plugging in a cable modem is beyond mere mortals; I had to schedule a technician to come install it. But that will take 8 days.
I asked to speak to a supervisor, and they transferred me to “management support”, which I think is a new thing they created for people who ask to speak to a supervisor. The person I talked to was the most annoying person I’ve ever talked to while on the phone with any big company. It was obvious that her whole job was to explain to me in small words why what the previous guy told me was true and why they weren’t going to change anything.
I grilled her about why self-install isn’t an option. I asked her why I couldn’t bring the modem home myself and plug it in; she said that was a technical question and she couldn’t asnwer technical questions. When I didn’t accept that (it’s not a technical question at all), she said that it’s a difficult operation and that it required a technican. When I said that they used to offer self-install, she said she wasn’t aware of that, but that it’s not possible now. Why, I asked? Because it’s a difficult operation and some users have trouble installing it. “I used to have Cable Internet; I’ve installed it myself and it’s no more difficult than installnig my own telephone”. But she insisted that some people have trouble, and then it costs them money to send a technician to come install it.
So instead of sending a technician to help the people who have problems, their solution is to send a technician to every house. Doesn’t make much sense to me.
Anyway, I’m very annoyed with Rogers, but I have no options. So I’m offline another 7 days, a total of 15 days. Ouch.
The real bummer is that sites I host are also offline – the biggest one being Ottawa Events, a site whose traffic has been growing and people have been finding a useful resource. I hope folks stick around until the site comes back.
On top of the Rogers woes, my vehicle broke the day before the move. My power steering was going and it was pouring power steering fluid on the engine – I had to drive it like that anyway on move day, but I took it in to get it fixed. A big repair bill and 3 days later, I pick up the van, drive it home, pop the hood, and it’s pouring power steering fluid on the engine. So it’s back in the shop.
And my movers busted up some of my stuff and damaged the drywall in my new house. I paid for insurance, so we’ll see how that plays out. They also forgot the stuff in the shed behind the old house, so I had to drive back near midnight to empty it out.
Moving sucks.