OT - Gotta hate AT&T

[sayhello]

So my home phone does not work. I realized this while watching "Castle". All my cordless phones said "Line in Use". Only none of them were. No dial tone, just some crackling. I waited until "Castle" was over (Hey! It was the Season finale, and *REALLY* good!) and, of course, the repair office closes at 11pm. It was 11:01. I have no-one to blame on that. So their automated system tests the line & says it's probably my phones. I take the batteries out of all the cordless phones, disconnect the base, unplug the cordless in the kitchen. I take the one corded phone I have, plug it into all 3 jacks, nothing but crackling. Supposedly I can go out back, plug my corded phone into the phone box out there, and if that doesn't work, then it's them. I can't get the box open. It's pitch dark out there, I can't seem to manage to hold the flashlight and the screwdriver at the same time, and my feet are getting soaked. I give that up, and check the trouble report. It says my problem should be fixed by SATURDAY!!!! Man, I'm glad I have a cell phone for emergencies, but I'm not certain everyone who needs to get ahold of me can. Plus, I'm working from home tomorrow, so that means I have to use the virtual work phone for meetings; I can't use my house phone. It's just a weird feeling.

Sigh...
Sayhello

 

[WaltD4Me]

First things first....Castle was soooooooooooooo good! I was not expecting that at all.

2nd...it sounds like you've got water in your line somehow. The exact same thing happened to me last year. My phone did work from the outside box, but I didn't try to determine that in the dark .... My outside box was near by bedroom window, so I plugged a cord into the outside jack, ran it inside and plugged an old style corded princess phone into that. Worked fine until they came out to fix the line 2 days later. Just a thought.

 

[dansyr2514]

OT..but Castle fan here too! Really good season finale!!

Sorry about your phone!

 

[k5jm]

You have a short someplace that is completing the circuit. It sounds like you are getting the battery (48volts) from the Central office. There is more than likely a bad pair or wet pair coming from the Telco's phone post.

Tobi, you can always borrow my Butt Set if you need it!

 

[safetymom]

I lived with phone line problems for 3 weeks after a hurricane came through the area when we first moved here. I had to use my cell but sorta loved not getting all those telemarketer calls.

 

[darrengs]

Yep, I battled this issue for years with Verizon. Their automated system would say it would be fixed in 48 hours, then the system would automatically mark it as fixed. Of course it never was. So I ditched them for PhonePower and have never looked back.

 

[FireDancer]

If you think AT&T is crap on the consumer side try to deal with them on the enterprise side.

I hate them.

 

[DWGal210]

If you think AT&T is crap on the consumer side try to deal with them on the enterprise side.

I hate them.

Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel.

I think AT&T's iPhone ads are hilarious...they look so desperate and awful. "but, but, you don't understand, you can surf & chat at the same time!! At the same time!! " it's the only feature they can exploit, I think it's hysterical!

 

[sayhello]

First things first....Castle was soooooooooooooo good! I was not expecting that at all.

2nd...it sounds like you've got water in your line somehow. The exact same thing happened to me last year. My phone did work from the outside box, but I didn't try to determine that in the dark .... My outside box was near by bedroom window, so I plugged a cord into the outside jack, ran it inside and plugged an old style corded princess phone into that. Worked fine until they came out to fix the line 2 days later. Just a thought.

Castle was amazing! I'm with you, I totally did NOT see that coming! They did a fabulous job of misleading us! And he said the "L" word!!!!

With all the rain we've had, water in the line sound like a likely possibility. Once the rain lets up, I'll go check the box outside. If it works, I'll see if I have a cord long enough to reach into the house. Good idea! But SATURDAY??? REALLY?

What did they have to do to fix it?

Sayhello

 

[sayhello]

OT..but Castle fan here too! Really good season finale!!

Sorry about your phone!

Wasn't it great? They're so mean to leave us dangling like that!!!

Sayhello

 

[sayhello]

You have a short someplace that is completing the circuit. It sounds like you are getting the battery (48volts) from the Central office. There is more than likely a bad pair or wet pair coming from the Telco's phone post.

Tobi, you can always borrow my Butt Set if you need it!

I'm hoping the issue really is on the post or something like that. I don't want to have to coordinate being here to let them in the house. That could be a nightmare!

Wow! Impressive butt set!

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[sayhello]

I lived with phone line problems for 3 weeks after a hurricane came through the area when we first moved here. I had to use my cell but sorta loved not getting all those telemarketer calls.

The only problem with using my cell is letting the folks at work know to use my cell rather than the house phone. I guess if that's my biggest problem, I'll manage.

Sayhello

 

[sayhello]

Yep, I battled this issue for years with Verizon. Their automated system would say it would be fixed in 48 hours, then the system would automatically mark it as fixed. Of course it never was. So I ditched them for PhonePower and have never looked back.

This automated system sucks. I've honestly not had a lot of issues with AT&T, but man, when you DO have issues, it's a pain! Which would be one of the reasons I do NOT have my Internet access through them!

Sayhello

 

[sayhello]

If you think AT&T is crap on the consumer side try to deal with them on the enterprise side.

I hate them.

Ack! Do I have to????

Sayhello

 

[sayhello]

Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel.

I think AT&T's iPhone ads are hilarious...they look so desperate and awful. "but, but, you don't understand, you can surf & chat at the same time!! At the same time!! " it's the only feature they can exploit, I think it's hysterical!

The adds *are* so funny! But, hey, you have to play to your strengths!

Sayhello

 

[darrengs]

If you think AT&T is crap on the consumer side try to deal with them on the enterprise side.

I hate them.

Verizon is no better.

They screwed around with me on the consumer side, but I got my satisfaction. I may have been small potatoes and they didn't care, but I took great joy when I was able to switch from Verizon them at my Company. They are constantly calling me to, "get me back", but I don't see that happening.

 

[sayhello]

You have a short someplace that is completing the circuit. It sounds like you are getting the battery (48volts) from the Central office. There is more than likely a bad pair or wet pair coming from the Telco's phone post.

Mike, the guy from AT&T finally made it out today (they weren't kidding when they said Saturday!). The connector in the box out at the back of the house was damp & corroded. It's a really good thing I did not manage to get that box open the other night. It was FULL OF ANTS!!!! I think I would have totally freaked at 11pm by flashlight! It looked like they'd been living in there a while! He cleaned them all out, replaced the connector, sealed it all up to keep out the ants & the moisture. So far so good!

Thanks,
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[k5jm]

9 times out of 10, a wet cable. Never fails. I have seen ants, Geckos (not Geico), snakes, rates, squirrels, and birds nests in customer demarcs. Critters love electromagnetic energy for some reason.

 

[ColoradoDisney]

And water in the lines is somehow AT&T's fault. I am tired of the culture of complaining that has become so prevalent. I don't see people posting things like, "my tenth year at our house and I have never had the natural gas out even once". When my kids starting whining, I tell them that I do not want to hear it.

 

[k5jm]

And water in the lines is somehow AT&T's fault.

Yes it is. It is in the SLA with ATT that they "will maintain the condition of lines to a residence or business to the demarcation point." After the demarcation point is where the customer takes responsibility.

So please stop "complaining" about people "complaining." Please realize that these are discussion boards that are used for discussion.