AT&T'd Off

AT&T.

Where shall I begin, mine enemy? Ye vile, wanton lord of the Internet! How dare ye call yourself an "Internet SERVICE Provider?" Do ye deal in service, or is it not proper to say ye pass your duties to India? Knoweth ye not that the road to Hell is paved with poor connections??

Anger makes me speak King James-ish. Aghh! I am so through with AT&T. Yesterday, I spent 1 hour on the phone with them. All the while, Rain was running around the new house looking for bugs to eat, ladders to climb, and bottled cleaners to drink. Not only was I transferred FIVE times, but each one of them asked me my name, address, phone number, etc. Why doesn't an Internet service provider have, I don't know, a network for its own?? Then I got transferred to India! Now, I love my Indian folk, and the reps are as polite as can be, but I don't understand them and they clearly don't understand me. Do I fault them? Nope. AT&T should stop trying to save a buck & hire some more American reps. At least then I'll understand how terrible the service is. Honestly, why can't they get it together? Do they not have Outlook or Networking for Dummies? I had to talk to them again today, and seriously, this is a sample of yesterday's & today's conversations:

Yesterday (Me & the American rep)
Me: The problem is, someone was supposed to connect our fax line on Monday as well as a main line. But, only our main line was connected.
Rep: I see. Well, or records show someone is coming on Thursday to connect the second line.
Me: Thursday? This is the first I've heard of this. What time on Thursday?
Rep: 8 A.M. to 8 P.M.
Me: I don't live in this home yet, so I'm not here a lot. Could you give me a smaller window of time?
Rep: Let me transfer you to our repair department--
Me: --no! I've already been transferred there before, and they transferred me to you--
*click*
New Rep: Thank you for contacting AT&T. What is the phone number your are calling about?

Today (Me & the Indian rep)
Me: I'm having problems with our email. We can receive email but not send it.
Rep: Ok. To assist you, I need your mother's maiden name for security purposes.
Me: (I give the name, but then realize that the main account holder is Tim, so they probably need his mother's maiden name) Actually, the name is--
Rep: I'm sorry, your initial answer was incorrect.
Me: I know, it's actually--
Rep: I'm sorry, because of security purposes, I need you mother's maiden name.
Me: I KNOW. The name is Sor--
Rep: I'm sorry. Because you answered incorrectly, you will have to fax me an ID, proof of your address, and--
Me: What? Seriously? Look, we're not even done moving into this house. We don't have a fax machine set up--
Rep: I'm sorry, because of security purposes ...