2005-01-31 
 

att - cingularly useless

So, tonight I kvetch about the cellphone.

About a month ago, I called Cingular to ask why my phone keeps dropping calls. I'll be in the middle of a conversation and hear a quick BOOP BOOP BOOP. Shortly thereafter, the phone disconnects. It happens both whether I'm walking or sitting still. Worse yet, the phone still shows full bars, yet the call dies anyway. After a rather interesting sparring match with a Pleasant Prerecorded Voice (PPV), I finally reached the proper support person who told me this problem isn't uncommon in areas with large numbers of phones. They let me know that it's a sign that too many people are on the network...so I get bumped off.

Ten little bears laying in the bed and one of them says,
"Roll over, roll over."
So they all roll over and one falls out.
Nine little bears laying in the bed and one of them says,
"Roll over, roll over."

Though they claim it's not personal, my mind takes flights of fancy about the true randomness involved in bumping. Are they picking to drop me on purpose? Are my conversations perhaps just a bit too boring...or dare I dream, too risque for them?

The more rational side of my brain has other thoughts. It's probably my rate plan? I'm sure if I was paying more that I'd be less likely to be bumped.

More importantly, what happens when I immediately redial the party with whom I'd been speaking? Does some other random schmoe get bumped?

Roll over, roll over.

Only in this case the bear knocked off the end simply rolls under the bed and pops on top of the other side. Between the bumping and the round robin game they make us play with the PPV before talking to a live person, I'm left with one conclusion. ATT/Cingular's rather fond of viscous circles.

PS Today's entry was supposed to be about my current problem with ATT/Cingular. Not that the bumping isn't still in full swing on nights and weekends, but that's really old news. Today I had a rather annoying encounter with live customer service folks. I'm too tired of typing to go into it at any depth, but I will say this: The whole experience leads me to believe that the PPV is the brain of the company.

Labels: rant

* posted by me at 11:11 PM

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