AT&T, a conspiracy theory and the mall.

Yesterday we began having trouble with our DSL. It would only stay connected to the internet for a few minutes and then disconnect and then reconnect for another few minutes. It did this on and off all day. When I tried to phone tech support (AT&T) I was met with a “higher than usual call volume, delays, etc.” so I put it on speaker phone and decided to wait it out. A few minutes later I got disconnected. It was getting late and I figured that maybe everyone was having trouble which was why the phone lines were jammed up and that they would have it fixed by morning.

This morning I got up to find we were having the same problems so I called back in. I am pretty good with computers. I can fix hardware and software and I am really good at troubleshooting in general. I had already figured there was something wrong with my modem, but I wanted them to tell me that before I forked over $50 for a new one.

After a few minutes of being on hold, “Ben” came on the line and starting asking me what was wrong. Then he had me going through the usual stuff (which I already did and told him that) and then he began grasping at straws. He asked “do you have DirecTV or Dish Network?” I told him we did. He asked, “well, did you install it yourself?” Ummmm….no YOU PEOPLE DID and what does that have to do with my DSL? More ridiculous turning things on and off, an accusation that it was the CABLE connecting the computer to the router that wasn’t working (hello…WIRELESS????) and finally he put me on hold for 7 years and came back and said it was the modem. And, by the way, it’s no longer under warranty.

Only 2 hours of my life I can never have back.

During all this I joked to my husband that AT&T probably routinely zapped the phone lines to fry the modems so people had to buy new ones. It seems to be happening to us every couple of years, the time before this it fried the router too.

So, off to Best Buy I went to get a new modem. 45 minutes tops it should have taken. 7 stores and 3 hours later I returned home with a new modem. I kept hearing the same story…”it’s weird but I can’t seem to keep them on the shelves lately.” “Lately people are coming in all the time and asking for these.” There were 40 other modems but the spots where all the AT&T stuff was supposed to be was EMPTY at all the stores. Some even called their other stores for me. Nada. Zippo. Zip.

And all this in the rain with a tired, hungry toddler and NO STROLLER. We did have a nice 5 minute diversion riding the carousel in the mall. Except as it stopped moving she SCREAMED and then cried for 10 minutes as I dragged her away from it.

Finally, the nice man (who I wanted to hug) at the AT&T Wireless store in the mall directed me to a “corporate” AT&T store and although they didn’t have them on display, they had the modems in back and sold me one. I thought for sure I would pay double but it was the same price as everywhere else.

So here I am, back online, pondering my conspiracy theory about AT&T zorching the lines to send people out to buy new equipment. I suppose it could have been accidental….

We may never know for sure,but…

I WANT TO BELIEVE.

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE.

TRUST NO ONE.

Oh and one other thing. Malls are pure evil. Here’s why:

• It costs $5 to BORROW a germ-ridden cart to push your kid around in (you get a buck back if you return the cart – me, I’m taking that baby home with me for $5…too bad I only had $2 on me, although the $2 was enough for a carousel ride).
• These same carts have a warning on the mesh storage bag on the back “do not put child in bag.” People are stupid.
• They had a guy Windexing the handrail on the escalator. Yes. Windex. Ever touched wet Windex with one hand while trying to step on a moving floor with a squirming toddler in the other arm. LAWSUIT WAITING TO HAPPEN. Damn, in hindsight I should have let myself fall.

I need ice cream.

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