It is time to shop for a new cell phone for Kris. Her phone is over two years old and the battery just doesn't hold a charge like it used to, plus the technology of it is just rather antiquated. So I have been shopping the available upgrades from AT&T. I think I am going to break down and finally get her an iPhone. It's not so much that I don't want to get one, it is the added expense of having to have a data plan.
But, as I was shopping around looking at new phones, Sarah had to chime in about how she wants a new phone (she is actually able to get an upgrade as well, plus, I can get a month "free" if I sign a 12 month contract with her phone. That lead to her saying that she wants an Android powered smartphone. This I have a problem with. I don't have a smartphone, and I am just getting Kris one, and she really doesn't need it. There is no reason for a 13 year old to have a smartphone in my opinion. There is nothing that she would possibly need it for. It isn't like she has a busy schedule to keep track of, and she certainly doesn't need to browse online with it. If she needs anything online, she can wait until she gets home and she can use her laptop. I don't know what I am going to do with hers yet, but I am dead set against getting her a smart phone. I mean, someone please tell me what a 13 year old needs to have a smartphone for. If someone can make a good argument for it, I may consider it, but I haven't heard one yet.
Showing posts with label Phone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phone. Show all posts
Monday, April 30, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Back Online
Hooray! The new modem is hooked up and we are back online and have phone service again. The technician got here and took one look at how I had things hooked up and asked me “where is the incoming line?” Which is what I was wondering. There are two plugs coming in from the phone line that go into the modem, or are supposed to be. But I showed they guy the installation instructions and it said to disconnect them. I had everything plugged in the way the instructions said, and I was trying to convey that to the person in India last night, but I wasn’t getting my message across (which is why talking to technical support halfway across the globe sucks).
The technician simply plugged in the lines after lengthening the plugs a bit and then we just needed to wait for the setup process to complete. I even showed him the instructions I had, and he said he had never actually looked at the instructions for any of the “self-install” setups, but the ones I had were definitely not correct. I didn’t even need to call the 877 number that they had on the instructions to activate it
After about 15 minutes our service was restored. The technician went out to check the lines once we were sure all the phones were working and I had internet service on all the computers. When he got to the house he said he ran some test on our line before he came to the door and saw that our service had been interrupted about 5 times since midnight. We had a similar problem a year and a half ago and it turned out some squirrels had chewed through some lines and that was the cause of the service lapses. He said he was going to go run his tests, and we might lose our signal for a few minutes while he was testing things, but it wouldn’t take long.
When all was said and done, he said that there were wet lines, or something like that, and that he would need to put in a request for line service. They would be out in a day or two and take care of fixing the lines. So for now, I think we have things running again.
The technician simply plugged in the lines after lengthening the plugs a bit and then we just needed to wait for the setup process to complete. I even showed him the instructions I had, and he said he had never actually looked at the instructions for any of the “self-install” setups, but the ones I had were definitely not correct. I didn’t even need to call the 877 number that they had on the instructions to activate it
After about 15 minutes our service was restored. The technician went out to check the lines once we were sure all the phones were working and I had internet service on all the computers. When he got to the house he said he ran some test on our line before he came to the door and saw that our service had been interrupted about 5 times since midnight. We had a similar problem a year and a half ago and it turned out some squirrels had chewed through some lines and that was the cause of the service lapses. He said he was going to go run his tests, and we might lose our signal for a few minutes while he was testing things, but it wouldn’t take long.
When all was said and done, he said that there were wet lines, or something like that, and that he would need to put in a request for line service. They would be out in a day or two and take care of fixing the lines. So for now, I think we have things running again.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
AT & T Sucks
Our new phone/tv/internet portal got here yesterday. However, AT&T lists the time and day that I can install it, which was yesterday after 8:00 PM. Kris said the customer service rep told her to wait until the next business day to install it, so I had to wait until today. Well I spent 45 minutes trying to hook it up and didn't have any luck. I followed the instructions to the letter and while it powered up, I never go the dial tone I was supposed to. And I couldn't activate it for the TV and internet service until I could call to do so, which is hard because THERE IS NO DIAL TONE!
In the end I got frustrated and hooked the old one back up, so at least I can watch tv and type out my frustration on here. Maybe I'll try again later tonight or tomorrow, but right now I just don't have the patience for it.
In the end I got frustrated and hooked the old one back up, so at least I can watch tv and type out my frustration on here. Maybe I'll try again later tonight or tomorrow, but right now I just don't have the patience for it.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Phone Problems
Monday night when I got home from work I was told we were having a problem with the phone. The caller ID displayed on the TV screen when a call is incoming, but the phone itself doesn't ring, and there is no notice of a missed call, or if the person calling left a message. So I picked it up and there was a busy signal, nothing more. I was on the phone Sunday night when it dropped on me. I assumed it was the U-Verse signal that was interrupted, and I finished the call on my cell phone. But I think that was the point where things stopped working.
So Tuesday morning, I called the technical support for U-Verse from work. The customer service person wanted to troubleshoot things with me. One problem though, I was at work. She asked if there was anyone at home that she could talk to in order to troubleshoot it, so I gave her Kris's cell phone number. The problem was that Kris was just getting ready to take Alison to school. So they weren't able to diagnose the issue. They called back once she was home from driving Ali and they ran some sort of diagnostic and determined it was a "modem problem". The solution to the problem was to send us a new wireless router. The good thing is that we still have TV and internet service, but we are without a phone. I suppose it's fine since no one ever really calls anyway, and we have our cell phones. But if you have tried to call in the last three days and didn't get an answer, now you know why.
So Tuesday morning, I called the technical support for U-Verse from work. The customer service person wanted to troubleshoot things with me. One problem though, I was at work. She asked if there was anyone at home that she could talk to in order to troubleshoot it, so I gave her Kris's cell phone number. The problem was that Kris was just getting ready to take Alison to school. So they weren't able to diagnose the issue. They called back once she was home from driving Ali and they ran some sort of diagnostic and determined it was a "modem problem". The solution to the problem was to send us a new wireless router. The good thing is that we still have TV and internet service, but we are without a phone. I suppose it's fine since no one ever really calls anyway, and we have our cell phones. But if you have tried to call in the last three days and didn't get an answer, now you know why.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
AT&T Blows
Saturday night Sarah came to me and told me she was typing out a text message when the display on her phone went out. It was still vibrating and could still take calls, but with it being a touch screen, it makes it sort of hard to use. I figured no problem, we'll just go to the AT&T store today (Sunday) and see about getting a replacement. We purchased insurance on it (an LG Neon) and it is only a little over a year old (about 15 months) so we should be able to just bring it in and they would give us a new one.
Well the guy looked at it and then went over to the computer, started typing in all kinds of information, then comes back and says, "Oh, sorry, you only purchased a one year insurance plan, and the warranty on the phone was only 12 months, so we're pretty much out of luck. All we can do is purchase a new phone (at full price). Fortunately, the phone that Kris and I have for her parents was able to be upgraded, so I was able to use that to upgrade Sarah's phone, I am just locked into a two year contract with their phone now.
I had Sarah look over the phones they had in the store and pick one out, one that wasn't too expensive, even with the discount. She settled on a green Pantech Pursuit. It wasn't exactly what she wanted, but it was all we really had to choose from. this time, however, I bought the insurance for twenty four months, the length of the contract. I am not going to have this sort of thing happen again.
Then I happened to ask about my phone, which is four years old, and in need of being replaced. However I am not about to pay full price for a cell phone. They gave me some lame excuse as for why I can't upgrade it right now (I have to wait until April) but I still think it is ridiculous. Right now I am so mad at AT&T, but I can't really do much since we are locked into contracts, so I just have to sit and take it, which really sucks.
Well the guy looked at it and then went over to the computer, started typing in all kinds of information, then comes back and says, "Oh, sorry, you only purchased a one year insurance plan, and the warranty on the phone was only 12 months, so we're pretty much out of luck. All we can do is purchase a new phone (at full price). Fortunately, the phone that Kris and I have for her parents was able to be upgraded, so I was able to use that to upgrade Sarah's phone, I am just locked into a two year contract with their phone now.
I had Sarah look over the phones they had in the store and pick one out, one that wasn't too expensive, even with the discount. She settled on a green Pantech Pursuit. It wasn't exactly what she wanted, but it was all we really had to choose from. this time, however, I bought the insurance for twenty four months, the length of the contract. I am not going to have this sort of thing happen again.
Then I happened to ask about my phone, which is four years old, and in need of being replaced. However I am not about to pay full price for a cell phone. They gave me some lame excuse as for why I can't upgrade it right now (I have to wait until April) but I still think it is ridiculous. Right now I am so mad at AT&T, but I can't really do much since we are locked into contracts, so I just have to sit and take it, which really sucks.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Connection is Down
Back in August (or was it September?) we had a problem with our internet connection/TV with our AT&T U-Verse. Our gateway went out completely. The result was that we needed a whole new gateway installed. It took about a day to get a technician out here and get it taken care of.
Ever since at least once a week we had been having a problem with the TV going out. Going into the basement, the gateway was completely out. All it took was a little bit of wiggling of the cable that was plugged into the gateway and it would come back on. Well it went out last night and I couldn't get it back on. That meant no internet connection, no TV, and no phone. That just wasn't going to work.
I had to call from work on my cell phone and luckily the guy I spoke to managed to get us an appointment the next day. And being only 10-15 minutes from home, I was able to just run home when the guy called and said he would be at our house in 20-30 minutes. Well he came in and switched out the gateway again, and the battery backup. It took about 30 minutes, but everything was up and running again. good thing too. I think without TV or an internet connection we were going stir crazy (we can do without the phone).
On the plus side, it did allow me time to watch a few movies that I have on DVD that I hadn't seen yet, but had been wanting to.
Then later in the day Kris called to tell me the AT&T technician called and said they were going to be working on the lies in the area, something about squirrels chewing thru some lines and bypassing the area for now, but they would be working on it for the next day or so.
Ever since at least once a week we had been having a problem with the TV going out. Going into the basement, the gateway was completely out. All it took was a little bit of wiggling of the cable that was plugged into the gateway and it would come back on. Well it went out last night and I couldn't get it back on. That meant no internet connection, no TV, and no phone. That just wasn't going to work.
I had to call from work on my cell phone and luckily the guy I spoke to managed to get us an appointment the next day. And being only 10-15 minutes from home, I was able to just run home when the guy called and said he would be at our house in 20-30 minutes. Well he came in and switched out the gateway again, and the battery backup. It took about 30 minutes, but everything was up and running again. good thing too. I think without TV or an internet connection we were going stir crazy (we can do without the phone).
On the plus side, it did allow me time to watch a few movies that I have on DVD that I hadn't seen yet, but had been wanting to.
Then later in the day Kris called to tell me the AT&T technician called and said they were going to be working on the lies in the area, something about squirrels chewing thru some lines and bypassing the area for now, but they would be working on it for the next day or so.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)