bt update

(for the record, i assume that most people really don't need or want to hear all the annoying details, but i'm finding that putting my frustration out there, ostensibly for all to see, is a rather cathartic activity...so for the sake of my own sanity, i write)

for those who are waiting on pins and needles for the final outcome...another episode in the epic drama:

17 october (last tuesday): this was the day the last incompetent promised that my broadband service would be working, which of course came and went without event.

20 october (last friday): this was the day i called to cancel my bt broadband service and managed to speak to the most intelligent person in the company who talked me through a couple of remaining options, which included sending out new equipment (free of charge) to double-check that it isn't a hardware issue, and then finally sending out an engineer to my home (which, apparently, it's STILL not time to do). the incompetents in the faults department never even MENTIONED a potential hardware issue, and thusly never offered to replace the equipment. so we ordered the equipment and it smart bt lady said it should arrive on 25 october, but will have to be delivered to my home address for a stupid but immovable reason. this means that i will have to either catch an early train home some day this week to get to the sorting office in time to pick it up or wait until saturday. how annoying.

21-23 october: hmm...wonder if i should have just told the lady i wasn't interested and to still just cancel the service and go with a t-mobile hotspot account and limit my away-from-work internet usage to starbucks' opening hours...?

24 october (this past tuesday): first call ever FROM the incompetents since the last conversation with them (14 october) which resulted in the 17 october deadline for a working connection. this guy claimed that they had "repeatedly tried to contact me for the past several days on my home phone". i politely (are you impressed?) reminded him that i've told at least 4 different people that i'm NEVER home during business hours, and that they should ALWAYS call me on my mobile phone...which all have promised they have duly noted in my account. riiight. i explained the 20 october phone call with smart bt lady to the incompetent. he agreed to call back on wednesday night, after i'd had time to receive and hook up the new equipment.

25 october (yesterday): the day came and went without the arrival of the equipment or a note from the postal service about attempted delivery, etc. hmm, confidence in smart bt lady now decreasing. but of course, i got a call from the incompetents while i was at the gym, and therefore a voicemail, which said "if your connection still doesn't work after installing the new equipment tonight, please call us back" which clearly means "this is your last call from us...your turn". good thing i had a really tough work-out and was completely knackered...lacking the physical or mental strength to even be annoyed with smart bt lady OR the incompetents.

26 october (today): i have no idea what to do now. desperately hope new equipment arrives today but not even cautiously optimistic. maybe if new equipment does't arrive today, will call tomorrow and re-try to cancel and hope equipment order never went out and i don't have to deal with returning it, etc.

number of calendar days since broadband was supposedly activated: 48

...to be continued...