I think it’s something like 70% or higher, Byz. Hence why most companies won’t fix shit on the first try…you wait, most people leave without any effort.
I, however, am in that other 30%. Which is my companies hate me. Especially my apartment complex. 
So there’s no such thing as a good phone company?
That’s why GTE aquired them. If you are any good, someone is going to try to buy you up and close you down. That way you don’t show how bad the other guys do business. (9 yr. GTE employee)
Ya, no shit. Fuck these guys too. I’ve been slammed, had services crammed down my throat, had my phone number unblocked without permission, been refused to have my number re-blocked, had an extra deposit(we never found out why, but I did a little covert work, I.E. got a job with them for 3 weeks, and got my deposit returned :D).
Oh, I’ve also had to go through the DSL install, but it was relatively simple and uncomplicated until I disconnected it so I could do some wiring for my network(what a mess).
-Sam
No way Smooth…I lived with Contel for 8 or 9 years. They sucked big-time too. Not to mention their suckiness, they were a behind the times, technologically backwards, fuckwad buncha rednecks.
I mean, we didn’t have ANY features except for a telephone. At least PacBell has features, and now GTE has integrated their features to Contelco areas finally too.
-Sam
No, there is no such thing as a good telephone company.
I just got a solicitation from Bell Atlantic yesterday, telling me how sorry they were to see me go, and offering me what appears to be a sweet deal to come back. After being without a phone for going on two months, I am even thinking about it. Sure, they put me through massive shit for the past year, but at least I had a phone.
So should I give Monkey Cum Ingesters a week to finish installation or should I switch back to Bell Asslantic?
MR
I FINALLY got through Ameritech’s thick skull that I did NOT want linebacker, and never authorized it in the first place. Meanwhile, they ripped me off for about $11 a month for FOUR years for the fucking linebacker “protection” plan. Assholes.
–tygre
I generally haven’t had troubles with USWest, which is why I’m annoyed now.
I called to set up new phone service for my new apartment, and was informed that I have a $200 bill that is six years old.
Me: Um…I’m not saying you’re wrong or anything, but I’ve set up phone service about four different times in the last six years. Why didn’t anyone inform me of this any of those times?
Guy: I don’t know, ma’am.
Me: Okaaaaaaaaaay. Well, as I have set up four different phone numbers in that period of time, I would think that I’ve not been difficult to find.
Guy: I don’t know ma’am.
Guy then proceeds to tell me that probably what happened was that someone had overlooked the bill (four times) and that he’d be unable to get service started for my new address until I paid the $200…like it doesn’t cost enough to move already.
Anyway, I’m thinking of just doing what Manhattan suggested. Keep the cellphone and the cable modem and hell with a house phone. If USWest hasn’t bothered to contact me for six years about this bill, they can eat it.
Louie – “So there’s no such thing as a good phone company?”
Well, I don’t know about that. US West at one time was very good. I would have given them a ten and a high five all around; but they merged, changed, and lost that “customer service” spirt they once had.
There was a time, while living in this valley, that when I called them with a problem, they jumped and moved and took care of it toot sweet. But then the influx happened. There are so many people, there are so many new lines…
I think in a lot of ways, they promised more here in the valley then they could ever hope to give. I don’t know if a lot of folks remember this but at one point they wanted to raise residential rates by 5.00 a month (which was a HUGE rate hike, over 30%) and the very next DAY they gave 5 million dollars to the Olympics. Consumers were outraged and rightly so. It was as if they wanted to do this grand, symbolic gesture, but make the working folks carry it on their backs.
It was horrible. And they have never recovered. Especially since the rate hike was shot down, but they lobbied to change the board that would oversee such rate hikes. Now, they can hike as much as they like with almost no consumer oversight… and the customer service has gotten even worse. And now they have merged with another company and we are very less important to them than some of the bigger, western, markets.
You know, there’s a lot to be said for the home town business. My phone company taught me this. To be honest? I go even more out of my way to support local business, run by folks that actually work and live here. I’ll go out of my way to shop their stores even if I pay more. Because I know the dollars I give them will stay here, go to support the economy here.
I wish other’s would do the same. Just because some “chain” grocery store might have big savings, you might want to look at where those dollars you give them go. Probably not to your state. There is being a wise consumer and getting the best price but there is also taking care of your own.
I’m rambling but: If I could swing my phone business to a local company that really cared about me and kept and used my dollars here, in my state, I’d give them my business even IF it cost me an extra 5 or 10 a month.
Okay, I’m off the soap box. Just support your locals, folks. Because I think those are the folks that really care about customer service. When you get as big as Microsoft, you no longer give a shit because you don’t have to.
I think it was Lily Tomlin who said in a skit, “We don’t have to be nice, we’re the phone company.”