I Owe Verizon An Apology

because I'm a dumbass

Published on August 17, 2007 By MasonM In Blogging

I finally made it home late this afternoon. It felt really good to be home again after a month of road bullshit. After dropping my bags on the living room floor I immediately walked over to the c-store for a 12 pack. I wanted to kick back in my recliner with a cold one or two.

When I got back I fired up the computer so I could order a pizza for dinner. No internet service! What???!!!! It was supposed to be transferred to the new place a month ago for crying out loud! I looked over at the modem/router and it was blinking in a manner it's not supposed to blink. No signal. Jesus on a pony!

I called up the Verizon tech support number and complained about the fact that after a month I still had no dsl service. The tech, "Sherman" (I never knew folks in India named their kids Sherman) assured me that the work order had been completed. We walked through a few troubleshooting steps and he decided that the modem was faulty. Of course it's out of warranty too.

I told him that I did not believe that the modem was faulty but that I would go buy a new one if for no other reason than to prove him wrong. I went and bought a new one. I came back. I began disconnecting the old modem and noticed that when I unplugged the power the modem stayed lit. WTF?

After a quick wire trace I realized that somehow during the quick move and set up I switched the power leads for the speakers and the modem. The speaker power lead was plugged into the back of the modem and visa versa. Ummmmmm, hello? The little speaker power unit can't supply near enough juice for the modem.

Once I corrected the power lead mix up the modem immediately connected and I had internet service.

Naturally I felt like a total dumbass.

I probably should call up "Sherman" and apologize. But I probably won't.

Ah well, it' still nice to be home and maybe I can redeem my pride a little bit tomorrow by fixing the leaky water valve in the bathtub. Or maybe follow through on the whole dumbass trick and flood the joint.

Comments (Page 2)

MasonM

on Aug 20, 2007

YOu are lucky. Underpowering those boxes is usually what causes them to die.

As for Sherman, I have called a company back and appologized in he past when "an impossible" was the truth. This does not include Verizon who I called to have reset a password, and they spent 2 hours on the phone with me, calling me every idiot name they could when they thought I could not hear, just to find out after 2 hours (and finally getting the password), that it was the Linksys (which I would have been able to tell in about 10 minutes if they had given me the stupid password!).

No, I dont have any sympathy for Verizon and their idiots.

Yeah, when I realized what I had done I was sure the box was fried. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it worked fine once I switched the power supplies.

Those Verizon people are asshats and I really hate dealing with them. If I had cable I'd just get Roadrunner, but I'm just not home enough to justify the expense.

CharlesCS

on Aug 21, 2007

I went and bought a new one.

Just curious, did you return the box?

Naturally I felt like a total dumbass.

I probably should call up "Sherman" and apologize. But I probably won't.

And that's why they usually ask those questions that make people think they are calling us stupid like "is the power cord plugged in?" and "is the phone line/cable line/ethernet cable connected?".

MasonM

on Aug 21, 2007

Just curious, did you return the box?

Of course. Once I knew the problem I returned the new one.

And that's why they usually ask those questions that make people think they are calling us stupid like "is the power cord plugged in?" and "is the phone line/cable line/ethernet cable connected?".

Yes, I know. I used to be in the troubleshooting business myself. It's especially embarrassing for me as I am a degreed engineer

CharlesCS

on Aug 21, 2007

It's especially embarrassing for me as I am a degreed engineer

hey, this only proves that no one (with the exception of Col gene) is perfect. It happens to the best of us.

MasonM

on Aug 21, 2007

It's especially embarrassing for me as I am a degreed engineer

hey, this only proves that no one (with the exception of Col gene) is perfect. It happens to the best of us.

true nuff.

Dr Guy

on Aug 21, 2007

It's especially embarrassing for me as I am a degreed engineer

It goes back to "you get what you pay for". In the early days of networks, when we did everything from desktop to ISP, I usually asked a few probing questions first to determine the level of the end user, and then geared my questions and instructions to that level. Now (as I stated up top), when you call, they dont even listen to you, but start into their playbook,. barely getting our responses.

So it does not matter if you are pedigreed or mutt, you get the same spiel and the same condescending attitude.

MasonM

on Aug 21, 2007

So it does not matter if you are pedigreed or mutt, you get the same spiel and the same condescending attitude.

Yeah, I do find that annoying, especially when they ask you something you just answered five seconds earlier.

CharlesCS

on Aug 21, 2007

Now (as I stated up top), when you call, they dont even listen to you, but start into their playbook,. barely getting our responses.

Yea, basically the playbook starts by telling them "you are smarter than they are, that's why they are calling you".

Jythier

on Aug 21, 2007

I love it when you explain the entire problem, and then they ask specific questions that are targeted to gather the information you just gave them.

Dr Guy

on Aug 21, 2007

Now (as I stated up top), when you call, they dont even listen to you, but start into their playbook,. barely getting our responses.

Yea, basically the playbook starts by telling them "you are smarter than they are, that's why they are calling you".

I actually heard the guy tell a coworker "Geez! look at the time on this one. I always get the morons."

yea buddy, that is why you did not hear me ask for the freaking password! idgit!

Jythier

on Aug 21, 2007

Ooo, imaginary conversation time!

"Thank you for calling Verizon this is Ronald how may I assist you."

"Hi, my name is Jythier. I have a Verizon 6300 DSL modem. The specifications say it's supposed to transfer at 128kb/second, but I'm only seeing 32kb/second."

"Ok sir, may I have your name please?"
"... Jythier..."

"Ok sir, and what kind of modem do you have?"
"ah... Verizon 6300 DSL modem..."

"Ok sir, and what seems to be the problem?"
"... it's transferring at 32kb/second, but the specification say it should be transfering at 128kb/second."

"Well sir, have you checked the modem's specifications? Some of our modems only transfer at 32kb/second."
"Do you speak English?"

Moderateman

on Aug 21, 2007

hey Mason it's still verizons fault any company that would have someone named sherman working for them must be at fault.

Dr Guy

on Aug 21, 2007

hey Mason it's still verizons fault any company that would have someone named sherman working for them must be at fault.

Hey! I like Sherman! Remember Sherman and peabody?

CharlesCS

on Aug 21, 2007

Here's my addition after "Well sir, have you checked the modem's specifications? Some of our modems only transfer at 32kb/second.":

Click.

Jythier

on Aug 21, 2007

That was the first ending, I went with the alternate ending.

Who would want to be too predictable?

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