Reconnecting to the Internet (Part Two and Final?)

So I see the last entry ended on the 19th of November -- where to continue?

12) So 24 hours was waaaaaaaaay too optimistic. Sometime on Monday, I called again and got Billie, My Personal Service Representative (BMPSR). She gave me her name and number and her supervisor's name and number (both were long distance numbers from my home phone, and I didn't have long distance service, but that's a minor point, really. Why would that matter to them?), and said she'd look into it and call me back. Like many of the representatives, the first time she says she's going to call you back she does, but after that, you can't get through and you never hear from them. But the number is still blocked.

13) Because on Tuesday I had a real life and work I had to do, I waited until Wednesday to call BMPSR. When I finally got through to her, she said that my number was blocked in computer hell, and it was over in the department that deals with departing customers. I said I wasn't trying to depart, and that they were the only people who had ever provided service to this new address. She said that the people in that department don't really care to much about customers they're losing, so they don't really answer her back and they would probably be not working until AFTER the Thanksgiving holiday. She still claimed it was Earthlink's fault.

14) Even though I didn't want to, I finally called back Earthlink, and got through relatively quickly to CSOTIS, and they said that the cancellation of them trying to take the number had cleared their system already and Verizon shouldn't be showing any problems. He promised to put it through again, and they upgraded me to unlimited dialup for the cheap price, and said my name is on a preferred customer list so I can get a better deal on their DSL. I probably won't be taking them up on it at this point, but I'm not canceling anything with them until this Verizon stuff proves it's working.

15) Naturally, I don't hear back from BMPSR on Wednesday or Friday. I call again on Monday, and she starts getting upset with me when I ask why she can't at least upgrade my phone. We don't talk again.

16) On Tuesday the 1st, I call her boss' number and speak to him. I explain everything and he does call me back twice. Also, a couple of hours later, BMPSR calls me back and says "okay, it's all clear, we've got an installation appointment for you...next Monday". I make a few half-hearted attempts at protesting and asking for phone service ahead of time, but it's futile.

17) Finally, today, they come. However, before they even show up near my building, my long distance service with caller ID magically starts working. Because apparently it IS all done remotely from a central station. Two very nice dudes, Al and The Other Guy (Jack? Joe?) come in with the equipment. They realize that a) my unit was already wired b) all the services were right there and c) I had a Mac. So they plug in two routers and we turn on to my computer. Immediate internet service. But then comes the mail. The guy starts hooking up and trying to download all kinds of Tech Wizards and other software to get my mail. "Um, no. This is a Mac. It's not going to work. Can I just have the information to set up a new account in the Mac Mail program"? He looks at me like a deer in the headlights. "They don't train us on Macs" "That's okay -- I'll do it. Just tell me what information to put in". The Other Guy says "Yeah, it won't work -- go to Google and get the information". Being smart, I already had the information on the server names, and started to put it in. All of the Earthlink accounts work, but the Verizon won't work. "Okay, I need port numbers and other settings". Blankness. Finally, in a fit of desperation, I called up one of my working Earthlink e-mail accounts and just copied all those numbers. After much hemming and hawing, I got them to work.


So my long national nightmare is over. However, at some point BMPSR had said I was getting 15/5 speed, but everything I clicked today showed I was signing up for 10/2. I will call and complain, but at least everything is working now.

She's baaaaaack.