I will remain positive. I will remain happy. I will remain upbeat. I will do these things even when my internet is continually failing while the experiencing an outage that will be repaired shortly. I was patient the first week. I remembered to be kind the second week. In the middle of Week #7, the gloves are off. My new friend is the Federal Communications Commission of the USA or FCC for short.
Let me back up to the beginning. My little internet company was an adorable idea out here in the high desert plains of northwestern Nevada. After calling all the big boys, their answer was always the same. Assuring me they could fix me right up, after doing a little digging they would apologize that their extensive coverage didn’t quite extend to my distant neighborhood.
Since March of 1990, I’ve lived in remote places. In the middle of a sea of grapevines. On top of my very own mountain at the base of Yosemite. In the wild, wild west of Virginia City. And now, in the dusty little town at a wide spot in the road on the high desert plains of northwestern Nevada. I didn’t really plan to have a list of past residences similar to that of a con on the run. It just worked out that way.
After experiencing the joys of no close neighbors for 42 years, now it’d be nearly impossible for me to live in an urban setting. I’m feral in that way. I need a wide ring of personal space. Winterpast and her 1/2 acre of gardens is my version of a condo in the city. To me, this is the closest to a big town in which I care to live. Last night, Oliver was uptight because the neighbors were outside talking in their driveway at 8 PM. No one ever talks outside. Aside from the noises of nature, it is totally quiet 98% of the time.
My tiny internet company is located in a littler town, a 45-minute-drive from here. I’m sure their employees face complicated complaints every day. Good service is even more vital to their customers. Through those signals, desert dwellers stay up with current events, communicate with friends and family, and even attend university classes. Excellent connectivity is everything these days. Until it goes out. Repeatedly. Hourly. Without notice.
My internet fails so often, they have not changed the message for weeks.
“We are currently experiencing an outage and are working tirelessly to restore your service.”
“You are #123 in the que.”
“Your business is so important to us. Please stay on the line.”
A most irritating part of the situation is their irritating music that fades in and out. Happiness erased all the way around.
During week one, I was polite and kind. The BEST thing about this company is that all their employees can and do speak perfect English. They are local people. Neighbors. Their business is located on Bridge Street. As a woman who lives in a place that boasts OUT OF TOWN PARK, This company exists in a real place with no imagination for street names. Bridge Street is the street with the bridge. So descriptive and simple to visualize. And yes, this is the REAL name of the REAL street on which sits the REAL internet company I deal with.
By Week #3, the outage increased to 100% for TEN continuous days, no longer being intermittent. During those long days, I had to rely on my hot spot. Now, there’s a treat. With huge mountains surrounding our little town, a hot spot works sometimes. But, most times, not so well.
Now, at Week #7. I’m not buying their story anymore. It’s time to play hardball, and this, I can do. I’m the best at finding the right Federal agency to put the fear in the hearts of thieves in the night. In this case, complaints were made to the FCC. It’s a government agency so one wasn’t enough. They finally responded three days ago.
It’s a miracle at Winterpast! Since Monday, I’ve received two personal calls AND I’m getting a personal visit from a technician today at 10 AM. Suddenly, whining about thievery has caught the attention of my little provider. Attention will focus on providing me with the service for which I pay each and every month. I’ll work on getting a one month refund next.
It’s not unreasonable to expect 16 mpbs when you are paying to receive 16 mpbs. Would you go to the store to purchase 5 lbs. of potatoes and be happy to leave the store with one spud for ten weeks in a row? I think not. Consumers of the world, widowed or not, rise up and remember that we are not in this fight alone. There is ALWAYS a regulatory agency thieves fear. Find that one agency, and you will move to #1 in the que. That’s a promise.
Whatever will I do with full speed internet? I can hardly wait to watch non-pixelated shows on my computer or I-Pad. If you have concerns about the speed of internet you receive, it’s very easy to check the speed you are receiving. I use a test call FAST. There is an icon on my iPad. With one click, it will tell me my speed at any time.
If you do have continuous troubles, document everything. FCC loves times, dates, and speed. It makes the complaint even more cringeworthy for the company ignoring your request for services you have already paid.
To stay happy, we need to create an fair environment. Sometimes, that means standing up for ourselves. It’s part of Survival 2022. Life was so much easier when we depending on the pen and paper, eh?
More tomorrow.