After weeks of trying to get internet service, (see previous posts), FINALLY… on the eagerly anticipated appointed day, Terrence showed up bright and early.

I asked him if there was anything else that could possibly prevent me from getting internet service that day. “No mam, everything is lined up. Today you definitely will have service.”

So, call me an eternal optimist. But I was excited. After all I hadn’t had an internet connection at home now for weeks and today was the day.

Terrence did some wiring stuff inside the house and then went to check on the progress out by the road. He was gone a long time so I didn’t think it was a good sign when his supervisor called me on my cell phone. “We have some bad news…” You’ve got to be joking. What could possibly go wrong now?

Well, apparently the flaggers don’t like standing out in the rain so they just didn’t show up. Their supervisor and their supervisor’s supervisor had been unable to track them down. I guess they were having a long leisurely lunch somewhere while they waited for the rain to stop.

Meanwhile - no internet for me. Damn! Give me one of those little orange vests and I’ll go and stop the traffic myself!

Needless to say my installation was rescheduled… AGAIN! Now I’m getting really really sick of this.

A couple of days later Terrence is back. And he isn’t going to leave until I have my service installed. I believe him and hope I don’t have to get the guest bedroom ready.

He works on the installation most of the day and by late afternoon… I have lightning fast fiber-optic internet, phone and TV!!!!!!! Thank you Terrence, my hero of Verizon. You so rock my world!

So if you, too, are thinking of getting a super-duper fiber optic line, here are some useful tips I have learned:

Useful tip #1: Warn all your neighbors about a possible probable interruption of their electric /gas / internet / phone / all of the above. Be prepared to lend them your cell phone to call Verizon when their service is disconnected. And be sure to have libations on hand to soothe their pain.

Useful tip #2: Flag men are allergic to rain so check the weather forecast before scheduling your appointment.

Useful tip #3: Swearing at Verizon’s automated phone service gets you a live person faster (but don’t swear at them - I know you want to, but it really doesn’t help). Here are more useful tips on getting to a live human when calling Verizon.

Useful tip #4: Ask for Terrence.

Useful tip #5: If all else fails, try Comcast (but I can’t guarantee they’ll be any better).

Disclaimer: When all is said and done, if you’re lucky enough to ever actually get your super-duper blazing fast fiber optic connection from Verizon, it is really GREAT!

But for now… it’s back to Starbucks ’cause my power just went out. Somebody in the neighborhood must be getting a Verizon installation today.

Tags: comcast, end of the affair, fiber optic, fiber optic connection, fiber optic internet, internet access, starbucks, tv, verizon

This entry was posted on August 29, 2007 - 11:02 am and is filed under Every Mama Needs.... You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.