Instead I find my phone disconnected. I call to see if there is a problem with my payment source and for over an hour I get the run around about my account and the bottom line is as follows:
1. I've had my plan for over 4 years
2. I've paid nearly $250 a month for over 4 years for unlimited voice, text and data
3. I have to use the local regional carrier (Alltel) because the big boys (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint) do not offer coverage in the sticks where I live.
4. I live 1/4 of a mile from the Alltel tower.
5. I travel for a living
6. I use my unlimited wifi card for all my internet access UNLESS I am out of the country or I can get free wifi.
So suddenly Alltel tells me that they have cancelled both my voice and data accounts with them and that I need to find another carrier. I ask why and I'm told "You use too much data" . "You are always roaming even when you are in SC" (remember the part about being 1/4mile from an Alltel tower?). "AT&T is going to be buying us so we culling all the undesirable accounts of which you are one."
And guess what? Not only can they do it and they did...there appears to be no reprecussions for canceling my account.
/> So for last week and half I've been trying to use wifi in OTWDiver's dive shop which is very small and very busy during the summer (No Starbucks or internet cafe's around here for at least 60 miles) AND I've been trying to get phone service since my celfone is also the business number.
I spend countless HOURS trying to get phone service connected and I finally find a workable solution with the same carrier via my husband's account ONLY to find out that they set up my new account with the WRONG NUMBER. Instead of 6079 they set up 6709. I was told my old phone would work until the 13th and my data would work until the 13th. The phone did...the data did not. All my numbers were in my old phone...(they could not transfer them to the new phone) so I just tossed the new one on the table and continued to use the old one. Then yesterday I go to make a call and the phone is disconnected a day early. I grab the new phone and it works but I'm getting calls from people telling me my number has been disconnected. That is when I figure out they set up the wrong number in the new phone.
So I spend 45 min driving to the cellular store to be there at 9m only to find out they don't open until 10am. I run a few more errands and get back 10 mins to 10. Thank goodness I did...I see the tech who USUALLY helps me and he says... "you only come by when there is an issue". I said "yep you know me to well". He says "ok come on in...I'll open up a few mins early". I go in and start to tell him the problem and 4 people come in after me. Then another 4 and another 2 when I leave the store there are 10-12 people in line waiting to be helped by 1 person. YIKES!!!
Then I find out he can't fix it and he has to get his ops mngr to call a higher level ops mngr to get this fixed. 3 hrs later I get the call to try and initiate my phone...it works and I have service again. He then tells me the bill will look like an explosion happened but "don't worry as they will fix the credits etc since they screwed up in the first place". (Ya think???)
So now I have the business number back in service and I have a phone that ONLY does voice and text, BUT I do not have an internet solution yet...other then trying to be a sardine in OTWDiver's dive shop and use his wireless.
So two things....
1. I apologize for NOT getting things done that I have been promising to have done in August... I am still severely limping along trying to have sustained internet access someplace I can sit and not have severe back aches.
and
2. To help keep my sanity lets play "Guess which b-rated sci-fi/horror flick this scenario from hell has been taken from:
a. "The Perils of Living in the Sticks" or "Rural High Tech Robbery"
b. "And you just THOUGHT 'unlimited data' REALLY meant 'unlimited data'....SUCKER!!!
c. "Proof Positive that service and customer service is TRULY DEAD..in other words your account can be canceled at ANY TIME!"
So which one do you think best applies???
