Three Down

While listening to a podcast the other day, the interviewer and the interviewee were discussing all the different social networking sites. They discussed the advantages and disadvantages of sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and others.

The -er asked the question, “If people are spending their time on social networking sites, then what AREN’T they spending time doing?”

And the -ee answered, “Human interaction & family time”.

Now, I have to disagree. While I might not spend as much time with friends as I’d like, it’s not because I’m on Facebook. What I am no longer spending as much time doing is watching TV. I don’t know if I’m just getting older, or if the shows are getting dumber, but I’ve already dropped three shows from my evening viewing. Of which I’ve only replaced one.

The first to go was CSI:NY. I think Gary Sinise is great. I liked the show for the New York setting and characters, letting me “go home” for an hour each week. I cannot take the spoon-feeding deliver of this show. I don’t remember it being this bad in the first season. The evidence is gathered and the actor’s lines make sure you do not miss its importance. I also do not like the way show developed into relationship dramas instead of keeping the highlight on the forensics.

The second to go was another CSI. The original one. (I watched CSI:Miami ONCE, but David Caruso was just too much to bare.) I actually stopped watching last year when 3 of the main characters left. First Sara, then Warrick, then Grissom. I decided to give Lawrence Fishbourne a fair chance, and he is great, but it’s just a different show now and I’m not interested. The camaraderie is missing, as is the quirkiness.

The third show I decided to stop watching is Numb3rs. I hate math and I suck at it, but the first years of this show were fascinating. I understand math is the underlying structure to just about everything, but this show, too, started to delve more into the relationship drama and less into the math theorems. I guess the available math theories can only take you so far! And with Peter Macnicol having only a reoccurring role on the show, it is not fun to watch.

I started watching NCIS:Los Angeles only because I’m already sitting in front of the TV when it comes on. I was so disappointed in the season premier of this show. The lead in episode of this show on NCIS looked so good! I’ve liked Chris O’Donnell since I saw Scent of a Woman, but he seems to get the shaft in all his roles. The actor chemistry on this show is HORRENDOUS as is the acting, especially coming directly after NCIS. I tried to give it more than one episode, but the next three were just as bad. To save himself, Mr. O’Donnell needs to go undercover to another show. I’ve started to going to bed early on Tuesday, as I’d rather read.

I was debating if I should give White Collar a shot. It seemed like a combination of “Catch Me If You Can” and “Leverage” and I was not interested in another duplicate show. But with Numb3rs a disappointment, and me being sick, I figured I’d watch at least one episode. Parking my butt in front of the TV, wrapped in a blanket, snuggling with the Fat Dog sounded like a great idea. The show turned out to be great! I was a little nervous at first, when it started out similar to Leverage, but by the end, it was different enough that I can watch both without getting con artist overload.

I have to tell you, though, if Booth and Bones do not get out of their relationship drama soon, it is going to be four down.

Vonage Sucks!

What is it with me and utility companies?

In May, I signed up for Vonage’s VoIP service when AT&T decided to replace their plan with another. For some reason I still can’t understand, I was unable to sign up for AT&T’s new plan because I wasn’t in their area anymore. I do not know, maybe I moved.

I had no interest in signing up with the company who did cover my area, therefore, I signed up with Vonage. It was a two-year contract, with an early termination fee. I was able to port my number over which was the number I was using for my business. It was a decent service. I had some echoing in the phone on occasion, some dropped calls, but on the whole, it worked well.

Then, the invitation I had been waiting 6 months for arrived. Google Voice was finally here. I signed up for their FREE VoIP. I picked a number that I liked then set my Vonage number to roll to voicemail. There a message could be heard, “This number has been changed. Please make a note of it.” I figured I’d hang onto Vonage until my contract ran out or the point where the monthly payments were more than the disconnect fee. Then I would cancel it.

One day, when looking over my cell phone and VoIP bills, I discovered I was using my cell phone more than my VoIP phone. I decided to check the cancellation fee. If the cancellation fee was less than paying for 18 more months of service, I’d cancel. Scanning Vonage’s website, I found that canceling my service was going to cost me $40. Yes, $40. The service over the next 18 months was going to cost me $450. That was an easy decision.

I hoped that canceling with Vonage was not going to turn into another Charter Communications termination of service fiasco.

The call started well enough. But, just as I was ready to give my account number, I was disconnected. I called a second time and that call went smoother.

Until he wanted to know if he could offer me a cheaper plan. Fortunately, he accepted my first “No Thanks, just cancel the service”. THEN, he told me I owed $115 in early termination fees.

I could feel the anger building.

I said to him, “Your website says $40.”

“Yes,” he replied, “but you have the modem and that’s an additional $75.”

“I have to pay for the modem? I can’t return it?”

“Nope!”

“Can I use this modem for anything else?” I inquired. “Another service? Anything, other than Vonage VoIP?”

“Nope!”

“So I have to BUY a piece of hardware that has no practical purpose whatsoever?” I questioned with barely contained fury.

“Yep!”

I asked to speak to a manager, and got the same information. This time, I lost neither my cool, nor my temper. Instead, I decided to write a complaint to the Consumer Protection Agency of California. And the Better Business Bureau. And of course, all my loyal readers!

So if you’re in the market for another VoIP service stay away from Vonage unless you’re ready to commit. Otherwise you’ll be the proud owner of a $75 paperweight.

Charter Communication Sucks

Here I sit all 5 feet, hundred and some odd pounds of consumer fury to share my latest rant. It was during a customer service call to Charter Communications that I realized this nowhere-near-multibillion-dollar-non-Corporate-American wields enormous power. The internet is MINE!

At least to the 9 subscribers to my blog and my 200 plus Facebook friends.

I decided to switch from Charter Communication’s internet service to Verizon FiOS for no other reason than it is a better deal. For less money, I can get faster upload and download speeds. I never suffered inordinate pain at the hands of Charter. My internet access, over the last 4 years of service, has been mostly up. Occasionally, there would be problems where I would have to reboot, but as a former professional computer geek, I know this stuff is just part of life. It was all about the money.

After my FiOS service was installed and working for several days, I called Charter Communications to cancel my service and find out what to do with the modem. I won’t let the rant devolve into a discussion on the annoying aspect of calling the number, getting the automated voice thing, inputting my account number, figuring out which department I wanted, only to have to repeat all when I human picked up the line. Instead, we’ll just assume I reached a human without any unusual mishaps.

“Good morning, this is Nicka. How can I serve you today?” the English speaking American living customer service rep asked.

“Good morning, this is Mikki Popovich and I’d like to cancel my service. I would also like to know if I need to turn in the modem.” I stated.

“Is there some reason why you want to cancel your service?” the customer service representative asked.

“Yes, I no longer want it. Please cancel my service and tell me where I can turn in the modem.”

“I’m authorized to lower your bill by $5 a month.”

“No thank you. Please cancel my service and tell me where I can turn in the modem.”

“I have a plan for $29.99 a month.”

“No thank you. Please cancel my service and tell me where I can turn in the modem.”

“Is there something wrong with the service?”

“No, I no longer want it. Please cancel my damn service and tell me where I can turn in the modem.”

“I also have a plan for $24.99.”

It was here that I lost my temper. I told her that I didn’t want their service at $60 a month, I didn’t want it at $29.99 a month, I didn’t want it at $5 a month. I just wanted it cancelled and wanted the information on where I could turn in the modem.

As most of you know, when I lose my temper, it’s not pretty. Fortunately for much of the population, I was on my cell phone in my car with the windows rolled up. I do not just get angry, I get red hot. My extensive vocabulary deserts me and is replaced by as many 4-letter words as I can string together in a breath. None of which are accepted on the Scrabble board.

“Ma’am, there is no reason to use that kind of language.” She was right of course, but that just made me angrier. If she had just cancelled the service in one of the first 4 times I asked, I wouldn’t have had to get so angry.

The line goes silent for at least 15 seconds. It is obvious that she is either waiting for me to calm down, hang up or inquire if she was still there. I did none of those. Neither one of us said anything for a while when she comes back on the line, and says,

“Thank you for being patient with me. We also have a plan for $20 a month.”

At this time, I just hung up the phone. I called back to get a different customer service person on the line and told her what had just transpired, and that I was NOT interested in a repeat. I wanted to just cancel my service and given the address where I could turn in the modem. I also wanted her to know and to make note of in her notes that if my situation ever changed and I was in the market for a new internet provider, I would NEVER do business with Charter Communications based solely on this (lack of) customer service call. She cancelled my service, gave me the address and I hung up.

After calming down, I remembered how Charter Communications had filed for bankruptcy protection in early 2009. Not showing a profit in the 10 years since going public I’m sure their service reps are instructed to try to sell other services and not back down.

A strange strategy for retaining business.  I just can’t believe that customer service by force is the right way to improve the bottom line.

So if you’re in the market for new internet service, keep in mind signing on with Charter Communications  sounds like the gang-style way of doing business…you can join, but you can never leave.