ScuzzBlog: Diaries March 2022
Entry 2nd March 2022: Post 1: The telephone - End of the line.
The telephone - End of the line.
Up until this week I had been one of those rare individuals that
was happy to live with a landline telephone. I have spent my life
without needing to use a mobile telephone so in truth nothing has
really ever been any different for me. Up until now. I get this
communication from BT about something called 'Digital Voice'. They
paint this wonderful picture of internet based telephone systems
with all the bells and whistles. What this really means though is
the end of my landline.
I spent an hour trying to communicate with BT. I basically asked
the question how was I going to connect my rectangular connector
from my telephone into the Ethernet shaped socket on the internet
hub. The leaflet suggests that on the day it is just a case of me
simply plugging in my phone to the internet hub. The first person
I spoke to yawned all the way through my conversation and had no
idea in truth. She put me through to technical. The guy was less
than useless and left me on the phone while he went and checked.
After twenty minutes waiting I hung up. The third communication
was with a call centre , somewhere, using internet chat. The guy
assumed I had a problem with my current phone, even though I just
kept repeating about the communication I had received and I just
wanted to know how I connect my telephone into the internet hub
on the day of the switch over. He couldn't answer my question
and offered me the opportunity to complain... So funny.
Whilst on the phone my landline telephone actually broke. The
wired snapped away from the base unit. So I had to drag into
service some Synergy phones that I have never used.
The problem for me is simple. I live in a forest and we have all
kinds of issues with the electric. Earlier this year the power
loop out my house or 'neutral' blew and we lost power. They were
two days digging up the drive. Thing is in the event of a power
loss, which happens quite frequently, I lose power to the hub.
With the landline the telephone maintains connection. Not so with
the internet phone. I do need a phone for my food etc. Otherwise
I am cut off.
So my next call was to Tesco to get the cheapest mobile from them
that had simple button operation. In a jiffy the guy was winging
a Nokia to me for the low sum of seven pound fifty a month. Job
done. The phone came the next day and so I cut out the BT fun and
nonsense and they can do what they like.
I wasn't going to comment but I will.... I appreciate that with so
many mobile phones there is less reliance on landlines. However,
the way this has been managed has been despicable and the attitude
of their operatives insulting. I know I am in the very small, tiny
minority, but as such, have no understanding of the new systems.
The least they could have done is respect this issue and made a
bit more effort.
Finally.... Tesco sent me my details regarding my account and
asked me to log on immediately to confirm the information. Sadly
when logging on they sent me a text to my phone with a key code.
Trouble is I didn't have the phone so that was pretty pointless.
Best of all having failed to get to my account, they then sent
me a survey asking me to comment on the experience of using the
site online. Bonkers. Kinda no joined up thinking.
I know I am an old 'fuddy duddy', and I'm not up with the times, but
faced with a problem I will always find another way round a locked
door. Once I've done this I just put it to the back of my mind and
get on with things I actually enjoy doing. So the NOKIA thingy sits
on the shelf where the old phone sat, and I will charge it up, but
in truth it will never get used. Other than for the odd emergency
and to get my supplies. That was that job done. Back to normality
and Nier Automata.
PS the phone has this torch on it so I can read the meter for the
electric people. So it does have some use.
Tomorrow I will be back to actual interesting stuff. Sorry for that.
There will always be a 'Telephone Line'
Sorry for the adverts
The telephone - End of the line.
The end of the line for the dial tone.
In the end it was like the old phone
decided to die rather than suffer the
indignity of being terminated by BT.
I shall miss my phone .. Never mind.
Tomorrow is another day.
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