Still No DSL and more…

MY DSL line is still down and has been all week. Several other friends are having the same problem. Apparently, there was some sort of telecom “update” done that for whatever reason left some of us but not all of us in the dust.

I had the guy from China Telecom here last Friday and he insisted that we needed a new modem. I pointed out that Becky’s DSL was also out. He checked that and said that modem was shot as well. I tried to point out that the likelihood of both modems crapping out at the same time was rather slim but he insisted. He plugged in his own modem and showed me strong signals from both lines. That was hard to argue with, and everything was actually hard to argue with what with his limited English being a bit better than my Chinese.

So I went out and bought two new modems and plugged mine in nd lo and behold, it worked. I was relieved. I plugged my Isight in. I downloaded some music, I went out and did some stuff. I got back and there was no signal and it has never returned. Ugh. I did manage to figure out a way to get online with dial-up and the dirty little secret is it’s not really so bad, at least for email and basic websurfing,. But I can’t even contemplate trying to upload the great photos I have of the first days of school or using the ISIght camera which should now function well on my desktop as I have finally upgraded to Tiger OS.

Anyhow, I have been sort of waiting all week for the guy to come back and resolve this mess, but it never happens and the chain of command about whom to call is not at all clear. I go to the Riviera Management office and they say, “Oh, he will be back Weds. but then I go int here and they say “He is here today.” He will come. But I call and call and no one comes. He was at my neighbors’ yesterday but either didn’t come here or I missed him. I think I am now going insane. I went in there and really demanded that he show up. The nice, nice young ladies said, ”yes, he come.” I demanded to know a time frame.

“I can’t be there all the time,” I explained.

“Yes, yes, sir.”

She called someone and talked loud and fast. The only thing I could understand was she repeatedly said “Must come today” which I figured was good.

She hung up, smiled and said “Maybe 1,2, 3 oclock.”

It was 1:11.

I said thanks and rode my bike home.