ISP Support Rant

And it is another day where an event changed the stuff I will write about. This time I managed to save a draft of the stuff I wanted to write, so I don’t forget it.

Anyway.

I received a new internet router the other day because my connection for home office is a little bit underpowered. I got a new one because it is a Hybrid one. You got the power of the DSL line added to an LTE “line”.

I was really excited as it should boost my network connection significantly. The wired parted worked immediately but I have a problem with the LTE connection.

I thought maybe the SIM card would need a day or so to get activated, but today I still couldn’t get a connection. So I started searching on my providers home page for an email address I could use to contact them.

As a side note, I hate phoning support centres or “chatting” with somebody. With an email, I could contact them when I have the time to and they can respond when they’ve got time.

Well, even though my provider is the largest one in Austria, the only two ways they offer communication is via their chatbot or via telephone. As I knew from their site, extended waiting periods are currently on the phone lines as everybody seems to be calling them.

After a few minutes getting along with the chatbot that said he couldn’t help me, a human joined the text chat. Great.

A few sentences later he or she told me that they couldn’t help me as I’ve got a business contract and need to call their call centre.

So I called them. After hanging about 15 minutes in the queue finally, a technician took the call.

I quickly described my problem and that I was already in contact with chat. Luckily the conversation was linked to my account and he could quickly tell me what was going on.

It turned out that something was messed up with the SIM Card a received INSIDE the router I received the other day. I was at no fault and they will be sending me a new card as soon as possible.

If lucky I will receive it this week. Luckily the internet also works without the sim card (just like before the hybrid router).

If they would have had an email address, I would have sent them the screenshots and a description of my problem. They could have sent me a new sim card right after receiving my mail and I wouldn’t have to go through the standard did you turn it off and on again questions.

I know many people don’t have a technical background, but they could build a fast lane for those who have and know what they’re talking about.

For example: as I work as a paramedic from time to time my number is registered at the call-takers software. So when I call the emergency telephone number, they see who calls and my experience level right away.

So they are asking completely different questions than they would ask someone with no experience as a paramedic. Great, now I’ve got a topic idea for tomorrow. :)