Any thoughts about Skype?

[tw]

Originally Posted by squirell nutkin

I had verizon dsl for a while and it was more expensive than cable for comparable speed. It was problem prone, verizon customer service was the worst I've ever encountered, and after several hours of speaking with half a dozen minions from all over the world, I finally got them to send a lineman out who told me that they never installed the gazinta into my box, AND because of the way the lines ran to my house, I would never achieve the stated speed, it wasn't possible, he said.

Verizon techs have incentived to not roll a truck.

In one location, the line had no -48 volts. For all, any line connected to the CO has a constant -48 VDC - a connection to a battery. If not, wires are disconnected somewhere. But Verizon techs (in America) just do not get it. One said, "What does that mean?" Others kept switching me back to the telephone people. I could hear a large hum on that wire which also means a completely defective line that only a lineman can fix. And the DSL light would not light - also means no connection. In 30 seconds, the entire problem identified. Anyone even with 'battery and light bulb' knowledge could understand what was wrong.

Instead, these techs only understood their 'procedure'. Had me change the connection from computer to modem/router to learn if the computer could talk to that modem/router. Obvious: problem was on the other side (telco side) of that router. But the procedure did not understand something simple like "No DSL light". Techs were not taught how to think - could not "follow the evidence".

They only understand a checklist and will do anything to not roll a truck. Even when every fact provided said that only a lineman could fix it.

Five days later, we finally got a truck rolled. I learned to call at 1 AM so as to get someone in Asia. Well, the lineman arrived, located no wire connection in 90 seconds, and eventually found the broken wire inside the CO.

But its not really Verizon. A battery is inside the CO. That battery voltage appears on wires in the house. No voltage? Then the battery is disconnected. But that is too complex for many people when Verizon will not even teach them basics. Phone support get rated on the rediculous - such as less truck rolls.

In Vietnam, those same people measured performance with body counts.