Custumer Service? S-T-R-U-G-G-L-I-N-G

Tracey and I have our services in our house bundled with AT&T. About 2 months ago they came through our neighborhood and began updating their internet service with AT&T U-verse. Supposed to be an upgradeable program they offer that will speed up your internet. That is if you want to pay the additional $12.99 a month. I was perfectly happy with what we had at the time so we decided to stick with what we had.
While they were putting the necessary cable into the ground we lost internet service because they disconnected everything while they put in the new material. Since this time we have had nothing but trouble with our internet service and phone service.
Internet service has not been that bad actually. We have stuck with the original package and for the most part we are good. We have noticed however on some evenings that our internet service is
S-L-O-W. Don’t know why really but it is only occasionally.
The phone however has been a completely different story. First of all AT&T is telling us that U-Verse has nothing to do with our phone. Yeah I understand that but what they do not understand is all we saying is when they started digging in our alley we lose our phone service from time to time for no reason. They have tried to fix the problem but we have now NOT had a phone in our house more days than we have.
When it comes to their service department the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing. Here are some of our experiences.
1. They want to schedule a service time in a 3 hour window in the middle of the day. We work for a living so it is going to have to be a Saturday. We are told this is not a problem and we are set for a Saturday appointment.
2. 3 hour window on Saturday goes by with no one showing up at the house to work on our phone. We call AT&T and we are told that we did not have an appointment set for Saturday and that we set the appointment for Monday in a different 3 hour window. WHAT THE HELL???
3. I talk to Tracey who verifies that I have not lost my marbles and I call AT&T back. I am told at this time that the previous attendant must be lost because they show that I DO have an appointment and that the tech must be running late. They apologize and do the leg work to find out where the tech is at that time. They call back 2 minutes later to let us know he is on his way and 20 minute later the tech is at our house. Phone working but internet is out and he can’t figure out why. He is the phone guy and not the internet guy.
4. 8:00 Sunday morning a female tech shows up and 10 minutes later internet is up and running.
5. We lose phone service 2 more times and a tech shows up and fixes the problem. You know a tech has come to your house too often when he offers his business card and gives you his direct phone number. By this time he also knows the names of all three of your dogs.
6. THE KICKER!- We lose our phone service for GOD KNOWS how many times and Tracey and I have H-A-D IT with At&T. We call them to notify them of the problem and they tell us they will send out a tech. They show up when we are not home AGAIN. What part of WE WORK FOR A FREAKING LIVING DO THEY NOT UNDERSTAND? GET THIS- AT&T CALLS US ON OUR HOME PHONE TO LET US KNOW THAT THE TECH WAS AT OUT HOUSE AND WE NEED TO BE HOME FOR THEM TO COMPLETE THEIR WORK!

NOW FOLLOW THIS LOGIC- WE CALLED TO INFORM THEM THAT OUR HOME PHONE IS NOT WORKING!!!
SO THEY CALL US ON OUR HOME PHONE TO LET US KNOW THEY CAN’T FINISH THE WORK ORDER.
ANYONE SEE THE PROBLEM HERE?
So we called them last night to cancel our account. When the poor lady asked why Tracey very politely told her the problems we have had with them over the past two months. And the lady on the phone very graciously apologized and understood why we were doing what we were doing.
I know the company will not fold because of my account and I want to praise all of the people who have tirelessly worked at my home to help us out. My problem is with their scheduling department. Clearly they don’t communicate very well. Who the heck calls someone on their land line when the reason you calling in the first place is your land line is OUT?