Every so often I tell myself I must cut down on the time I spend on the Net. I never do, of course: it’s too much fun and I would miss it. However, British Telecom must have heard me and decided to help because four days ago it cancelled the number my ISP uses to allow me unlimited access to the Net for a reasonable sum of money every month.
Just like that. Without any warning.
You put on your computer in the morning (or rather, in my case, in the middle of the afternoon), you click on the cute icon and then, instead of that infuriating series of beeps and funny sounds, you get a different infuriating noise, a voice saying, “This number has not been recognized.” Qué? You try again and again and then you get on to your ISP and then to BT and you spend the entire day trying to find out what the f*** is happening, or, in my case, your partner does it because they have a little more free time to devote to such nonsense than you do at this particular point. The ISP and BT give you differing versions of what they think is happening and every time you have to tell your entire life story to the new person with an impenetrable accent that answers the phone. Finally, it does appear that BT has cancelled that number.
Ok, ok, I should have broadband. I could have broadband for a little bit more money, but I have a geriatric computer (i.e. a 3-year-old one) and broadband might make it give up the ghost completely and I can’t afford to buy a new one and anyway why should I be forced to have broadband when that other system worked very well for me?
My ISP says they are doing their best to obtain a new number from BT, but I reckon it’s not really in their interest since they know that everyone who’s lost that connection will now get broadband with them and not stick with pay-as-you-go, which costs an arm and a leg (that expression reminds me of a very funny incident, but I haven’t got the time to tell it to you, sorry). They say we should have more info by Tuesday.
So, if you have a blog and if, in the past few days, I haven’t commented on it as often as I used to, it’s not that I'm on a deadline (which I am) or that I've gone off you, but it’s because every second I spend on line is costing me masses of dosh.
If I still get that stupid message on Tuesday I’m applying for broadband. I bet my ISP and BT are in it together. I’m not very fond of conspiracy theories – you know, Diana died because of a drunk driver; Serge Lutens has nothing against the Americans; J F Kennedy was killed by… etc. etc. – but, in this case, I could very well believe those two big corporations are in league against us. I think I can hear them laughing...
Slaps all around!
Saturday, 17 June 2006
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I agree on the bit about not buying in to fringe theories of conspiracy, HOWEVER... there is a lot of financial gain to be had by a company converting a percentage of dial-up service over to Broadband. You might not be too far off mark in your thinking.
ReplyDeleteI'd be curious to know how many other of the numbers from your provider are not being recognized!
There is a great conspiracy theory video out right now centering around 9/11 called Loose Change. Go to their site and check it out-it does give you pause.
SL, only one number has been cancelled by BT and apparently only people living in a few parts of London have been affected. Lucky me, eh?!
ReplyDeleteThat video will have to wait: I won’t log on for longer than it takes to read my emails or write a few words. Videos take for ever to download on my PC. Maybe in a few weeks’ time when I have broadband. LOL! I thought we knew who was responsible for 9/11, anyway.
J, conspiracy or no, you will be so much happier with broadband, I can assure you. For one thing, videos like the one Still Life recommends take only a SECONDS to download - I kid you not.
ReplyDelete(((Hugs))) and hope to see you back in fine fettle soon!
I'm sure I will (if it works), D, but I don't like to be 'pushed'. I wrote a post once about how you keep having to pay more, etc. just to get the same service. This is another instance of that. I was quite happy with my subscription.
ReplyDeleteHugging you back, ((((D)))).
I know you don't like to be pushed, but I have to side with red-queen here -- broadband rocks. It's worth it, especially for someone who hits the 'net as frequently as you do. I do understand your hesitation to jump right in, though. Aside from the financial investment, it's VERY annoying to be bullied that way.
ReplyDeleteWW, thanks to broadband I will be available on the phone at all times. Great, not! :-(
ReplyDeleteI have a three year old PC and it has no problem with broadband.
ReplyDeleteThansk, GSE, that's good news, although, in my post, for '3-year-old computer' read 'moribund PC'. It's really in pretty bad shape. I probably will install broadband on my newer laptop.
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say I didn't hear from Virgin today and, what's worse, even dial-up was playing up. LOL!
switch to talk talk whose broadband is freeeeeeeeeeee!
ReplyDeletequick!
i've suffered dial-up for the last week (house move) but got broadband back an hour ago and look at me!!!!!! i'm a-surfin' again! :)
p.s. did you see the dixie chicks have a new cd?
No can do, UC, need to keep my email address. I’ve had it for eight years and when you work freelance you can’t really need to keep the same address because, even if you send everyone your new address, the next time anyone wanting to employ you tries to contact you you can bet anything they will have forgotten about your change of address and they will email you at your old one. If you move you can have your mail redirected but you can’t do that with email, so I won’t change my email address unless absolutely forced to. But my ISP is driving me nuts at the moment.
ReplyDeleteThe Dixie Chicks! They were here – round the corner, at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire – last week. I saw the queue.... it was incredible. Tickets were £35, which was rather steep and, unfortunately, I was too busy to go. I wish I had. They’re wonderful. I’ll probably get the CD.