Companies can be too big.

Simon has a new favorite place.

I have a cell phone plan, an internet plan, and a "cable" tv plan. I originally got cell phone service with Cingular, and that  ATT. I originally got Internet service with Yahoo, and that turned to ATT. I originally got my tv through Dish Network then changed that to Direct TV, then changed to Uverse by ATT. I thought it would be good to "bundle" all three services and I thought I would save money. I cancelled my home phone service because I never used my home phone and didn't use it. I did that six months ago and I have been unhappy about it ever since. I wasn't happy with the remote for the tv, I never got a bill on time and "bundling" the tv and internet service messed up the website I went to to get my cell phone service and I fell behind in making my payments because I never got a bill. The internet service wasn't as good as I had before. I decided to cancel everything except cell phone service with ATT and they did that very nicely. This week I contacted DISH Network to get TV and internet through them. I was very happy with the price and they were going to install it the same day ATT was disconnecting my service. Then, they told me their internet service was with ATT and I cringed.

Overlooking the Snake River at Twin Falls, ID.

They asked me to contact ATT and have them "bundle" my ATT internet with DISH Network. I called ATT at 9am today to see what I could do. It took me an hour for them to figure out what they could offer me and it ended up I would have to send in my modem and they would have to send me another one, of the exact same type, and I would have to pay $100 and they would give me a $100 credit card to compensate me. I told them I wasn't sure that is what I wanted to do, since I would be without internet until I got their modem in the mail, even though I had one in my house now. I told them I would call back. I called back at 1pm and got someone from India that said my information wasn't in their computer. They had me tell them my phone number 6 times and had me spell my name three times. She put me on hold 3 different times and the third time, after more than an hour, I just hung up. I called again around 2:30 and got another girl from India who couldn't find my information at all in the computer, so I just hung up after 15 minutes. I called back at 3pm and got Philip in Pennsylvania. He was able to help me completely in 30 minutes. He got me twice the speed internet for the same price as I am paying now, even though DISH Network said it would be one third the price. He also arranged me to keep the same modem and they would start the service the same day the service I have now cancelled, so I won't be without internet. I asked to be transferred to his supervisor so I could tell them what great service he gave me and he said thank you and told me he had taken up too much of my time so he transferred me to the billing department who wasn't able to help me, again, and asked me to call back. I think when companies get too big you have to keep contacting them until you get the ONE person that can really help you and give you the service they all should. Thanks Philip!!

Sometimes I feel like calling in the Army!!