So I'm at the point where I have to attempt to go outside of Consolidated's system, somehow, as I'm getting actively stonewalled from them at this point.
Background, this is about DSL service that worked for 7 years, before Consolidated's buyout of Fairpoint, and Fairpoint's buyout of "Big Sandy Telephone Co" in the Simla, Colorado area (80835).
My DSL worked fine for 7 years. I'm in a very rural area and there are NO other options (besides satellite - and due to the absolute ruralness of it even looking into that is a problem.)
On or around October 20, 2022 (and I do mean 2022), my DSL went down. (Dialtone OK, no DSL signal on line.) - That's when I opened my first ticket with Consolidated about the issue.
A few weeks later, a tech contacted me and told me that the T1 backhaul to the DSLAM was down. (Various reasons were given, from 'administratively turned down' to 'a cow attacked a junction box' -- really.) . Okay, I played ball, I was patient. Worked with that tech for about a week, until he left the company apparently and everything stalled.
Called Consolidated repeatedly to ask for followup and was simply told "no updates", and that i'd get a call back in 24-48 hours. (I never received a call back). This continued through October, until the beginning of January.
Beginning of January 2023, speaking to support, they recommended opening up a new ticket. So, a new ticket was created and forwarded to dispatch on Jan. 6 2023. From this ticket, about a week later I got a call from a contracted (non-Consolidated) technician, from "Arias Communications" who did contract work for Consolidated in our Colorado area and some of Texas.
After about 3 weeks of co-troubleshooting with the guy, I was told, again, that the backhaul to the DSLAM was down, and that the backhaul went from the Simla central office to "RTT 6" and then to my remote terminal "RTT 8", and the backhaul between the Simla CO and RTT 8 needed to be repaired. He said that he was waiting for a card to come in (on the remote side, not the central office side, since as a contractor, he had no access to do any work in the central office) - and that it would take a while.
I was willing to wait; I feel I've been extraordinarily patient and reasonable; as all I wanted was for my service to work again like it had for years. I continued to pay through this period (and still am today, btw) - and didn't even demand a refund, because really, my priority *is* just getting the service live again.
So some good time went by and in March, supposedly, with repeat calls to the contracted tech, I was told the card was replaced in the DSLAM (remote terminal) but it did not fix the problem and the problem was in the Central Office; that the T1 was adminstratively downed for some reason and a new circuit order had to be created to bring it up again. I was also told that this could take a while. I called the main support line to verify this and they verified with me that yes, trouble was tagged on this backhaul circuit and that it would be repaired.
Continuing to follow up with the contractor (and his assistant), some time in early May I was told that the T1 was repaired but the "framing was wrong" and the framing had to be fixed, and this was again a Central office task that he could not perform. He told me that he would file a ticket, but it would be better if I called and did so as it would get more motion.
So, I call into Consolidated support again and go through the absolute pains of explaining this entire situation to the L1 tech who won't let me go any futher without discussing turning the modem on and off again, and talking about which lights are on, on the modem. (Note, I have **five** DSL modems at this location, two Consolidated-issued Comtrends, a Netgear DSL modem, an Actiontec DSL modem and a Fairpoint-issued Zhone DSL modem.) - **None of them will detect a DSL signal** even at the NID. I have hooked all of these directly to the NID; nevermind that technicians have confirmed that there is no DSL signal on the line because there is no backhaul.
After a LOT of effort I manage to have them put in a "followup request with dispatch" and am told again that I'd hear something in 24-48 hours. As can be guessed: no contact from Consolidated. This repeated followup attempt pattern continues as I try to call weekly, until I am told in early July 2023 (July 10) that the ticket "timed out". Meaning it was closed, and not being worked, but no resolution was given - it just closed because there was no activity in that time.
So, I file a new ticket on July 10. Am told 24-48h callback. No response.
I call back on July 14 and am told that the "ticket was closed because we sent you a new modem and that fixed the problem." (??!? - I had received no new modem and the problem certainly was never fixed! They STILL quote me this resolution by the way, and it never happened. Clearly someone was just trying to close the ticket.)
So, some more back and forth on followup and a new ticket on July 24. At this point we enter the pattern I'm in now. I would call weekly for a simple ticket update. And I'm told that there are no updates and I will be called back in 24-48. Which never happened.
At this point I call Customer Service (not internet/tech support) and I am told that the internet department is the "only group that can do anything, I'm sorry I can't do anything more for you." I call Telephone (Voice/dialtone) repair, even though the dialtone is fine. She performs a metallic loopback and says she can't do anything because the loop checks out. Back to calling Internet support/repair, nothing I can do it seems.
I began logging my calls and I called for followups on August 7, August 15, August 24 and August 30. (2023). All responses were 'no updates, will call you in 24-48h." - I verify my phone number and alternates with them. They match, I am not screening any calls.
On August 30, strangely, I'm told that there was an update on the July 24 ticket: "T1 circuit down, will contact customer as soon as it is back up, service should be functional by the end of the week, at the latest September 3." - Even had a voice message left by someone who sounded like a technician, telling me that they were targeting a Sept 3 repair date for the backhaul.
Sept 3 comes and goes, I call on Sept. 8 - and try to explain this amazing history of this problem to L1 techs who are at this point in disbelief and think that I'm spinning hyperbole. They open the (latest) ticket and tell me that the ticket has "made it all the way up to a VP" (Mr. Brannon Walker?) - and that they would "get back to me as soon as possible".
At this point I had hope of motion. I was told that "Jason", the Simla central office foreman was being contacted. I continued to wait for updates AND call for followups. On Sept. 19 i was told that there was a note that the "T1 circuit was being worked on, once completed will call customer" and that agent requested an immediate callback with me to update on the timetable.
Then, everything changed. Called Sept. 21, was told 'no updates, expect a call in 24-48' and then I call back on Oct. 3, and am told that the "ticket was cleared and closed with no reason given." and that there was "nothing more she could do for me". I requested that she re-open the ticket and she told me that she did; and forwarded / escalated it to the "terminal box department" (what?) and that it was forwarded/escalated to the NOC team as well. I was told I would get a call back on an update from a supervisor, "Deborah". That never happened either.
Followups happened from my end:
-Oct. 4, ("no updates, pls wait 24-48h for a callback" during morning call, called later in the day, got "Richard" who told me that he was the one who opened one of the tickets in July and was shocked that this wasn't resolved yet. He reopens a new ticket, (7226) with "all of the details" And that "this time, it'll be different. I'm filing this right. 24-48 but if you don't hear from us in 72, definitely get on our butts.")
-Oct. 7, (L1 tech "no updates, sorry I can't do anything, I can't escalate I can't get you to a supervisor, all I can do is make notes.") ... okay
-Oct. 9, (note, > 72h from Oct.4) - and I get a supervisor, "TK", who tells me "It'll be escalated right this time. Don't worry. Trust me. Expect a call in 24-48. Keep your line open.) .... I get nothing.
-Oct. 11, call for status check. I get "Bryan" who says he's a supervisor and get told 24-48 again and he's "escalating it to dispatch". I hear nothing.
-Oct 18, speak to "Julie", supervisor, who said she'd "Take ownership of this ticket and call me back within 24-48" (sick of hearing that phrase by now) "whether she has updates or not."
... Today is Oct. 23. No callback. I call in and get "Bryan" again who tells me that there has been no updates on the ticket and that I should expect a callback in 24-48h. I push back and say "No, you won't, I need to talk to someone above you, who has move oversight and control over what's going on." - He puts me on hold for 45m as I wait for this "manager" before getting back on the line and saying that "My manager is in a meeting. He'll call you back within an hour."
This was an hour and a half ago. I'm at my wits end, and I know that people will tell me "just cancel, just cancel." - and indeed, I'm close to this point but this is a remote location where I have been unsuccessful in getting a satellite installer and there is no LTE/data cellular coverage. We're talking WAY out in the plains of Colorado. And this service worked for almost a decade.
I understand that the probable only solution is to just cancel and realize that I cannot get internet service there. But why wouldn't Consolidated tell me a year ago, if this is the case, that "Oh sorry we're discontinuing DSL service in your area and shutting it down." - why this absolutely amazing and epic runaround? Are people at Consolidated taking bets on this?
At this point I do want to see it through just because of how awfully this has been handled. If ANYONE here has any input beyond "just cancel and walk away" (believe me i'm on my way to doing this.) - someone in this mess of a company that I can speak to, about something this simple: just getting my service running again...
I'm not asking for the moon and stars here. I'm just asking for DSL service in return for my payments, since those payments were for... DSL service. But I don't know where to go from here.
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