05 February 2007
interNOT
well, on the 25th the internets didn't come. it has been a debacle.
it still is.
on the 24th, I received a second DSL splitter. I had yet to receive a DSL modem. knowing I had an installation appointment the next day, I marched myself right into the Telekom store, and asked for a modem. I took them some discussion, but in the end I walked out with a free modem. "Woo!" I thought, "Score 1 for me, being all prepared and shit." right.
The installation guy from Tkom came on the 25th when I expected him. He had to do something to the wires in the wall to make the phone work, but he assured me it would let the internets still work too. Ok. Well, I had hooked up my laptop to the Modem to try to get it ready for its big date with the internets. The first setup page went well, but the second asked me for some Username Password stuff. I looked through all of the papers Tkom has given me. Nothing that resembles the requested information.
I asked the installation guy. He tells me, "Oh, no, you need your Access data. It comes in a different kind of envelope, the kind that tears of both edges, and the back is all black so noone can look through it.."
"Oh," I say, with utmost dejection.
Next I called the Tkom hotline. Sweet. I managed to get through their automated menus to a real person. I asked them to speak slowly, please. I explained my situation, and asked for the Access Information like the installer told me.
"We've already sent it. But it came back to us.. Was your mailbox labelled correctly?"
My mailbox had just that day gotten the right name on it. "Ok, we'll send it again," they told me. "It should take 2-3 working days."
Understand, dear reader, that I have been hooked on the internets since my Mom was getting her Master's degree in 1992. She was hooked up with the University of Michigan on one of the earlier incarnations of the internet. I have been twitching and feverish in my last 2 months without a home internet connection. No kidding, there have been cramps, and sweating, even a little delirium.
It's how I'm going to stay in touch, you see, with my family, friends and loved ones on that other continent in that other hemisphere. At work I'm behind the Berlin Firewall, barely able to access personal email. Myspace is verboten, and web-camming is just a weird idea at the office...
I had to give back the company cell phone on the 31st, so no more free calls home. This is where I was counting on the internets to come in.. Well, my Access Info should have come last Tuesday/Wednesday, Jan 30/31. It did not. I figured the Deutsche Post system is a little wonky, maybe I'd give them another day or two. Thursday came and went, no security envelope. Friday, nothing, but I was caught in meetings all day. Today, finally, I called Telekom again.
The nice lady who answered found that a week and a half ago I requested Access Info. and they just didn't send it. She promises this time it's going to go in the mail. I swear, if I don't get it in 2 days, I'm going to be calling them up and using what the Germans call Schimpfworte. That's cuss words to most english speakers..
technology. where would I be without it? oh.. wait..
it still is.
on the 24th, I received a second DSL splitter. I had yet to receive a DSL modem. knowing I had an installation appointment the next day, I marched myself right into the Telekom store, and asked for a modem. I took them some discussion, but in the end I walked out with a free modem. "Woo!" I thought, "Score 1 for me, being all prepared and shit." right.
The installation guy from Tkom came on the 25th when I expected him. He had to do something to the wires in the wall to make the phone work, but he assured me it would let the internets still work too. Ok. Well, I had hooked up my laptop to the Modem to try to get it ready for its big date with the internets. The first setup page went well, but the second asked me for some Username Password stuff. I looked through all of the papers Tkom has given me. Nothing that resembles the requested information.
I asked the installation guy. He tells me, "Oh, no, you need your Access data. It comes in a different kind of envelope, the kind that tears of both edges, and the back is all black so noone can look through it.."
"Oh," I say, with utmost dejection.
Next I called the Tkom hotline. Sweet. I managed to get through their automated menus to a real person. I asked them to speak slowly, please. I explained my situation, and asked for the Access Information like the installer told me.
"We've already sent it. But it came back to us.. Was your mailbox labelled correctly?"
My mailbox had just that day gotten the right name on it. "Ok, we'll send it again," they told me. "It should take 2-3 working days."
Understand, dear reader, that I have been hooked on the internets since my Mom was getting her Master's degree in 1992. She was hooked up with the University of Michigan on one of the earlier incarnations of the internet. I have been twitching and feverish in my last 2 months without a home internet connection. No kidding, there have been cramps, and sweating, even a little delirium.
It's how I'm going to stay in touch, you see, with my family, friends and loved ones on that other continent in that other hemisphere. At work I'm behind the Berlin Firewall, barely able to access personal email. Myspace is verboten, and web-camming is just a weird idea at the office...
I had to give back the company cell phone on the 31st, so no more free calls home. This is where I was counting on the internets to come in.. Well, my Access Info should have come last Tuesday/Wednesday, Jan 30/31. It did not. I figured the Deutsche Post system is a little wonky, maybe I'd give them another day or two. Thursday came and went, no security envelope. Friday, nothing, but I was caught in meetings all day. Today, finally, I called Telekom again.
The nice lady who answered found that a week and a half ago I requested Access Info. and they just didn't send it. She promises this time it's going to go in the mail. I swear, if I don't get it in 2 days, I'm going to be calling them up and using what the Germans call Schimpfworte. That's cuss words to most english speakers..
technology. where would I be without it? oh.. wait..
