It's hard to mostly impossible to be a "breaking-news" source when the people you contract your communications services can't provide reliable communications.
For about the past 36 hours- I've had to suffer through hit and mostly miss Internet and telephone service that I contract through Time-Warner to provide.
While compiling weather information for a CSW post around 2 am Sunday morning- the Internet "Roadrunner" service went completely out as did the telephones.
Question: How do you call your Internet/telephone service provider to tell them your service is out?
You borrow a cell phone. After nearly running the battery down following the customer service commands- I'm told (at 3:15am Sunday morning) it would be AT LEAST another 24 hours until their service crews would be out here.
Thank God it didn't go out on Saturday morning- we'd have went all weekend without telephone or Internet service.
This is not an isolated occurrence and- if you're wondering what the weather was when my service went out- it was partly cloudy- East wind less that 7 MPH.
As I also stated- this isn't an isolated occurrence. At LEAST several times a week for the past 3 years- the Internet connection will falter or you pick up the telephone and there's no dial tone.
One CAN call Time-Warner to report the problem (ONLY when the signals restored mind you) if you have 15-30 minutes to spare each time that you do.
Realize this: IF you subscribe to Time-Warner digital phone service- you have NO PHONE during a general power failure or if Time-Warner's hardware goes haywire.
If like me you HAVE to have telephone (and Internet) service at ALL times then this means investing as well into cellular phone service- because you're going to need a backup to the cable phone!
There are absolutely NO savings in having home phone service having to be backed up by a cell phone.
The old Southwestern Bell telephone service worked when the house power was out. In fact- I don't recall ANY time the old telephones didn't work unless the service line had been physically brought down.
And I sure didn't have to unplug- unconnect routers- modems and half of my power strips to get it to work either.
It's goodbye to Time-Warner's digital phone service for this household- Roadrunner Internet service may be close to follow.
After all- what's Time-Warner gonna do if one of my parents have a serious medical issue early on a Saturday morning and the Time-Warner digital phone service doesn't work?
"CPR available after 9am Monday- would you like to schedule?"
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