So our modem died. What an adventure.
More below the dooblydoo.
Now, as I may have mentioned before - my parents are older, and just assume crap service is totally normal and to be expected. Me - not so much.
So when I realised they were paying over $200 a month for the COCKS bundle and the phones went out every time the internet died - I called up the COCKS and had a little chat with them as ColCatLady.
We have been having outages for 10+ hours a day for the last week - and then yesterday the modem finally gave up the ghost. It simply would not reset and they who see all couldn't see it anymore - so that means not only no internet to keep me happy but no phones for the oldies either. ColCatLady talks to his brother about once a day, plus my brother always calls the house line - and my Mum never answers her cell because she either can't hear it, or thinks it's not important enough to answer. So hardly anyone they talk to actually has their cell numbers at all.
I wasn't having any of this. They don't even carry their cell phones half the time - if something happened to one of them they would go straight for the dead landline that really isn't much of a landline. So I got on my cell and insisted on a service call.
Today "Steve" came out and rewired the cable/internet connection through the attic and into the office of doom - and installed a brand new modem - the old one had been there for five years - which seems to be some kind of record. Everyone was shocked (tech support, Steve) that it had lasted that long.
The parentals were of course sure this was going to be another case of me costing them an arm and a leg - but it didn't cost them anything other than the time it took to clean up and pretend we don't live with 12 indoor cats. ColCatLady handled the living room and office - I did the kitchen and loo - and Mum was home in time to sort her studio into presentable because they said 3-5 which meant closer to 6 as usual. They bribed and wrangled most of the cats into their bedroom for the service call, so it looked like we only had 4 or 5.
All hail ColCatLady's paying the service insurance thingy the last 25 years. All hail COCKS niceness about "holy shit, 25 years as a customer? We can fix that for you tomorrow, sir!" The lines are much better, the internet MUCH faster, the service no longer drops and the phones work - I can stop worrying they are going to fall over and not be able to dial 911. They don't carry their cells, but they do always seem to have a mobile handset for the landline in reach at all times - old people. shrug