Time Warner Customer service & their outage computer

[BrianKr]

The other day our power and internet only cable went out simultaneously. So i flipped us onto battery backup solar power for the house, but that doesn't give me back the 'net.

So I called TWC to report the outage so that they can fix it. I have a business and I need the 'net. The woman checks "The Computer" and reports that there isn't an outage.

I tell her that, "I wasn't calling to see if there is an outage, I know that there's an outage. I'm calling to report one and to get it fixed.".

TWC: "Well, how do you know there's an outage? Maybe it's just your system? Let's check it out. "

Me: "Well, miss, our power and 'net both went out at the exact same time. I took care of the power and my gear is running, but I can't fix the 'net. What are the chances that both go out simultaneously and it isn't the cable? I know my system is working fine, I just can't reconnect to the 'net because of a fault somewhere in the cable."

TWC: Do you have TV?

Me: Yes, it's working fine because it's not TWC.

TWC: Oh, I see that now. Sorry. Well, does your modem have lights?

Me: Yes. (I can hear when the power comes back when we're on whole house UPS through the solar) Whoops, here we go! The power just came back on, and golly, the modem is reconnecting because there is now something to connect to... (seconds go by) OK, I have it back. I'm going to assume someone from our power company turned something off that fed power to the TWC gear as well as our utility power.

This isn't the first time this has happened. I know my system, and when it's my gear that's the problem I don't call TWC. I fix my gear. But when it's clearly TWC they always look at "The Computer" that always tells them that there's no outage, and they act like it's Gospel from the Almighty. I'm living it; I know what is and what isn't. It's like if "The Computer" doesn't say it's so then it isn't so... "Ignore that sunlight outside, "The Computer" says it's night time. ".

It's so damn frustrating.

[Tom S.]

The words "Time Warner" and "Customer Service" should never be uttered in the same sentence. Same thing for Comcast and AT&T.

[BrianKr]

:-) I can't disagree.

I think their outage "computer" is an etch a sketch "laptop" that has "no outages" perpetually displayed on the screen that's seen by the rep's.

That allows them to report service %s far higher than they would normally be able to report if the stat's were based on reality. If there's an outage and it's never seen (or denied) it can't be factored in.