Comcast is the AT&T of the 70s

In April, we moved out of our longtime residence to a condo at Park Plaza in downtown Albuquerque.

Because the remodeling of our unit wasn’t to be done until late in April, we moved temporarily to a vacant unit on another floor.

There our Comcast cable, telephone and internet worked flawlessly for a month.

TUESDAY (April 28). We moved into our own unit. The same Comcast equipment was installed. We had cable but no internet or telephone service.

I called Comcast but they couldn’t fix it over the phone so a technician was scheduled to come between 9 and 12 on Wednesday.

WEDNESDAY. I stayed home all morning but the technician never showed. I called Comcast and was told that the reason no one came was that no one had been scheduled to come. I asked how that could be but there was no answer for that.

I asked that another technician be sent but I was told that the computer system would not allow another technician to be sent for unknown reasons. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was told the supervisor was in a meeting but would call in 45 minutes.

Never got that callback. So I drove to the local Comcast office and after a 40 minute wait, was told that the previous occupant of our new unit had not used Comcast services. Therefore it was necessary that some “back office” actions be taken. Once that was done, I was told, then a technician could be scheduled to come to our condo.

But it would take 48 hours.

THURSDAY. Not having got a promised status callback, I was back on the phone with Comcast. By some miracle, I managed to reach a person with technical skills. This person got both the internet and phone working. Without a Comcast technician had coming to our condo.

FRIDAY. I was relaxed and relieved to have finally gotten the Comcast problem resolved.

Then I learned that those calling our phone number were being told it was no longer in service. Called Comcast and was told we had been assigned a new phone number, replacing the one we had enjoyed for the past 45 years.

I expressed my consternation and demanded our old phone number. This could be done, I was told.

But it would take 48 hours.

MONDAY. A promised callback when the problem was resolved never came. Those calling our old number were still being told our number was no longer in service.

I called Comcast again. The person who answered said he would try to restore our original phone number. I suggested that failure to do so would have grave consequences. Back on the line, the support person reported that happily our old number was still available and was being assigned back to us.

But it would take 48 hours.

TUESDAY. Tomorrow, May 6, the 48 hours will be up. Will we really get our phone number back? It’s Tuesday afternoon and it hasn’t happened yet.

Any bets?