Damn you AT&T!

[KayakinBoy]

In an office full of women, and one man who doesn't even know how to work the computer systems anymore, every time something goes wrong, I am the one called in to fix it. It's annoying as hell. On Friday, our voice mail system stopped working. We have our phones with AT&T (or so I thought) and my boss was already gone for the weekend. I called AT&T and they told me we didn't have a phone system with them. They then referred to the Teleport Communications Group ( who was bought out in 1998 by AT&T ) and gave me a disconnected number. In 2004, we switched from Bell South to AT&T. After no luck on Friday, and being a little more of an asshole today, I finally got them to say I had an AT&T account. Apparently they provide the lines, and someone else handles the rest, but the office bills do not reflect that.

Anyone else have issues like this?

 

[bfreebern]

Being in the Telecommunication field, I'd say this is the norm. Just an FYI, Bell South is now AT&T.

 

[KayakinBoy]

I knew Bellsouth was out. My grandparents used to work for Bellsouth. They said they will call me back in 48 hours with a solution... :laugh:

 

[mrrt]

Being in the Telecommunication field, I'd say this is the norm. Just an FYI, Bell South is now AT&T.

Oh yeah..Its a game they play..Round and round you go, where you'll stop nobody knows. Sad but true. Did way too many years there riding that carousel.

Art

 

[beyond the band]

what kind of phone system do you have?
Maybe I can help.
I take over where the phone company leaves off

 

[CigarStone]

I too am in the telecom business, I do project management consulting and AT&T is, without question, the most despicable company in the industry. They will spend 2 hours trying to avoid helping you for 5 minutes!

 

[KayakinBoy]

what kind of phone system do you have?
Maybe I can help.
I take over where the phone company leaves off

We have some very old phones. We have three phone lines, and a fax line. We have a "digital" answering machine, I guess. I think it's just a voice mail type thing, only it's just one box, not multiple boxes. Whenever you call in, and our lines are busy, you are suppose to get a recording, and leave a message. Now it just asks for a password. Good news is, as long as we are all on the phone, no messages.

 

[CigarStone]

what kind of phone system do you have?
Maybe I can help.
I take over where the phone company leaves off

We have some very old phones. We have three phone lines, and a fax line. We have a "digital" answering machine, I guess. I think it's just a voice mail type thing, only it's just one box, not multiple boxes. Whenever you call in, and our lines are busy, you are suppose to get a recording, and leave a message. Now it just asks for a password. Good news is, as long as we are all on the phone, no messages.

If you are simply using a digital 3-line answering machine it sounds like the answering machine lost power and needs reset. It's probably asking for the password you use to retrieve messages remotely......this is what some models do when they lose power and lose the digitally stored greeting. My guess is the best help you can get is the manual for the answering machine. AT&T still sucks

 

[NullSmurf]

what kind of phone system do you have?
Maybe I can help.
I take over where the phone company leaves off

We have some very old phones. We have three phone lines, and a fax line. We have a "digital" answering machine, I guess. I think it's just a voice mail type thing, only it's just one box, not multiple boxes. Whenever you call in, and our lines are busy, you are suppose to get a recording, and leave a message. Now it just asks for a password. Good news is, as long as we are all on the phone, no messages.

Hey John! Voicemail for an office your size could be an appliance like an answering machine or even a stand alone PC, could be integrated in your phone system, and can be a function of your provider's switch (5E). Whoever your provider is, somebody is sending them money every month. Its possible you are dealing with AT&T directly, also possible you're dealing with a reseller. PM me any of your business phones, and I can at least tell who the backbone provider is. Otherwise, follow the money!

 

[qballizhere]

I also can feel your pain with at&t. It was time for an upgrade from my blackjack2 though i would go all out and get an iphone. Called them up and they said you have to order it though the web if you don't get one in the store. I didnt see that point but ok my nightmare started. I had told the rep that i need the phone within 3 days because i was leaving town he said it was not a problem. So I made the order and 3 days later the phone was not here. After a long weekend and 6 days and talking to 19 different people no one could tell me when it was going to be shipped. So I cancel the order and go to the store to get one. 2 days later guess what i got in the mail not 1 but 2 more iphones then had to deal with returning them and more time on the phone getting the restocking credits. Lesson learned just go to the store and buy it dont do it over the web.

 

[vewyphishy]

I'm not sure if this thread has to do with ATT or the telecom world, but I'll throw my 2 cents in. ATT as a provider of service is TERRIBLE. But by that some token, so are all of their competitors.