Ello!

Just to remind you guys that this week, the BBB will be on Tuesday (July 15), because of a visit on Wednesday!

Hope to see you there!

Facebook: Is it me or is it a case of “The times, they are a-changing”? Every day that goes by, more and more of my internet chums are leaving Facebook. The timelines are a joke now too, with an incredible amount of irrelevant topics, “whore-linking” (along the lines of You Wouldn’t Believe What Happens Next) and adverts.

And do you know, Google+ has been around for a long time. People scoffed at Google when they tried different social networking experiments but decided to keep going with Google+. It looks like it might have been a smart move. I’m noticing more and more of said internet chums moving over to that from Facebook.

To that end, I’ve created a BBB Google+ page. The Facebook page will continue as-is for now (although I am seriously considering just packing my bags with the rest of them), but I think I will be building up the Plus page more and more from now on.

The BBB Google+ page can be found right here. Let me know if there’s anything I could do to add value to it.

Either it’s utter ignorance or utter annoyance, but Tele2 have decided to fob me off to another provider. I’m guessing it’s the latter.

The rest of this post is a rant. To sum up: TL;DR – don’t choose Tele2.

As some of you more recent listeners may know, for the past three weeks or so I’ve been in constant contact with Tele2 about upgrading my ADSL aka TTCPS (Two Tin Cans and a Piece of String) connection to something resembling the 21st Century. It’s been impossible since moving in here six years ago as the previous owners decided not to let ElTel install a fiber connection, stopping two doors away from me. However, I regularly check Tele2′s web site, where you can enter your address and see what technologies are available to you and, a month ago, the status changed stating Fiber was available to me.

I pretty much immediately phoned up Tele2′s customer support. “Yes,” said the support rep, “I’ve just looked here and it does seem possible!” to which I immediately signed up for the 100/100 option. After the call ended, however, I realised I had forgotten to ask a pretty important question, so I phoned up again. “I don’t actually have a datauttag (data socket) in my house; will you be arranging a time to install that too?”

“Ah….” was the hesitant reply, “no; that means you do not in fact have a fiber cable connected to your house. Tell you what, you need to telephone ElTel up and get that connected up. Then you can get the connection from us.”

“Ah…” was the hesitant reply — again — when I phoned ElTel up. “We’re only a subcontractor. Your provider has to give us the work order so we can install the cable.”

At this point, we entered an infinite loop. Many phone calls and e-mails were passed, Tele2 saying that they “don’t do hardware” and I need to call ElTel; ElTel apologising and saying they’re a subcontractor and can’t do the work without permission. I do believe I used the word “bullshit” in one of my e-mails to Tele2. Eventually, I realised I needed more help, so I called on Telekområdgivarna (Telecoms Advice Bureau), a band of mostly lawyers, to step in. One of them gave me an alternative e-mail address for Tele2 to use and how to phrase my complaint.

It seemed to work: last Friday (2nd May) I received an acknowledgment from Tele2 saying that their “hardware department” (which Tele2′s customer support refused to admit existed) would contact me.

Last Monday (5th May) was my favourite call, however. It was from a representative for ComHem – another data provider – and GothNet, a different cable installer. “We’ve been given your account details from Tele2. We’re going to come to your house, explain our services and prices and then, in a couple months’ time, install a fiber connection.”  An hour after this phone call, I got an automated SMS from Tele2 confirming that a subcontractor (with an ID, not a name – it was THAT automated) has taken over the work and my account.

No actual human from Tele2 has contacted me since, either by voice or e-mail. It’s as though I’m dead to them and/or they’re burying their head in the sand until I’ve gone away to let them live their perfect, peaceful, non-Boz life.

Good riddance, I say.