zesty_pinto | May. 8th, 2007

Another phone call, because the SIM cards aren't activating. I listen to a jingle as I wait for customer service.

Oh, there's a phone call from someone else! I'll pick it up because yesterday I waited half an hour.

Yes... yes... okay, I'll do that, thanks. Bye. I switch lines and I have customer service about to hang up on me.

Me: Hello?

Beth: Hello, this is Beth from Cingular. How may I help you today?

Me: Hi, I registered a sim card to a device yesterday and it does not seem to still be working.

Beth: And may I have your name please?

Me: Ed *I give her my bosses' name because he likes to make me do things that I technically don't have access for*

Beth: And what is your account number?

Me: *I give her the account number from an invoice list*

Beth: And what's your name?

Me: Ed (rest of his name)

Beth: What's your full name?

Me: Ed- *quick thinking here; not like Ed is short for a lot of different first names here!* Edward (rest of his name)

Beth: That number you have is your old account number. Do you have the new account number?

Me: Hold on.

I scuffle around some filing cabinets for the latest Cingular invoices that I can find, and find... the same "old" account number.

Me: I can't find the new number, how soon was this change done?

Beth: What's the IESN number on the back of the phone?

Me: *I tell her the entire number*

Beth: Did you remove the battery?

Me: Yes. (I had to that anyway just to get the number!)

Beth: Did you remove the SIM card?

Me: Yes. (I did this because I figured they'd ask for the SIM first)

Beth: You removed both things beforehand?

Me: Yes, I had to in order to read that IESN to begin with.

She was irritated from the beginning, but it was clear that she wasn't going to get any better, and neither was I.

Beth: It shows that your account is active. Are there any bars showing?

Me: Hold on.

I power it on and wait minute long load-up time associated with such a phone.

Me: Nope, still unregistered.

Beth: How many bars are you showing?

Doh.

Me: No bars.

Beth: You need bars if you want it to register.

Me: Okay, could you hold on a moment? I'll try to get this registered.

Beth:...

Me: Hello?

Beth: ...

Me: ...Hello?

Beth: Yes! Sorry, I have a cold.

Me: All right, hold on please.

I run to a window and try. No good. I run out of the office and into the yard, where I'm surrounded by trash compactors and various trucks and wait five minutes to get it registered. I run back in, and she hung up.

The New AT&T MY ASS.