Telephone Troubles

We've had a service tech from Verizon out three times since the beginning of December. The process of calling to report a problem is not very user friendly. It is nearly impossible to talk to a live person. The computer runs a test on your line and tells you if the problem appears to be in your house or on the line outside. The first time we called the computer said the problem was outside. Great, so send someone to fix it. Yup, in 8 days. Ok, so he fixes the problem. Hmmm, two weeks later we can make calls but can't receive any. Call again, computer says the problem is inside our house. Really? We tested the outside line at the port in the junction box in the basement. Couldn't receive any calls there so the problem is in the outside line. Computer asks "Do you still want a service call placed? If the problem is in your house you will receive a bill." Why, of course we want a service call because we know the problem is outside. OK, another 8 day wait for a service call. My husband takes off work and they never show up. Finally, three more days later the tech comes, says the line coming into the house has a short in it and he replaces the line. Phone now works great, thanks.

Fast forward another 2 1/2 weeks. A tractor trailer (one of many) gets lost and ends up trying to turn around in the intersection at our house. He is told to turn around at the next intersection since it is a little larger. After he turns around and is heading out he snags our new phone line. Rips it off the house, out of the basement, and pulls the junction box off the joist it was attached to. Now we once again have no phone and now also no internet. Another service call to Verizon. Guess what? The computer says the problem is in our house! Really!!!! I was thinking it had something to do with the large coil of phone line in our neighbor's front yard that used to be attached to our house. Amazingly, the computer says someone will come to fix our phone in two days! And they actually show up when scheduled! The tech puts up a line, puts a splice before the house so that will break off first if the line gets snagged again, but puts the old junction box, which is now broken, back up in the basement. We no longer have a port to test the line, so no way of knowing if the problem is outside or inside the house the next time the phone stops working.

Unfortunately, where we live we have no choice in phone or internet service providers. There is also no cable. And our cell phone reception is a bit sporadic inside the house so we really do need a landline, unless you like talking with your head up against a window. Wonder how long it will be until we need to make another service call?