Mark Earle <mearle@pro-party.cts.com> (12/31/89)
I don't have handy the original poster's name...but this is a geneal comment about service. I live in Corpus Christi, TX, a town of about 200,000, give or take. We're served by Southwestern Bell (with major rural areas immediately north of the metro area being served by GTE). Upon changing apartments, I ordered a second residential rate line. They were having, after all, a Christmas season special on 'Teen Lines'. The lady taking the order, however, directly asked me if part of the reason was modem useage. I answered, yes, that my work requires me to access the computer at the office from home; so the second line would allow my main line to remain clear. No problem, she probably marked that down on a data base. In reality the line is for Fidonet 160/50, my bbs... On business lines, we generally get 4 hour promised response, but the longest I've waited ever is 2 hours. Residentail, after they go through the questions (usually stopped if my mention you've trouble-shot to the demark point) usually is "same day" and they try hard not to leave ya in a bind overnight without dialtone, although by my choice, they did once (I just coudn't see getting an insaller out at 8 p.m. on a 20 degree night, just for the bbs line.) But, they *would* have sent one had I wanted /needed it up. So, that's a summary of how it is down here in Texas.