The phone company is the phone company

Kgosi (and all of Ramotswa) has been out of commission from the Internet since Friday February 5th. There was a thunderstorm and everything stopped. After multiple tries to re-connect, it was time to start the onerous task of calling the Internet company for service. After 3 different calls and being shuttled to 3 different people, I was told that this was a phone system problem and not an Internet problem. Arrrggg----nooooooooo Don't make me call the phone company. Anything else--I'll eat sheep's eyeballs, I will walk barefoot through croc-infested waters, I will ride a donkey to work bareback with only a loincloth--Awwwww.....really......no other way?......crap

Saturday
Phone company supposed to be open from 9 to 1, but
Two no answers and 5 "Line occupied, busy signals"

Sunday
Are you kidding me? The Phone company working in Africa on Sundays?--when hell freezes over in the 95 degree heat. Even Kgosi temporarily gives up and spends the day looking longingly at the dark and inoperative modem.

Monday
Three tries and three busy signals, and I finally get through
Kgosi--I want to report a problem with my Internet service. The Internet company says it is a phone problem.
Service person--We will have to call you back. [No callback]

Tuesday
Kgosi--I want to report a problem with my internet service.
Service Person--I will talk with the technicians....10 minutes on hold. "The technicians say there is a problem (DUH--I knew that).Your report number is 982467.

Wednesday
Kgosi--I want to report a problem with my Internet service. My report number is 982467
Service Person--I will talk to the technicians... 12 minutes on hold. "Yes that has been reported. I cannot reach the technicians. We will have to call you back." [No callback]

Thursday
Kgosi--I want to report a problem with my Internet service. My report number is 982467
Service Person--" There is a mathata thata (Setswana for big problem)

When will it be fixed?
"Maybe they will come out today."(Kgosi is thinking this means that it may happen around Easter Big surprise--no one comes out.

Friday
Kgosi--I want to report a problem with my Internet service. My report number is 982467
Service Person--"Let me contact the technicians....15 minutes on hold...I cannot reach them; we will have to call you back.
Kgosi--No. I want to speak with your supervisor...3 minutes...supervisor comes on, says he will investigate and call me back. He actually does call back 2 hours later to say that "There is a problem. Kgosi has heard this before and paraphrases the rest of the supervisor's message "The thing-a-ma-jig and the what-cha-ma-call-it are broken. The thing-a-ma-jig has been replaced but the what-cha-ma-call-it needs a part from South Africa. After that, they can change the switcheroo to make the Whats-it work with the Doo-hickey and then maybe the system will work. [Kgosi thinks that he is being given the switcheroo, but at least someone is calling back.] "If that works, the service will come right back on, but if not, maybe we will have to come to your office and then your house to re-set the bamboozler.

[Kgosi knows a working bamboozle when he sees it and is quite sure that bamboozling is the major problem. He expects service to be restored by Christmas.]



Credit must be given however when deserved--it only took 18 phone calls, three non-returned calls, 3 returned calls, 10 days and a total of 1 hour and 45 minutes on hold and we are back on line--at least until the electricity went out last night. Ahhh the pleasures of Africa.

Chez Doran 2

As promised--video of the new homestead--unless the power goes out again in the mean time.

Kgosi


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