Once more unto the breach

My new dongle, which I’d been told would be active within 24 hours, gave me access to the internet this morning for about one second then died.

Clive thought it must be something to do with my computer, or the fact that I’d used his dongle on my computer, and he spent ages trying to sort it out.

The brief lifting of the portcullis onto the internet had allowed a message from TIM, the  telecommunications company, to slip through. It has since disappeared but it said something about there being no credit.

In the end I thought I’d better phone TIM on their centralized number. I should point out that each time I phone, I have to follow a different path and use my ingenuity to be able to speak to an operator as there is no selectable option for this.

My first 2 conversations with operators came to an untimely end (they hung up or disappeared) before I’d got all the information I needed. It seemed, though, that it wasn’t a computer malfunction but an administrative matter to do with TIM.

I gradually learnt that by activating internet access before 24 hours were up and before the promotion had begun, I’d forfeited the €5 credit provided by the promotion, my credit was therefore zero, and without credit I couldn’t activate the dongle.

I would have to go to a bar, or some other place where they sell phone credit, pay €5, then take the SIM Card out of my mobile, put the SIM Card from the key into it, and wait 24 hours or so for a message from TIM saying that the dongle had been activated. (Then swop the SIM Cards round again.)

A knight to the rescue

Sod that for a game of soldiers.

After trying 4 times without success to get through on the phone to the TIM Centre where I bought the dongle yesterday, I phoned the centralized TIM service again.

A kindly-sounding woman suggested I phone a free-phone number (‘green number’ it’s called in Italy), tell them my story, and ask them to refund the €5.

I followed her advice and spoke to a woman there.

“This number is only for people who’ve made a purchase over the phone. You’ll just have to go to your TIM centre.”

Not one to give up, I phoned the green number again and spoke to a man who proved to be my knight in shining armour. While I waited, he reimbursed the €5, then told me I could navigate straight away.

“Straight away?” I asked incredulously.

“Straight away.”

And so it was.

Another little adventure that took the best part of a day.

Out with the old and in with the new

Spot the difference

Today was the 5^th day with no internet connection. Having phoned ICT Valle Umbra Servizi (our internet connection provider) on Friday and been told there was a problem with the transmitter for the Valtopina area, I assumed that the same problem was continuing over the weekend.

But when it was still down this morning, Monday, I phoned again. Eventually, in the afternoon, I received a phonecall from a technician who pronounced that an item of our own equipment has failed, so I must go to their premises for a replacement which naturally I have to pay for.

I won’t be going, though. This morning I took a letter to the Post Office to be sent by registered post asking to terminate my contract with them.

And this evening I bought a dongle all of my own so that I can stop borrowing Clive’s dongle – which I renewed at the same time.

We’re now a 2-dongle family.

Internet again

Valtopina Comune (see arrow) upon whose roof is the transmitter which sends our internet signal

We received an email from ICT Valle Umbra yesterday, with a letter attached saying please see the letter attached,  informing us that our internet service was about to be improved, as of January 2011, and that there would be no immediate change in the cost.

Resolving not to make any sarcastic references to the error in the date, I phoned them this morning using the number which they especially gave ‘for further information’.

They eventually answered only to say, before I could ask anything, that they couldn’t answer any questions on that number and I must wait for someone to ring me.

Shortly after someone rang me – from the usual enquiry number – and explained the new conditions.

Basically, to my suspicious mind, it seems they’ve removed the guaranteed minimum connection speed and tried to disguise it with the sweetener of including insurance which will cover the sort of repair which we experienced earlier this year and paid for ourselves.

I also asked about how to terminate the service, which might be on the cards if we decide to get dongles for both of us.

No, a fax won’t do, nor will an email. We have to send a ’lettera raccommandata’ (equivalent of recorded delivery or registered post depending on the level of service chosen) to arrive at least 30 days ahead of when we wish to cancel.

“That’s a bit antique, isn’t it?” I commented.

No answer. Just a little snort.

How come they can communicate with us on important matters by means of a pdf letter within an attachment inside an email, and we can’t use their own service to communicate back?

Internet problems

After a couple of days of intermittent Internet connection, we finally received a visit from the technician of ICT Valle Umbra, who run our wireless connection. We have an antenna low down on an outside corner of the house, aimed at the transmitter on the roof of Valtopina Comune through a gap in the trees and across the gulf of the valley.

It was possible that some oak leaves had grown across the beam’s path, but we couldn’t see any likely culprits. Also this wouldn’t have made sense given that the connection was at its worst at certain times of the day.

The technician did a great deal of dismantling and reassembling, getting rather hot in the full sun, and then interminable adjustments (all at €36 an hour plus IVA) while his mate at the other end of a cellphone connection read out IP addresses.

Finally he concluded that there was some mysterious and unfathomable interference but, in order to improve our signal, he fitted a cone to the top of the ariel.

The protruding cone

Now, from being a snug-fitting appliance that even a staggering drunk would have difficulty knocking into, it is a significant protrusion. I’ve put a tub of verbena in front of it …

So far so good with the improved signal!