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AT&T Tech Stole My Cable to Service Neighborhood Clubhouse?
On Monday, May 6th around 2 PM Eastern, I lost DSL signal and went to restart my router because the broadband light was solid red, but heard a tech outside behind our condos near the terminal. I stepped outside and confirmed he was with AT&T and asked if he would be the reason my DSL signal was lost. He told me it should be back up in a few minutes. Well, it did not come back up. Called Customer Service on 5/7 to get this issue resolved and had a tech scheduled to come out that afternoon --- but the window came and went and that appointment was rescheduled for today. The tech gets out here today, goes to look at my equipment and informs me that the tech from Monday STOLE one of my cables in order to use it to run internet to our neighborhood clubhouse (that isn't open unless you rent it, and obviously no one lives there) and there is nothing he can do until a replacement cable can be installed tomorrow. The fact that this tech on Monday acted like he had nothing to do with my internet issues after he knowingly stole my cable is just the cherry on top of AT&T HORRENDOUS customer service. As someone that works from home, I need STABLE internet to do my job, but clearly it was much more important for some lazy tech to take my cable to ensure the stupid clubhouse has internet.
This company is a joke.
my thoughts
Former Employee
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22.4K Messages
11 days ago
Possible as stated, yes… but highly doubtful.
The more accurate cause is from the tech who performed your installation, failed to connect you to your assigned binding post(s) and just used what they found that worked. Ok, but then failed to update the records leaving your account to connection not hooked up to.
Another customer orders service, engineering assigns account to expected spare post(s) and that installer performs work according to their work order. As ATT does not send someone out to disconnect wiring when a customer cancels, finding an existing wire on their assignment they disconnect and hook up per their order to complete their job.
They would only have their assignments and not the assignments for all customers connected out of the box.
The repair tech from your call evidently found your assigned connection, not working like your original installer, and created a helper ticket for an outside line tech to repair the cable pair your expected to be using.
This is the more common reason why someone might lose service after a neighbor is installed, not a stolen connection but performing work as assigned. If this is indeed what happen, the blame lies with whoever last hooked you up, not following SOP (standard operating procedure).
Example on copper terminal with 25 binding posts and maybe 10 physical connections, your assigned to number (4) but tech connected you to (7) changing the jumper at the CO or VRAD (main distribution box) but leaves your record as number (4). Future customer gets assigned to number (7), makes connection at CO or VRAD (when your service would actually drop out), then disconnects existing wiring at terminal tests their signal and connects the new account drop wire.
Just my thoughts (and experiences)
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JefferMC
ACE - Expert
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35.5K Messages
11 days ago
In any case, it shouldn't take multiple trips to fix. The original customer should be reconnected with preference as quickly as possible.
(edited)
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gr8sho
ACE - Professor
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5.5K Messages
11 days ago
I don’t care for some of these attempts for excuses. I’ve been witness to 2 wire “theft” myself. The technician was presumably at the VRAD to fix someone else’s problem and decided to red light me. Fortunately I was close by and was able to catch him in the act. I sat on him until he restored my service. This is truth.
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JefferMC
ACE - Expert
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35.5K Messages
11 days ago
I mean I understand what my thoughts is saying. However, to the customer it does sound like an excuse, as gr8sho says. Yes, a tech could engage in pair stealing without realizing he's pair stealing. But he has still interrupted service for an existing customer and it's inexcusable that AT&T will prioritize installing additional new customers (and probably disconnecting more existing customers) over correcting a problem they just created.
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gr8sho
ACE - Professor
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5.5K Messages
11 days ago
As I said, I don't care what justification is put forth. Att is responsible to NOT impact one customer at the expense of another. Full stop.
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spoom2
Expert
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19.5K Messages
11 days ago
Not an excuse but cobbling up plant (stealing pairs) was going on when I was "in the business" I hated it then and now, why not do it the right way and fix the cable. Well, that was when they were fixing plant, now they're not and the plant gets worse not better over time. Even back in my day when a pair was bad and someone stole a pair between terminals, they never told anyone until there were no pairs left. This is not a new issue and unfortunately there's just not that much expertise in repairing plant and they aren't going to spend the money to do it any way. I could go on but this would get very long.
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