I had to call the police on AT&T.

Someone knocked on my door. I live in a gated complex, so it’s almost always Fed Ex or the mailman, or some other kind person wanting to give me something. In this case, not. A man with a clip-board said he had some questions to ask me about AT & T. Since I had just complained to them in 2 worthless and fruitless calls yesterday, this was odd, indeed.

A miniature train sign (or model trains, as they prefer to say to adults.) From here.

Right away, without even saying who he was, he said he had some questions for me! He described himself as a “service person, to talk with me about fiber optics”. But he didn’t have any identification. No business card, when I asked. He said AT&T doesn’t give them any. And then I spied another man, waiting at the bottom of the stairs. This was not good. I asked them how they got in – he said, the gate was wide open. Oh, uh, huh.

I said, “Oh, you have the nerve to ask me for identification, and personal info, and ask me ANYTHING at all, and you have nothing but a clip-board? Get out, now.”

I guess I’m a little lucky, because they did leave, and I locked the gate behind them. Then I called the police as they walked down our empty street. I also called AT&T executive offices, but no call backs yet. Yes, I do think they were from AT&T. No, I can’t believe that AT&T is SO cheap and amateurish that they send out people like this to mine and troll the community.

I don’t know what fiber optics is, except it’s something like wires with lights at the end. But I do know that AT&T is so sucky that I’m thrilled that I get to write this!

I’m not saying that Pacific Bell, before them, was any better. Each is both a utility AND a monopoly, and you know that spells trouble. But AT&T has the name behind them, and that makes them cocky. I won’t talk about phone bills, or services, since that will really get me riled; let’s just stick to how they torture me online with their dsl and email. (everything is all tied up in one bill for me, and maybe that’s my mistake.)

I signed up for dsl as a woman. I don’t give away much personal info – like hardly anything- but that I was willing to give. So when AT&T added ads (because it’s not enough to charge us for DSL, they have to penalize us for choosing them) to their browser, they are videos of women with skin so wrinkled it starts to peel off them, in sections, exactly like rotting skin off a skull.

I only use their browser for email, when I need to pay attention to letters. Yet that’s where their ads appear -THAT I’M ALREADY PAYING THEM BIG BUCKS FOR – big ads, like 1/3 the screen of a 21″ monitor, so these decaying women are quite large as they try to distract me from my own mail. It’s like a nightmare, as I write to my editors. But I never get bored – they alternate the atrocities with ads of cellulite and dimpled thighs. (which I’m already familiar with, but thanks for the reminder.)

Another cool railroad sign! You know who would love these…Train Man!

So they’re sexist, as well.

This last week they’ve updated the Yahoo email, so that the only font available is that cute retro “safe mode” look, and I can’t adjust my signature (including my phone and website, etc) at all. And more goodies.

AT&T, go to Hades, where both cell and land phones go ring-a-ding-ding all day long. I can’t promise what the women will look like, however…

This week! AT&T EULA’s Terms Are Found “Unconscionable” – What Does That Mean?

iPhone service sucks

and here, from Fortune and more

* UPDATE: ATT confirmed that they ARE sending sales people out with no training or IDs. Their Corporate Office never called me back, however…2 weeks and counting.