1, at least half the time, the person you end up speaking to does not have either the English or the information to answer your question, and

2, if it is cheaper to set up a call centre overseas, it just goes to show how much the phone companies are fleecing us for international phone calls that aren’t to an overseas call centre.

What happens if your internet connection goes down a black hole?

Ever try dialing 911?”

Also a third problem – having to switch the darned computer on to make a phone call!

The way MS set up their Windows OSs, each successive generation takes longer to boot up, so, in about 23 years’ time, it will take over an hour for the computer to switch on…:)

I have heard of somebody who suggested on prompting, that they were just leaving for a suggested town, that they would be there in half an hour, and it did not faze the operator who did not have a clue just how far away it really was, in this case, 1000km – over 600 miles – driving ! Even Schuey in his Ferrari couldn’t do it.

Oh yes, I too have found it useless saying the name of whom I wish to call when using the Directory Service, I seem to get service sooner by mumbling anything nondiscript, as the so-called voice recognition software gives up sooner. Being sarcastic or derogatory or swearing will probably mean after some time the call is terminated mid-sentence , or wrong information is given, and one is no further ahead.

Ivan.

In the meantime I have (quite inadvertently of course; I didn’t mean to, but the machine drove me to it) found a tip not listed on that site: when you want a human, start swearing at the machine. It helps if you do this loudly.

“#$@%#$ off, you $#@%# machine!”

“Give me a #$@%# HUMAN! NOW, you $#@%#!”

Works like a charm. Just be sure not to accidentally continue in this vein once you do get a human operator. It really hurts their feelings and does not necessarily elicit any beter service than you got from the machine in the first place.

What happens if your internet connection goes down a black hole?

Ever try dialing 911?

Of course, lot’s of folks have cell phones now which can come in handy and those old rotary dial phones work just on the juice in your phone line.