TV Streaming

Now you see it.

Now you don't. Right now we don't see much television because we have no direct connection. Anymore. To a little kid television was amazing. The voices heard on radio moved over and we could see what folks looked like.

Fred Milam owned the first TV in the county and was my father's cousin. His set was small, but it was a miracle in a box to me.

There was a large console radio in our house. My mom listened throughout the day but stopped to hear “Queen For A Day,” which moved over to TV.

Many other radio shows moved over: “Dragnet,” 'The Lone Ranger,” “People are Funny,” “Fibber McGee and Molly,” “Truth Or Consequences,” and “Amos 'n Andy,” the most popular show on radio. Then TV.

My favorite show was “Smilin' Ed Mc-Connel,” otherwise called “The Buster Brown Show.”

Our first television came when we were a hundred miles from the nearest station, and the signal showed it. We rotated the antenna by hand.

In this house, we signed on for satellite television for the variety and convenience, but when bad weather hides the sky, it also can hide the satellite signal. There had to be a better way.

The fiber optic cable installer suggested we go to “streaming” service via the faster internet. For several weeks the streaming signal was flawless. Images were crisp, pictures clear and beat satellite reception by miles. Until it quit.

During the first week I described the issue to each “professional customer noservice agent” who came on the line. In the first week I was on the phone at least two hours per day. Each agent asked the same questions — my name, address, phone number, user ID, four digit pin, and a detailed description of the problem. Each expert gave me the same directions — unplug the TV and Fire Stick, change my password, un-install and re-install the application.

After days of answering the same questions but getting no answers, I understood that no customer service department could be this bad if there was any intention of fixing the problem. The goal was to frustrate me out the door. It worked.

I wondered, “Is this the best they can do?”

I called the company and asked to be disconnected. I was told service would continue until the end of my “billing cycle” some time next month. I'm not fond of paying for what I'm not getting.

They would not immediately disconnect the service and refund the difference.

Some things make good business sense like admitting you don't know when you don't know, keeping detailed notes so others can know what worked and what didn't.

It is nice to know where you are wanted and useful to know where you aren't.

joenphillips@yahoo.com