Today we were all let go at 2:30 due to the weather conditions. 
Yay!
Some of you may remember my dealing with the $287 phone bill last summer. The bill was a result of my phone line somehow getting crossed with another persons - and that person did a 10-10 dial to Cuba.
Well, the past couple weeks my DSL has been acting funky. Sometimes working fine, sometimes slow as dialup, sometimes not working at all. Then in the past week or so I've been getting those two or three ring phonecalls. I generally don't answer my landline since it would almost always be telemarketers. But, yesterday I picked it up - only to hear two spanish speakers chatting away. Then again, at midnight last night, my phone rings. I pick it up, only to hear two spanish people. Again, this afternoon it happens.
So, I decided to be proactive this time, and not wait to get another $300 phone bill. I sent in a repair ticket. Then I called customer service to find out if there'd been any weird charges to my phone number. They couldn't tell me if there'd been any 10-10 charges, because that would be with Ameritell (10-10). But they did make note of what was going on.
The repair person will be coming sometime between noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday to find out what is going on. At first it was "sometime on Saturday before 9p.m." I told the lady that I would NOT be in my place from at least 8 - 11:30a.m., and would be leaving again by 6:30 that evening. (Church in the morning, Jim Brickman! concert in the evening.)
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I've been trying to find a way to get rid of my extra Tivo box ever since I upgraded over a year ago. I've had no takers. Today I was talking with our new receptionist about Big Brother, and eventually about Tivo. I mentioned that I had an extra one I'd love to find a home for. She told me that her parents might be interested in it! Woo Hoo! To finally get it out of my house and not in a landfill! She asked me how much I'd want for it, and at first I told her I'd just give it to them. But she kept asking, so I was like - o.k. $5.
If it had Lifetime with it, then it would be worth a LOT (probably could get $100- $200 for it). But of course if it had Lifetime with it, I would probably never have upgraded to my current one . . .
Snow day, PHONE & Tivo!
March 7th, 2008 at 12:12 am
March 7th, 2008 at 12:19 am 1204849186
March 7th, 2008 at 12:28 am 1204849712
That is a good point. Especially since this is the 2nd time this has happened in less than a year. I will most definitely be staying on top of it!
If only I knew how to say in Spanish - Guess what?! I am listening in on your phone conversation. Somehow when someone calls one of you, my phone is ringing as well! Which one of you was calling the other person? What is that person's phone number? Name? Great! Say, do you know anyone in Cuba that you might have called last June? Ha! Ha!
March 7th, 2008 at 12:38 am 1204850319
March 7th, 2008 at 12:44 am 1204850672
The winter storm definitely made a mess of things today, didn't it? I left work about 3:30, and I am so thankful I only have about 8 miles between work and home. My kids were safe at home when I arrived, so all is well. Stay warm and dry!
March 7th, 2008 at 12:56 am 1204851390
Wow! What audacity those people had! I'd really like to give these people (the ones my lines crossed with) the benefit of the doubt - but considering that this is the 2nd time . . . makes me seriously doubt its an accident.
LadyT,
Yes, I am SO looking forward to seeing one of my two favorite male musicians (Kenny G would be the other one.)
One of my best friends is going with me. She went with me to a Kenny G concert last year, as well as the Jim Brickman concert a couple years ago.
We've sure been having some nasty weather for Texas last week and this week. The snow would wait until a few weeks before springtime to hit us.
March 7th, 2008 at 02:33 am 1204857215
March 7th, 2008 at 03:31 am 1204860692
I could check with my dad and see if he has any corded phones - or maybe make a request on freecycle.
March 7th, 2008 at 04:09 am 1204862963
March 7th, 2008 at 04:32 am 1204864333
If you hear them again, what if you say: "This is Homeland Security."
March 7th, 2008 at 04:34 am 1204864481
I know! The last time this happened I asked the repairman about that, and he didn't really have an explanation for it. I'll ask whoever come this time to see if he/she knows anything.
All I know is that I'm disconnecting my phone tonight - really don't care to get another midnight call!!
March 7th, 2008 at 04:35 am 1204864531
Hah! I love it!
March 7th, 2008 at 01:23 pm 1204896215
As for DSL slowing.... are your phone lines filtered or your DSL on a dedicated line? If not, it could cause slowdowns. Also, you don't want any more 3, maybe 4 other phones in the house if you can help it, filtered or not. Any number of those factors will decrease DSL performance.
March 7th, 2008 at 01:36 pm 1204897002
Anyone tapping into my phone line would be pretty bored as well.
I only have one phone connected to the line. Both the phone and the Tivo have filters on them. My DSL normally is fairly fast and reliable, which is part of the reason why this is so noticeable.
March 9th, 2008 at 05:51 pm 1205085116
March 9th, 2008 at 06:21 pm 1205086907
If I had Lifetime on my Tivo, I think you'd be right about Ebayers flipping for it. As it is though, I have found someone who wants it. Our company's receptionists parents - so I'll be bringing it to work on Monday.
March 14th, 2008 at 05:31 am 1205472707
you should get a USB network adapter for your TiVo - if you can wire it into your DSL router it is really less expensive, but only a little more expensive for a wired one. The phone doesn't need to be connected, and the updates are a whole lot faster. Hook both up and even the one you are not paying for can still be used to transfer the recordings from the other, and watched from another room. With wired you can start the transfer and it will keep up even fast-forwarding through commercials. With wireless, you may get some pauses, but usually still fast enough. Makes the second TiVo worth keeping, instead of giving away!
March 14th, 2008 at 11:22 am 1205493725
Thanks for the suggestion! My DSL router doesn't have the feature of being able to plug multiple items in it, i.e. it's not wireless. When I first got my Tivo several years ago, I had splurged on Digital Cable and on Cable internet, so had the Tivo hooked up via wireless (using a USB adapter).
I've already given my 2nd Tivo away, but I'll keep your idea in mind if there's ever a next time.