My dog ate my internet

#1 · 20 June 2024, 08:58

Quote from hidde.van.sinderen on 20 June 2024, 08:58
So, one day working internet tech support, I get a call from a gentleman whose internet is out. Somewhat interestingly, he lived on the very outskirts of our service area, a subdivision that was just being built. He was one of our first customers in that area (he may have actually been our first and only in that area at the time, it’s been a while for me now.)

So the physical cable pedestal (that green box, usually somewhere around one foot square at the base, three feet high or so, there’s about one on every block in a more populated area) was actually located inside his backyard, for some reason, I assume some kind of easement.

Before I even started troubleshooting, he told me he was sure the problem was because his dog damaged the pedestal. The obvious symptoms (lights on the cable modem and my tools) backed up that he wasn’t getting a signal, but, I mean, a pedestal is a metal box with very little in the way of exposed parts. But, maybe his dog dug down near it and got a buried cable. Ok, sure, we send a tech out.

Now, I very rarely have direct contact with on-site techs, and those are only when I call them. But, a week or two later, I checked into this to see how it went (standard procedure for me with interesting calls, curiosity not procedure) I found the most copious notes ever made by a tech, he knew everyone was going to dispute this if he didn’t do so. I’ll quote from memory as best as I can.

“Pedestal was eaten by dog. Yes, eaten. Half the pedestal is missing, insides and outsides. Remaining pedestal has clear bite marks and chunks clearly bitten off. I cannot find most of the pieces that are missing. Dog is as tall as me and twice my weight. Owner called it a wolfhound. He is very friendly, but do not replace this pedestal in customer’s backyard, this dog can and will eat it again.”

Narrator: They. Did. Not. Listen.

The pedestal was eventually replaced, in the same spot. This happened a second time. Notes this time were more along the lines of “Dog ate pedestal again. Escalating to (some higher person I don’t know). WE WILL NEED TO MOVE THIS PEDESTAL”

No notes after that. I gotta assume that it was unbelievable once but not twice.

So, one day working internet tech support, I get a call from a gentleman whose internet is out. Somewhat interestingly, he lived on the very outskirts of our service area, a subdivision that was just being built. He was one of our first customers in that area (he may have actually been our first and only in that area at the time, it’s been a while for me now.)

So the physical cable pedestal (that green box, usually somewhere around one foot square at the base, three feet high or so, there’s about one on every block in a more populated area) was actually located inside his backyard, for some reason, I assume some kind of easement.

Before I even started troubleshooting, he told me he was sure the problem was because his dog damaged the pedestal. The obvious symptoms (lights on the cable modem and my tools) backed up that he wasn’t getting a signal, but, I mean, a pedestal is a metal box with very little in the way of exposed parts. But, maybe his dog dug down near it and got a buried cable. Ok, sure, we send a tech out.

Now, I very rarely have direct contact with on-site techs, and those are only when I call them. But, a week or two later, I checked into this to see how it went (standard procedure for me with interesting calls, curiosity not procedure) I found the most copious notes ever made by a tech, he knew everyone was going to dispute this if he didn’t do so. I’ll quote from memory as best as I can.

“Pedestal was eaten by dog. Yes, eaten. Half the pedestal is missing, insides and outsides. Remaining pedestal has clear bite marks and chunks clearly bitten off. I cannot find most of the pieces that are missing. Dog is as tall as me and twice my weight. Owner called it a wolfhound. He is very friendly, but do not replace this pedestal in customer’s backyard, this dog can and will eat it again.”

Narrator: They. Did. Not. Listen.

The pedestal was eventually replaced, in the same spot. This happened a second time. Notes this time were more along the lines of “Dog ate pedestal again. Escalating to (some higher person I don’t know). WE WILL NEED TO MOVE THIS PEDESTAL”

No notes after that. I gotta assume that it was unbelievable once but not twice.

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#2 · 20 June 2024, 09:00

The modern reboot of “my dog ate my homework” for those distant learning.

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