Once again, we are facing a first-world problem here on the farm. On Christmas day, our internet went out. I mean O-U-T, nothing, nada, zip, zilch, zero access. Today, five days later, it continues to be dead. We have been told that service may be restored on Saturday or possibly Monday. Sigh. This is the price we pay for rural living.
Yes, we have beautiful scenery. Indeed, we have peace and quiet. We certainly have our privacy. However, we also lack what most consider a must-have for 21st-century living. Also, we run an internet-based small business. Yea, try to do that without internet access. It is next to impossible. Initially, we were like, “Oh, it’s Christmas. Everyone should have the opportunity to celebrate with family and loved ones.” Now, five days later, with no hope for service restoration until next year, we are just fed-up, grumpy, and flabbergasted.
I’m not sure what kind of business plan is being followed, but it’s not a good one. We don’t have access to any big internet providers here on the farm. When we inquired about running a line for service almost eight years ago, we were told it would cost us $25,000 out of pocket upfront. Umm, not happening. We could have a line installed at the companies’ expense if we had twelve or more neighbors willing to contract service, but we don’t have twelve neighbors. I’m okay with not having twelve neighbors. Our best option was to contract with a small, local internet provider. We have been satisfied, for the most part, until recently.
Lately, it seems as if our service is more out than it is. The issues, as with most companies, trickle down from the top. The customer service person is a rock star. She is worth her weight in gold. However, I would not want to be her this week. At a time when many people are working from home, kids are on holiday break, and universities are gearing up for online-only classes, it's not a good time to be without internet service. It’s also not a good time to be the customer service rep for a small internet provider. Try to remember, dear reader, make sure complaints and anger are directed at the person at fault with any problem. The poor service rep is not at fault here. She can’t control what the techs and the owner do or don’t do. She can only communicate what she is told. Essentially, don’t shoot the messenger.
We are fortunate that Eric can run a hotspot from his phone for 15 minutes at a time throughout the day. We can get my blog posted, post on Facebook, check for orders, and print orders, but it’s very sporadic, and 4G service is sketchy at best. If you notice a lag time in responses to emails, messages, and order shipping, this is the reason. We are doing the best we can with what we have, but our hands are tied. We ask for patience and grace until this debacle is ironed out, dear reader and beloved soap family. I keep repeating the mantra: First world problem, first world problem, first world problem. We all know it could be a lot worse, and I am grateful it is not.
As always, dear reader, stay safe, be smart, keep in mind it's a first-world problem, and keep washing your hands.