Gary Shapiro Slams Warner Bros. Chair On His... >>

Fri, Feb 9th 2007 7:08am

Plenty Of People Hate The Phone Company, But This Is A Bit Much

from the yeow dept

There are plenty of horror stories about poor customer service from cable companies and telcos, but thanks to the low level of competition in the market, customers typically don't have much recourse. Some localities are trying to change things, but there's always a more extreme option consumers can take, like, say running out of the house naked and threatening some AT&T techs with a shotgun, before going for a joyride in their truck and crashing it into a piece of construction equipment (via Broadband Reports). That's what an 19-year-old guy in Ohio did, and for his trouble he's been charged with aggravated robbery and is being held in a medical facility for (presumably psychiatric) evaluation. No word, though, if they AT&T techs got his U-Verse service working.

20 Comments | Leave a Comment

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments (rss)

(Flattened / Threaded)

Bumbling old fool, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 8:05am

Now taking wagers...
How much you wanna bet this guy is a fan of the GTA series?

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Simon, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 8:29am

Re: Now taking wagers...
Jack? Is that you?

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
StinkingKevin, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 8:41am

Re: Re: Now taking wagers...
LOL good eye, Simon. JT = "Bumbling Old Fool" -? sounds like a perfect fit to me....

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
StinkingKevin, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 8:41am

Re: Re: Now taking wagers...
LOL good eye, Simon. JT = "Bumbling Old Fool" -? sounds like a perfect fit to me....

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
not another one., Feb 9th, 2007 @ 8:43am

Re: Now taking wagers...
the name fits. I bet you are one of those idiots that believe games are responsible for peoples actions. While this kids actions are similar to what one could do in the series, he is still responsible for his actions.

This isn't the place for the debate but I hate it when people say stupid krap like that. Maybe it's because I had PARENTS that taught me the difference between right and wrong.

Still I think the whole situation is with the at&t truck is funny.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Bumbling old fool, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 8:45am

Re: Re: Now taking wagers...
No, no, no..

Good ole JT would be implying that the rockstar made him do it.

I'm merely implying that someone likely to steal a car and go for a joyride would also enjoy a video game primarily based on stealing cars and going for joyrides.

With a hint of chasing people with shotguns to boot!

And I'm a fan of the GTA series, so I cant be JT...

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Bumbling old fool, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 8:46am

Re: Re: Now taking wagers...
I bet you are one of those idiots that believe games are responsible for peoples actions

nope, you'r ethe idiot who made the ASSumption.

Good going!

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
erica, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 9:20am

Re: Now taking wagers...
Good thing he wasnt a Rainbow 6 Fan...

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Baddog357, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 9:37am

Crazy is as crazy does....

I'm betting this guy didn't need any help from games, movies, ETC.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
comboman, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 9:38am

Naked man with a shotgun?
Hey don't point that thing at me!
And put down the shotgun too.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
viewfromthenorth, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 9:49am

That's what ya get when ya buy used
I don't know how many of you are aware that the big telco's in the US bought all the old analog and ''old'' digital switching systems that out Telco's up here in Canada, were throwing out..lol what a deal We got new state of the are equipment, so even the guy way out in the sticks gets super telephone service (read few problems with the service) and the Big Telcos in the US got cheap crap to service the americans...look at the switches if you ever get a chance most say Northern Telecom on them..lol and are dated from the 70's.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 10:15am

Re: That's what ya get when ya buy used
Does your "State of the are equipment" include a spell checker? Jokes aside, this is pretty funny and all the more reason for me to remain landline free. 10 years going strong and haven't missed it at all!

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
krum, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 10:15am

Re: That's what ya get when ya buy used
Does your "State of the are equipment" include a spell checker? Jokes aside, this is pretty funny and all the more reason for me to remain landline free. 10 years going strong and haven't missed it at all!

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Cold in Michigan, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 10:22am

Landline free....the way to be!

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Simon, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 10:24am

Re: That's what ya get when ya buy used
So the US Telcos are like Canadian Military?

I hear the Brits have some more 'previously loved' submarines they are looking to shift.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Pysco in New Yawk, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 10:24am

duh which way did he go??
This is a very funny story. But as far teleco's go it is a monopoly- but not a monopoly.....
AT&T today- SWB tomorrow...
They have years slowed down progress and the eqiupment problems are because they don't own it- someone else does- to top it off they don't want to pay for upgrades eithier. They are waiting for free money from Uncle Sam then they will. Of course guess who pays for it alllllllll.....
It ain't Nancy (queer) Pelousi......

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Dam, Feb 9th, 2007 @ 11:22am

Re: That's what ya get when ya buy used
Back in 1977, I had a small white phone made by Northern Telecom. It was a touch tone, but not completely compliant with standards. It was missing the * and # keys. They weren't broken - they were never part of the phone.

So how do you Canadians work your voicemail without * and #?

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
josh bogart, Feb 10th, 2007 @ 12:53am

Re: Re: That's what ya get when ya buy used
we just lift up the phone and blow

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Daniel Long, Feb 10th, 2007 @ 2:10pm

That kid's my hero!

Can't tell you how many times I have wanted to go after those AT&T/Viacom/Comcast mongrels!

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
exAT&T, Feb 21st, 2007 @ 8:45am

Re: That's what ya get when ya buy used
The probable reason for buying used switches is for spare parts. The AT&T long distance network is driven by 140 plus switches built in the late 1960's and early 1970's. There is no TCP equipment built today that can replace these dinosaurs. It woould take so many routers the routing tables would be unworkable. Its the size of the American long distance network that is precluding new switches.
Best part of this is that they are planning to keep the old stuff for another 10 years but the bozo's running the old AT&T who didn't understand the network decided the ols switchs were going away and laid off all the old timers who knew how to maintain and expand this stuff.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

Add Your Comment

Gary Shapiro Slams Warner Bros. Chair On His... >>

<< Can You Plagiarize A Photograph?

Follow Techdirt

A word from our Sponsors...

Hot Topics

New To Techdirt?

Explore some core concepts:

read all »

Techdirt Reading List

Amazon.com Widgets

Techdirt Insider Chat

silverscarcat: idk

So, I just erased my outlook account.

I refuse to use that service or allow it to host anything of mine.

Already got it on Thunderbird.

Tis sad, over a decade worth of memories, and Outlook comes along and screws everything up.

dennis deems: http://t.co/CqGZaCofFb The Lonely Island - SEMICOLON (feat. Solange) for you @ssc (NSFW)

Rikuo: about the Xbox One reveal - there were quite a few people watching the reveal live on their Xbox 360's, with their Kinect 1.0's attached...and everytime the Microsoft exec demonstrated a feature by saying "Xbox, TV" or whatever

the viewer's Kinect 1.0 would pick up the voice command and respond accordingly...by pausing or stopping the stream and going to the TV mode. I find that hilarious

I also find the concept of Kinect 2.0 hilarious. So if you've got a bunch of people on the couch watching a movie...don't move a muscle. Stare blankly. Don't move your arms at all or say anything, or the Kinect 2.0 will think you're giving it a command.

If you move your arm back to point to the liquor cabinet to tell the wife to pour you a shot of whiskey, the Xbox One will think you're swiping

silverscarcat: *Spies something interesting in the Crystal Ball* Well, that's interesting. I'm not sure what to think. Honestly, I'm not a big fan of the guy, but considering what the gov't did, I support him in that endeavor, but this... Seems to go too far.

dennis deems: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/05/22/1210687/-Obama-s-leak-freakout Best political cartoon ever? Top 10, surely

Hey the green bars are back!

Jay: Hmmm... Gonna have to hack my PSP...

silverscarcat: I need a new battery for my PSP. :(

It keeps shutting off if it's unplugged for more than 2-3 minutes, even on a full charge.

Mike Masnick: green bars are back, and hopefully functioning better than before. :)

silverscarcat: Oh look, AJ's having a cow and the internet tough guy is trying to be a stereotypical high school bully. *Rolls eyes* Hey, Mike, I know it's not in your nature to ban someone, but, damn, something needs to be done about this sometimes I think.

Rikuo: unfortunately, nothing can be done. IP address block? Useless since either AJ is on a dynamic IP or he's on a static but using someone else's equipment. Username block? That would only add fuel to the "CENSORSHP" fire

silverscarcat: Well, I think I'm going to leave for the day. That troll that plays the internet tough guy really should get laid, I think. It might help him think straight.

Get the Insider Chat!

A word from our Sponsors...

Have a Techdirt Account? Sign in now. Want one? Register here
Name
Email	Get Techdirt’s Daily Email
URL
Subject
Comment	this is for spambots, do not use this
Options	Save me a cookie

Have a Techdirt Account? Sign in now. Want one? Register here
Name
Email	Get Techdirt’s Daily Email
URL
Subject
Comment	this is for spambots, do not use this
Options	Save me a cookie

Thursday
11:05am:	Prenda Lawyer Says Georgia Court Should Ignore Judge Wright's Order Because... Look! Hackers! (6)
10:01am:	Chicago School System On FOIA Requests: Stonewalling, Obfuscation, & Paper-Shredding (12)
8:57am:	VOD Service Acetrax Shutting Down, Forcing Customers Through DRM Hoops To Retain Their Purchased Movies (29)
7:58am:	Man Butt Dials 911 While Discussing Murder Plot (15)
5:51am:	Kim Dotcom Threatens To Sue Google, Facebook And Twitter Over 2-Factor Authentication Patent If They Don't Help Him (130)
3:44am:	Amazon Wants To Sell Fan Fiction With It, Originator And FanFic Author All Sharing Profits (45)
Wednesday
11:54pm:	Cool New Platform For Supporting Artists: Patreon, From Jack Conte (19)
7:53pm:	Modest Proposal: Going Piracy Neutral (34)
5:00pm:	DailyDirt: Graduation Advice To Remember (3)
4:32pm:	New Bill Would Stop Patent Trolls From Hiding Behind Shell Companies (25)

Plenty Of People Hate The Phone Company, But This Is A Bit Much

from the yeow dept

Reader Comments (rss)

Now taking wagers...

Re: Now taking wagers...

Re: Re: Now taking wagers...

Re: Re: Now taking wagers...

Re: Now taking wagers...

Re: Re: Now taking wagers...

Re: Re: Now taking wagers...

Re: Now taking wagers...

Naked man with a shotgun?

That's what ya get when ya buy used

Re: That's what ya get when ya buy used

Re: That's what ya get when ya buy used

Re: That's what ya get when ya buy used

duh which way did he go??

Re: That's what ya get when ya buy used

Re: Re: That's what ya get when ya buy used

Re: That's what ya get when ya buy used

Add Your Comment

Techdirt RSS

Techdirt's Daily Email Newsletter

I’m looking for research...

I’m looking for policy...

I have a business...

Hot Topics

New To Techdirt?

Thursday

Wednesday

More

Company

Contact

Tools & Services

More