How long have Sandra and I had Direct TV? Fifteen years? More than 10, anyway. But we’ve decided to change to Spectrum. No, it’s not because we’ve finally had it with those “Searching for satellite signal” on-screen messages- every time it rained. Service has been reliable otherwise and Customer Support was very helpful once we got past the machine. But that was then and this is now. Today, when I called to adjust our lineup, I swear I talked to a robot!
I suspected something was awry when I heard the monotonously even tones. And after trying in vain to explain what I wanted – movies, golf and the news – I flat-out asked the voice if it was human. It hemmed and hawed and when I asked to speak to human being, it placed me on hold.
I listened to what seemed like an hour of elevator music, then hung up and called Spectrum.
I guess this horror is a result of AT&T’s recent purchase of Direct TV. My bill has suddenly soared since the takeover,too.
Changing to Spectrum might just be swapping black dog for monkey, as they say back home in Jamaica. Spectrum just bought out Brighthouse, so robots could well be next – and the mystifying increase in our bill.
I don’t see much hope for customer service in America as corporations continue to gobble up each  other.  In the Age of Trump, Big Business will be king and we customers will be serfs.
But Sandra and I  had Brighthouse for the Internet and our land line before the takeover, and we’re getting good service since. Besides, Spectrum is offering an attractive deal if we bundle our TV, too.
Maybe, just maybe, better days are ahead this time.
