I have been a Time Warner cable customer for a number of years. For years now, I have been making post dated payments for my bill because they cannot debit my checking account on the specific date I required based on when I receive a monthly disability check. So, my arrangement with them was for me to call them monthly, or wait until they called me, so that I could give them my debit card for payment for a specific date.

Their customer service has always been lacking, but yesterday I found they've added a new wrinkle. I called "customer service" two days ago to make my usual arrangements for a post-dated payment. The young lady took my info. I asked twice if the payment would come out on the designated date and that my service would remain on. Both times she said, "Yes." Although I was a little uncomfortable with this rep's response, I took her word that she had performed what ever task Time Warner requires her to do to prevent the interruption of my service. ... WRONG !!

Yesterday morning, my service was interrupted. I called "customer service" and spoke to a woman who did take the time to review my payment history, confirm that I did indeed make payments every 3rd Wednesday of the month, apologized and restored my service. I thought, "OK, problem solved."

WRONG! Guess what, my service was off again this morning. So, I went through the same routine again and called Customer Service. The rep I reached this morning would not re-connect my service because the rep that I spoke to last week did not enter the post-dated info correctly, and if I was unwilling to make a payment today, my service would not be restored. I was directed to call "Collections" again.

Again, I called "Collections." I had left a message yesterday morning for a callback because you cannot speak to a human being when you call. You must wait for a callback. Well, they called this morning. I reached the phone too late, tried to call back, once again I got the recording to leave a message.

It takes 24 hours for a callback from a supervisor. And, if you are on another line with another call, or, as in my case, outside talking to a neighbor, you will have to wait another 24 hours for your call to be returned.

I am going to wisely use my 24 hours. As soon as I complete this entry I am calling AT&T to have them install U-Verse.