Bon Journal

Broadband babe

It was easier than I thought. After much to-ing and fro-ing, I finally surrendered and followed the instruction manual. And bingo! I got connected to the superhighway of ADSL, broadband, whatever-you-call-it.

As I type this, I'm simultaneously downloading the much needed Window Updates for my computer. If I have a web cam,then my friends around the world will be able to see my cheerful face and a big wide grin

What joy! What glee! To finally join the rest of my technologically advanced friends on fast Internet.

When British Telecom finally informed me by way of a tiny postcard that ADSL is available in my neighbourhood, I was overjoyed. I researched into the different deals available and found that Plus.Net offered the best value for money. After waiting on the phone several times, I concluded that their best value service was probably over-subscribed.

Then I went to their website and concluded that it was all very confusing. It took me almost another month before I decided that theirs was still better value than British Telecom's annual contract which does not come with free webspace.

Even after I selected the monthly contract of £ 19.99 I discovered that I had ticked the wrong specifications. There's no need to convert from ISDN to ADSL because I don't have ISDN in the first place. Also I needed to order a USB modem.

Techno-speak is so daunting to a damsel in distress. It would be much better if a damsel in distress had designed their menu, help functions, and FAQs. In the masculine world of telecommunications and technology, the last thing anyone would suspect is that too many choices and too much jargon would cause anxiety and frustration. In the end, I finally got there ---- after being incorrectly billed.

5 February 2003 Wednesday