A Hotwire-Insura Security Problem in Boca Falls:

We reported some time ago on Hotwire Communications problems in Boca Falls.
Now we can add another to the list. But first, we received this notice:

Hotwire representatives will be on site to assist with any chronic technical issues … with Internet and television services … at the Boca Falls clubhouse Thursday 9/20 (tomorrow) from 4-7 pm.

As for the Insura Security, Hotwire included a deal as part of the package. For the first year it’s about $10/month, and goes up after that.
We have two problems. One is a security issue I won’t detail for, well, security reasons. It’s minor, but we still want to get it fixed. The other problem is that our “alarm system monitoring certificate” fails to indicate it covers the fire alarm. Thus we’re not getting the complete break on our insurance that we should.
So I call Hotwire support today to get this addressed. First I call the main customer service number. The call gets answered fairly quickly after a mildly annoying phone-computer system. But the person who answers tells me I need to call a different number, which I then see is mentioned on the alarm certificate.
So I call that number: 855-637-1554. This is for Insura by Hotwire. And we get another computer answering the phone – yet another example of a company using computers because they’re cheaper and less effective than paying someone in India $2/hour.
This computer asks me where I am – Boca Raton – it gets that right. Then it asks for my last name. I say it. This is where it bogs down. It apparently can’t find me in the system. It keeps giving me names of people who are not me. I keep saying no. We go around in circles a few times. I keep hitting Zero on the keypad, but that does nothing. I’m never offered a chance to speak to a person.
So after 5 or 6 tries I give up and call back to Hotwire. Now I wait another few minutes before getting a person. And the person tells me he’s never dealt with an alarm system question before. That’s just great. I tell him I’d like to speak to his supervisor. I get put on hold. For a while. That’s plenty of time for me to start writing this article.
I don’t get his supervisor, however. I get a woman who works with the alarm systems. She seems pretty clueless about the 855 phone number that doesn’t work. She tells me she’ll send out a corrected alarm certificate to us. We’ll see if we actually get that. As for the minor security issue, she says someone will call me to set up a time to come to the house.
Now we wait to see if they deliver on that. I’m not confident.

Better AT&T Coverage Coming?

From our friends at BocaNewsNow:

[AT&T] announced today that it has upgraded 45 cell sites in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties with additional wireless capacity and activated a new 4G LTE mobile Internet cell site in Pompano Beach.

I’m an AT&T user and have had a fair number of problems with calls inside my home – I often walk outside to get better reception. Hopefully this will now improve.

Florida Community Bank in Loggers Run Plaza

We’ve had a chance to experience a few banks in West Boca. One of my favorites is Florida Community Bank.
We go to the branch across from Loggers Run Middle School. It’s convenient to the post office, Walgreens, Publix and the school.
Unlike the national bank we use, FCB is more relaxed. Everything seems easier, less complicated. Parking is never a hassle.
The staff are unfailingly pleasant and helpful. Manager John Formica is cheerful and a leader within the West Boca Chamber of Commerce. I called ahead today because I had a couple of special things I needed to do. I didn’t have to talk to a computer. John answered the phone.
Assistant Manager Diane Cortes and the tellers are great too.
FCB is at 11431 W Palmetto Park Rd. Phone is (561) 488-4293.

Hotwire Communications Fails Again

-Update- as of approximately 9:10 am the Internet appears to be working again.

Boca Falls residents awoke this morning to a complete failure of the Hotwire Communications system. A neighbor first reported this to me earlier.
In our house both Internet and phone are down. The phone was misleading at first because we do get a dial tone but calls do not connect.
We had DirecTV reinstalled yesterday so we can’t see any television problems ourselves.
I tried calling customer service using my cell phone, but gave up after 10 minutes on hold.