Caught this topic late but had to chime in..ATT in our area has excellent field technicians and we work together for the common goal...customer satisfaction..however, two weeks ago a residential customer called me to report that their line was noisy. This rural area is fed by a 25 pair cable that has been failing for many years. This particular customer has noise problems at least 3 times a year and its always in the bad section of cable. I advised the customer that I felt sure it was ATT's problem and to report it(I used to report it myself but now they'd rather speak to the customer than someone who knows anything) long story short customer was told that their test determined that the problem was in inside wiring. After another call another operator informed the customer once again that the problem was in the inside wire. So after an act of Congress I found an operator that would speak to me and I listened to the BS story and then asked why it takes a field tech so much time cutting ahead the cable pairs trying to troubleshoot when apparently the operator was able to pinpoint the trouble. In the end,a field tech came and cut the customer to a new pair in the cable....So again I ask..."does it ever end?)