Turns out we were wrong after all, in our assumption that the diagnostic skills of the overseas-located technician working at the Bell Sympatico call centre was wrong. He had informed us that the reason we were unable to get Internet connection on our computers through our wireless system was that the modem wasn't getting enough power to enable it to work. The power supply cord, he informed us, had to be replaced.

Because later that evening we saw that the modem was fully charged and operational, and access was fully available, we had assumed he was wrong, that the problem stemmed from an interruption in service because Sympatico servers must have been down temporarily. Two days later the same thing occurred; no Internet access whatever. I'd experienced full Internet access in the morning and early afternoon but by late afternoon it had dissipated. And remained inoperable. Despite that I could get information that my Internet access was 'excellent', but it couldn't be empowered.

My husband, who was busy changing the tires of our car from the ice tires used throughout the winter months to the all-weather tires suitable for the rest of the year, took it upon himself to interrupt that heavy lifting and use the other car not used in winter to drive over to the Bell Service Centre a half-hour's drive distant, with the now-useless power cord that had accompanied the modem on its initial installation. Which, now that I recall, had already, years ago, been replaced by Sympatico with the explanation that the original one had been flawed.

At the counter, my husband didn't even have to explain the situation once the agent saw the power cord, nor was he asked for any proof of paid service which he was prepared to proffer.

The agent offered the information that the shipment of which this power cord was one example was entirely flawed; devices that simply were inefficient, prone to break-down, and unsuitable for use with the modem with which it was paired. He exchanged, he confided to my husband, at a minimum, six of these things on any given day. A veritable flood of people facing the consternation of inoperable devices disallowing basic Internet access.

Obviously, an equipment-supply failure well known to Bell, but one they deigned not to share with their client base. One might assume that common business sense and customer courtesy might persuade this company which, along with two other monopolistic carriers in the country has countless people depending on their service, to advise clients of what has occurred, and ship out the replacement power sources to all those who have been provided with the flawed ones.

But no, it's buyer beware, fend for yourself. Even if the technician responding to our call had mentioned the situation that was prevalent to us, we would have been less skeptical at his diagnosis, more confident in the resolution method. This is no way for a large, responsible service-provider to behave in courtesy to its client-base.