The title says it all. I have been on the phone with Dell tech support and now Linksys since about 6:30pm.

Just giving Dell my email address took 10 minutes between the language barrier and the fact that the connection sounded like the blown speaker in my 72 VW and this poor tech must have been in a room with 700 other people all talking a once.

My email address was the first thing he needed, car_part@swbell.net pretty easy you would think...

Him: Let me see this I have right.... "b" as in boy, "a" as in apple, m as in Minnesota.....
Me: No No No.... "c" as in cat, "a" as in apple and so on....
Him: So it is being.... "h" as in hat, "k" as in Kentucky.....
Me: NO NO NO NO NO try this
"c" as in Calcutta
"a" as in Aurangabad
"r" as in Ramanathapuram
underscore
"p" as in Pushkar
"a" as in Aurangabad
"r" as in Ramanathapuram
"t" as in Tirupattur
@
"s" as in Slurpee
"w" as in Warangal
"b" as in Baharampur
"e" as in Ernakulam
"l" as in Lalitpur
"l" as in Lalitpur
. (Dot)
"n" as in Nagapattinam
"e" as in Ernakulam
"t" as in Tirupattur

Him: I am now telling you back car_part@swbell.net
Me: Yes, Yes that's it. Sweet Mother.. Yes that's it.
Him: Now how am I be helping you today?
...and it goes on and on....

To his credit he knew what he was doing and he was able to tell me it wasn't a problem with the computer after about an hour and a half.

I just don't understand why Dell would want to throw up a language and connection barrier on a support issue. If someone needs support they are probably already a little ticked at the product. The last thing they need is more obstacles between the customer and the solution.

Why don't they outsource the sales end of the business. I'm pretty sure the salesman I bought it from spoke very good English and the connection was crystal clear.
Back to the sitar music on hold.