After my 5.5 update quirk tonight, I phoned the HPRC to see if my
situation was a "known problem" like so many often are.  I received
my call-ID as usual, and a few minutes later an engineer returned my
call to inform me that my SupportLine coverage didn't cover weekends,
only 8-5.  Huh?  Yes, we have 8-5 next day on hardware, but I have
SupportLine service and is 24-hours, right?  Wrong.  Not anymore.
I was asked for a PO# for time and materials unless I wanted to post
my question to the ESC on their web page.

[HPRC = HP Response Center, ESC = Electronic Support Center]

After my initial surprise and some pleading my case of "this is probably
a simple question" they fielded my input anyway and came up empty, but
suggested it was likely a hardware problem.  (It wasn't, and per my
previous post I resolved the problem while on hold).

I had no idea this "transition" had taken place.  It was my
understanding that SupportLine software support was 7x24 independent of
any hardware contract you had.  It probably is, but the old telephone
calls have been replaced with the ESC web service (apparently).  Again,
it was news to me, and couldn't have come at a worse time in terms of
short-term panic.  It was this telephone access in emergencies that
led me to give up on our former PSS service (but even so, if you have
PSS do you have to have a 7x24 HW/SW support level for the phone now?)

Am I the only one surprised by this?  When did it change?  I don't know
that I'll continue planning my updates on the weekends, or at least
I'll get an early start in the event of resorting to the 2-hour minimum
guaranteed turnaround on ESC postings.

Jeff Kell <[log in to unmask]>