as we can communicate but what's frustrating is their lack of authority and the fact that they cannot/will not deviate from a script.

I don't blame them either. I blame the service providers. They just want cheap/free human robots to deal with their customers.

No names mentioned. I will try not to curse.
My ISP used to be regional, competent, English speaking and the same people that have my land line.
Any and all problems were dispatched quickly and painlessly.

Me : DSL led on Internet led out, is it you or me?
ISP: Wait I'll look from here. It's us, give you a call when it's fixed, be about 45 minuets.
What more could you ask for!

About a year ago they were bought out by a national concern. Let's try that same problem.
* Let's forget the 25 minuets on hold.
* Let's forget that English is not their second language or even their third.
* I don't even want to talk about the....

ISP: What is you're name?
Me : John Smith.
ISP: Jane Smith.

We will do that type of stuff for about 10 minuets. Let's get to the problem.
Me : DSL led on Internet led out, is it you or me?
ISP: What is your operating system.
The connection to the Internet has nothing to do with the OS at this point if the DSL light is on and the INT light is off. It is between the modem on my end and 'whatever' at their end. So let's skip what sub type of OS and service level of the OS stuff, espealy because most people won't know this. Let's get down to the Step by step inch by inch part.
ISP: Is this a home or business PC?
I am retired but I do some consulting as such it is a business PC. Now after all these times I should know to lie. but.....
Me :Business.
ISP: You should call you're IT group and have them check out the PC's configuration.
Me : I am my IT group.
ISP: You MUST call you're IT group and have them check out the PC's configuration.
Me : I am my IT group.
ISP: I can not help you until you're IT group has checked you're configuration.

It usually ends here, until I bitch out some form of US management. This is frustrating. Let's recap.

1. It might help if it they spoke even a little bit of English. They don't sound like they are sitting on an Elephant Looking at a Tiger. They sound like they are siting on a TonTon looking at a Wookie.
2. DSL light on, INT light off. The PC don't even have to be connected, you don't even have to HAVE a PC.

I'm going to have to stop here. My screen just turned red. No wait! The whole room just turned red and I don't need to buy a new keyboard..

and a lot of our jobs got sourced to a subsidiary in India.

My biggest problem was that they didn't know their job, so tried to get the rest of us to cover for them under the plea of "do the needful"

My ISP also hires Tech Support in India. I wouldn't have a problem with that other than the fact that the people they hire only know what is in their playbook, and when an experienced tech calls them with a question (e.g. Are you having problems with your such-and-such server) they have no idea how to jump past "Please reboot your computer"

Damn router has been there 4 years. This problem started 2 weeks ago. Sent them a trace route to show where the problem is - one of THEIR routers. The solution? Reset MY modem.(that's what the script says)

Problem fixed? Of course not. Pfft.