Customer service at it's finest (snark)

My goal was to purchase new service for a TV-internet bundle. After spending 15 minutes online answering every question in the book and getting all the way to "complete order" I was told order couldn't be completed online. 

Fine. I call customer service. After going through all the same information again (I've had ATT before and they even had that account in the system) I was asked to hold while he did something. When he came back I had to hold again so he could delete my old account and make a new one. Then I had to give all the information again. 

It kept going from repeating the same information to "please hold". After being on the phone for over 40 minutes (plus 15 online) I asked to speak to a supervisor or someone who could actually sell a new order. I was put on hold again for five minutes and then told I would have to wait longer for a supervisor. 

My response:

"I just want to order new service. Nothing unusual. I have spent well over an hour trying to get this done. I have to go to work. Can this be done in the next 5-10 minutes?"

He couldn't guarantee that. I had to hang up and go to work. 

Why is it so hard to order from them. It's like they put you (the customer!) through the ringer for the priviledge of doing business with them! SMH