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Review by BigVe See Profile

  • Location: Gulliver, Schoolcraft, MI, USA
  • Cost: $40 per month
  • Install: about 2 days
Merit Network
None Yet with new ISP
Done with Centurylink.New ISP cheaper & faster

4-15-19 Have left Centurylink Dsl for faster speeds which i was unable to get from them after being with them for close to 14 years.Been ok and will go back if they do something in my neighborhood and provide faster speeds.Not likely since it is a small community and they like to milk their copper.Now with Merit Networks which offer me 20/1 wireless for less money

2-16-18.Speeds available are pathetic with technology available.Will jump ship as soon as something else becomes available.5Mbit these days is nothing.

12-3-12.Centurylink offer all kinds of deals to new customers like specials pricing for the first year & can even lock in price for 5 years.I have been with them for many years and i can't get a single $ off.Wish i had an option and this company would be history

Finally have a choice besides dial-up(and satellite).Signed up as soon as it was available in mid March.19.95/mo. for first 3 mo.Modem supplied was a Netopia 3341 but i also have a Westell B-90.They both work equally well.I am VERY happy so far with my first 3+ months with Centurytel Dsl.Have talked to tech support online with some stupid questions i have had since this is new to me and i have always received helpful response.Also the technical staff that works for Centurytel around here i know somewhat and that i hope should make things easier if i have problems in the future.Only two outages so far.One was caused by a cut fiber cable and the other was login problems(PPPoE).I signed up for the fastest they offered 1500/256 and i have a constant 1250+ down and 205+ up so no complaints here(my dial-up was about 48/20 ) I am 14500' + from office.Had my line tested by installer and it is good for 6000+down/ 600+ up.I know that some areas serviced by Centurytel can get 3000/512 but i was told that it will be quite some time if ever for us here but i live on the hope.Have seen many negative thing from other users but i would recommend Centurytel.And YES tweaking do help.

Update 11-04-05
Now close to 8 months and have never had any issues worth mentioning with speed or connection.Speed is still around 1250/215 every time i test it.So bottom line is that i am a happy customer with Centurytel DSL just still hoping that they will lower prices to be more in level of other providers.

Update 2-20-06
Even though it works great i have lowered my rating on services as well as value for money.Centurytel keeps falling behind competition more and more.Have 1500/256 (1250/215 after overhead) and no way to get any faster package unless i purchase a business line then they upload goes to 512.Don't think its worth a 50+dollars one time cost and an extra $5/month.Come on C-tel wake up before you get run over.

Update 4-12-06
Still going strong.Actually my download and upload recently got a little faster up from 1250 to 1400 down and 215 up increased to around 265 up.Still like to know where upgrades to 3000/512 went.Otherwise i am a happy camper

1-24-07
Nothing major has happened except that my modem died.Was replaced the following day for free by Centurytel.Speeds still in the mid 1400's down and 250+up.Still hoping of a speed increase but that is wishful thinking.Lower price would be great too as this must be the most expensive Dsl in the whole US (maybe even the World)

6-23-07

Still working as expected so no complaints here.Going strong but we need higher speeds and lower prices to match other providers.

1-27-08

Working but bandwidth is lacking due to overload of customers and not enough BW to go around specially prime time.Looking in to IPTV so hopefully i am going to have enough steam for that to work reliable.Time will tell.Otherwise i can highly recommend Centurytel in this area since our techs are great.

3-20-08
Things are going downhills so my ratings have been updated accordingly.Still better than dial-up but it's getting closer.with pings between 500-1000ms and download speed less than 100

2-3-09
A little better now but major slowdowns later afternoon/evening hours.They also know their bandwidth problems but it look like i am in for a long wait....again.Why can't they just add bandwidth when they know it's needed and fiber is available to them? Speeds between 300-1500 down and always a stable ~260 up

12-21-09

Guess it's time to do an update.Not any changes really except for no more slow speeds after they added more bw.Now steady at 1500/256.Going on 5 years and STILL sitting on this 1500/256.WHERE is any speed upgrades? I know i can only handle about 6000/512 due to distance from office but that would be ok with me.

0-28-10

Not much to say except for it works.Still waiting for more speed and lower price(guess i'm in for a long wait)

1-1-11

Have updated services and value since we did get a speed upgrade available.Still as reliable as ever with consistent speeds day or night.

10-10-13

Works fine but Still no better value.They set pricing according to competition(and there is none)

9-5-15

Still far away to be considered 'broadband' . All i have is an internet connection that is faster than dial-up that's about it.What it goes for my rating 'value for money' i can't go any lower or i would

member for 18.7 years, 4683 visits, last login: 4.7 years ago
updated 4.8 years ago

tbaker397
join:2004-07-19
Berlin, PA

tbaker397

Member

Distance/Speed

There is no way you are 14500 away from your CO and can get 6000/600. Unless there is an RT close to you.
BigVe
join:2005-07-15
Gulliver, MI

BigVe

Member

Re: Distance/Speed

There is no RT around me and i was standing next to technician when he tested my line in phone jack by my computers and that was what came up.Kind of irrellevant to me anyway since i most likely never will see any speed above what i have.Still a lot faster then dialup.>>>

kerry038
@state.wi.us

kerry038

Anon

What service

In over three weeks I have yet to be able to log on with calling tech support and being on hold for a min. of 30 minute and as much as 90, on transfers i am cut off starting again. Agent redoing what the prior agent did. I am now to the point where I could work for them. Field tech called 2 minutes before arriving at my house telling me to be there, got his message 10 hours after he called... gave them 2 days to fix or tear out DSL AND PHONE LINE
BigVe
join:2005-07-15
Gulliver, MI

BigVe

Member

Re: What service

Feel for you but i am happy with the tech support for the very little i had to use them.At least when calling you wont be transfered to someone in China or some place on other side of planet.I also know most of my local techs. but they can't do anything without trouble ticket anyway.My brother lives in Wi.(By Mi. Border) and he is happy with his Dsl from Centurytel as well(except for speed)

Zexs
@army.mil

Zexs

Anon

Whatever Century link

I'm a competitive gamer and I use my internet every after noon to practice. I pay for 10MEG and I've been using CL since November 2009 and it worked perfect until October 2010. Since Oct 2010 my speed started to drop every month more and more. I just to have bad service between 9pm-11pm, then it went to 5pm-11pm, then 2pm-11pm and now my internet is bad from 11am to 12am with speeds of less then 1meg. I can only play from 6am to 11am on Saturday and Sunday because I work Mon-Fri all day. When it first started I called the internet customer support and they told me it was my PC (Modem, cat5, etc..). The thing is that I've been in the military fro 15 years and IT its what I've been doing for a living(sadly I knew more that the support guy). Anyways, we skip down the list and hey told me that it could be the wiring of the house; well, the funny thing is that my house is a year old (Built NOV2009)and all the wires are new.
CL is the only ISP where I live and it really sucks bad that they advertise all this BS. They have given me 59.95 adjustment since October 2010 but the issues is not fix. They told me that they are aware of the situation and that they are upgrading the network and they dont have a date on the fix. Oh well, I guess I keep getting my 59.95 every month until they fix it (free internet)

linicx
Caveat Emptor
Premium Member
join:2002-12-03
United State

linicx

Premium Member

Do not feel badly

I pay about $75 / taxes for phone and 10/1 Internet. It was consistent until it was oversold- they say. My state PUC has been on them like a boss with an attitude because the phone service is so awful. The lines to the house have been rebuilt twice in 8 years with no change because of the old, worn, outdated, hardware in the plant that is serving the fiber. .

The bottom line: The fiber-over-copper-to-the-house-telephone is just barely feasible, too expensive, and not nearly as reliable as the Internet that is not very reliable anyway.

Century Link accepted $40 BILLION over three or ten years to fix rural America. Pigs with lipstick and a dress will fly first. The nice thing about dialup was it worked. It was consistent from state to state, and the phones were all copper. .