 Review by Hazy Arc 
member for 7.1 years, 2471 visits, last login: a few hours ago
updated 135 days ago
 Greenwood,Greenwood,SC
 $39 per month "Connection is ok during the day" "Connection slows considerably during evening, no forseeable speed increases on the horizon" "If there was a viable alternative, I'd be gone in a heartbeat."
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings below consensus)
|
I've been a Centurylink (previously Embarq) customer since 2007. I'd like to sit here and tell you it's been fun and games since I became a customer, but sadly that is not the case.
In the 5 years I've been a customer, I'd say my connection has been flawless less than 20% of the time I've had it. In fact, in 2008, I had scheduled a cable install after dealing with a high latency/slow speed problem for over 5 months. Only after I was personally contacted by an employee of then-Embarq asking me to allow them to help did I stick around. It turns out our area had been placed on bandwidth exhaust (big surprise there), and the problem was fixed another 2 months later. Since 2007, I haven't sniffed a speed upgrade - I had 3Mbps then, and that's where I'm stuck. 5 years and no upgrades? Come on!
Nowadays, I rarely get my advertised speeds, but at least the high latency problem hasn't resurfaced. I know, I know - why not go to cable? The answer is two-fold: First, my local mom-and-pop cable provider (Northland Cable »User reviews - Northland Cable Television) is notoriously bad, even worse than Centurylink (if that's possible). I have to laugh when I see folks complaining about Comcast/Charter/etc. - I'd give anything to be serviced by them. The other reason I haven't dumped Centurylink is because I have been a true dry loop DSL customer since I started, so I literally pay $39 a month for 3Mbps internet, no bogus taxes or fees that are tacked on like with their insulting "Pure DSL" offering. Since they no longer offer true dry loop DSL, I'm hesitant to drop them - especially if Northland didn't work out. If Centurylink ever removes my grandfather status, I'm outta here.
Ultimately, like many other smaller towns in the United States, the problem is lack of competition. Well, let me rephrase - Centurylink and Northland are certainly in "competition" in Greenwood, South Carolina - but it's a contest of who can provide the worst value for the most money.
Comments:
 | | Centurylink Internet Service Bundled services (CenturyLine called with offer). Accepted. Was to be upgraded from l.5 to l0 mgs along with 5 yr contract, price lock, etc. Guess what. Got shuffled to another bundle which did not have the 5 yr (was one yr), price was different from one quoted and it took two weeks, numerous calls, several hours hold time to even speak with anyone. Has been a horrible mess. May have gotten a little better but internet speed is always below 5 mgs of the 10mgs that I am supposed to have. Like others, the afternoon, evening hours are the worst. Sometimes, the internet light on the modem goes off and I have to turn off and back on after three to five minutes to get it to come back up. Not too happy with the whole thing. | |
| | | Sorry to hear that. This is not good news since Centurylink just took over Qwest here in Arizona. Qwest was terrible before though so I guess nothing will change. | |
|  | | | Re: Sorry to hear that I've had Qwest for years in MN and have been VERY happy with them. I nervous about the switch to CenturyLink. I hope they provide the same good, reliable service we've been getting from Qwest. | |
| | | BigC23
join:2011-06-01
Rustburg, VA | Re: Sorry to hear that Personally I would start looking to see what your other options are. They're pretty horrible. | |
| | | | | | Re: Sorry to hear that I agree they do suck. | |
|
| |
|
·
