how-to block ads
|
»next review in page
Review by mekburg 
UPDATED: 86 days ago
member for 8.4 years, 144 visits, last login: 48 days ago
 Albuquerque,Bernalillo,NM
 $34 per month
 about 8 days
 Qwest
 "Stable throughput and ping times all the time"
 "Some confusion during ordering process"
 "Good value"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
|
My former ISP was starting to cause problems and since QWEST was offering some decent deals I switched. I placed the order for service while I still had service with the former ISP. This caused a little confusion in the order process. But I kept a close watch on QWEST and bottom line was I had to re do the order and was without service for 8 days. The diy installation went without a hitch and after 4 weeks of QWEST I can say I don't regret making the change. Here I am almost 4 years later and I am still using QWEST because they have given me good service, have given me upgrades for free. Still satisfied.
Followup comments: | Forums » comments on review of Qwest.net |
 | »next review in page (previous review)
Review by cscottm
UPDATED: 99 days ago
member for 7.5 years, 2493 visits, last login: a few hours ago
Kent,King,WA
$26 per month
about 5 days
Qwest
"Reliable, downtime is once every blue moon."
"My apt complex is so big that one side can get 5 & my side only 3"
"Good value for the $$"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings above consensus)
|
So far everything works good. I have the 3 meg speed & of course wish my line would qualify for something faster, but at a minimum wish the upload speed would at least match the rest.
Followup comments: | Forums » comments on review of Qwest.net |
| »next review in page (previous review)
Review by adamblack
UPDATED: 100 days ago
member for 101 days, 2 visits, last login: 100 days ago
Portland,Multnomah,OR
$50 per month (18 month contract)
"Best Day was the day I cancelled my Qwest DSL service"
"Qwest maintains poor connections, inferior modems terrible Repair Service"
"Qwest is a DSL service worth avoiding"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings well below consensus)
|
My Qwest DSL Review covers a period of approximately eighteen months.
Qwest originally promised me 1,500 KB of downstream bandwidth. For those that are not tech savvy there are actually eight bits to a byte so this deceptive number will actually translate into 192375 bytes of potential downstream bandwidth and 756 KB or actually 95957 bytes of potential upstream bandwidth.
The downstream math is as follows 1500 times 1026 equates to 1539000 divided by eight equals 192375 bytes of possible bandwidth.
The upstream math is as follows 756 times 1026 equates to 775656 divided by eight equals 96957 bytes of possible bandwidth.
Mind you this is the best case scenario and is dependant on how much noise your modem encounters on the Qwest network.
Qwest struggled to provide this super slow DSL service so when I see Qwest’s advertisement for 20 megabits I start to laugh.
This actually translates into a whopping 2.5 megabytes of potential bandwidth. Big Deal.
The Netopia 3347-02 wifi modem is the modem that I was provided and it has been replaced three times. The Netopia 3347-02 is the most problematic wifi modem that I have ever used. The Netopia 3347-02 is a true second rate modem.
Qwest’s Digital Subscriber Line is constantly losing its hard wired connection to the central office. The primary wired connections and my apartment wiring were double checked and Qwest found absolutely nothing wrong. The insult for Qwest’s incompetence is that Qwest charged me one hundred dollars to tell me the problem was somewhere else. Incompetent is bad, incompetence and dishonesty are the pits.
Ok now try and follow my logic here. I had a month to month lease arrangement with Qwest to supply the super slow DSL, the Netopia 3347-02 modem and the maintenance. So how is it that Qwest figures that I should pay their technician one hundred dollars to come to my apartment and finally admit there is absolutely nothing wrong?
The technician later changed his official report to read that my alarm system had actually caused the problem. Well I live in an apartment complex and there is absolutely no alarm here.
Alarm systems are typically found in expensive homes not in apartments. This curious fact speaks volumes regarding the incompetence of Qwest employees.
Connection down or your Netopia 3347-02 wifi modem does not work? Call the Qwest repair service at their toll free number at 800 573 1311 to be eventually connected to a live Philippino operator that speaks the most rudimentary English possible.
Be prepared to endure Qwest’s incessant advertising blitz. Qwest repair service wait times are typically one to two hours as you teach the Philippino operator English by repeating your information over and over again.
I called to disconnect the DSL. Qwest successfully tied me up for over one hour. I finally got through their incessant marketing and they finally agreed to disconnect the DSL after wasting more of my time by trying to get me to stay.
Frankly Qwest DSL is about as useful as a third breast.
Don’t start up with Qwest thinking that you will have a successful DSL or Telephony relationship with this company.
If you live in a metropolitan area I strongly encourage you to take a look at other options including the new Clear Wimax system that is currently being developed. Although Clear Wimax may have a few roll out issues young hungry companies typically perform a lot better.
Each and every day was a challenge to see if I would have a working dsl connection.
If you are thinking that you will get better results from Qwest think again. I am a fifteen year veteran of Information Technology. After numerous calls you can expect the Qwest repair service staff to disrespect you by refusing to identify themselves, by laughing and mocking you and by failing to update your customer service record with your call.
Qwest repair service believes that if they conceal your trouble call then there really is no problem.
Thank you DslReports for helping to alert the public on how Qwest really does business.
My happiest day with Qwest is when I decided to dump this unpleasant company and throw them out the door.
Followup comments:  
rogunit
Uhhh, Sir?
Premium
join:1999-09-18
Phoenix, AZ | Grinder So you're a Clear Wimax salesperson/stockholder? I can't believe you'd bad mouth a third breast  | |
| SeattleRetro
Premium
join:2007-01-07
Seattle, WA
| Qwest I thought you would have complained about the price--Qwest has been offering $24.95 service for 1.5Mb in Seattle for years.
I've had their 7Mb service in Seattle. My biggest complaint was having to buy a new modem (an Actiontec--bought it at BestBuy).
And now it includes free use of wireless at Starbucks/McDonalds in the Seattle area. Not bad. But I do wish they had 20Mb service in my area. | |
| chromal
join:2007-12-07
Evergreen, CO
 ·Qwest.net
 ·Comcast
| sounds frustrating, but.. It sounds like a frustrating situation. If there was a problem with the wiring between the Qwest demarcation box and your modem, Qwest doesn't consider it their responsibility, and I doubt your landlord gives a damn. $100 repair fee would apply to the assessment that the wiring was on the customer-premise side of the demarc box. That said, if they changed you this because of a nonexistent alarm system, you should be able to dispute the charge and get a refund.
Denoting bandwidth in 'bits per second' is actually a telecom industry standard, I don't think you can badmouth Qwest for following standards, but, you can certainly badmouth them for deploying mid-90s-tech ADSL in a ADSL2+ world. | |
| cyclone_z
join:2006-06-19
Ames, IA
·Qwest.net
| Go back and review chapter 1 You need to go back and review telecommunications terminology.
First, the entire industry measures transfer rates in bits per second, NOT bytes. Maybe you should rant on your computer manufacturer for giving you a 100 megaBIT or gigaBIT ethernet port instead of a 100 megaBYTE or gigaBYTE ethernet port! Hahaha!
Regarding the assertion that Qwest is advertising 1.5 MB service, NO, they are offering 1.5 Mb service. The former is megaBYTES, the latter, which Qwest advertises is megaBITS. That is standard industry abbreviation. I have yet to find anywhere that they say they offer a 1.5 megaBYTE service.
Go to the cable company and see if they offer a service measured in megaBYTES. Good luck. | |
| FenixSucks
join:2007-06-21
Portland, OR
·Qwest.net
1 edit | Technician The LiveChat guy wanted to send a technician out to my place when I told him I was having trouble with accessing YouTube. (some videos not loading at all) and he wanted me to make four hours window of time open in middle of the day.
Now that I hear about being billed, I will do everything possible to not have them come out. | |
| | | |
| Forums » comments on review of Qwest.net |
| »next review in page (previous review)
Review by ChrisTheCat
UPDATED: 104 days ago
member for 7.2 years, 34 visits, last login: 101 days ago
Portland,Multnomah,OR
$35 per month (24 month contract)
about 2 days
Qwest
"Cheap"
"Slow"
"It's cheaper than my previous service"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
|
Went from $112/month to $35/month, from 5.5mb download to 2.5mb download, from 25ms ping to 90ms ping.... but hey, it's cheaper.
Followup comments: | Forums » comments on review of Qwest.net |
| »next review in page (previous review)
Review by Buzzwacky
Posted: 104 days ago
member for 6.7 years, 138 visits, last login: 42 days ago
Denver,Denver,CO
$39 per month
about 8 days
Qwest
"7MBps / reliable connection /"
"It's not mobile......"
"It's all good!"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
|
I've been on a mobile plan w/Sprint for a couple years. Forget 3g/4g........ this is blazing fast. My neighborhood will have fiber in a couple weeks, not convinced I need the added expense.
Followup comments: | Forums » comments on review of Qwest.net |
| »next review in page (previous review)
 Review by RMKyote
UPDATED: 111 days ago
member for 8.9 years, 458 visits, last login: 5 days ago
Littleton,Arapahoe,CO
$45 per month (24 month contract)
Qwest
"All three parts of the DSL service in one company."
"They don't care about speed as per their last press release."
"Will do in a pinch."
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings below consensus)
|
I had 10 Mbps SDSL with Sprint ION from 1998 to 2002 which was chased away by Qwest by not providing reseller services and right of way guaranteed by law. Sprint said it was easier and cheaper to stop the service. I cried that day. ZERO problems for four years and 10 Mbps SDSL and four Digital Phone Lines for $120 a month. I then fled to several other providers that in the beginning promised the moon, but once again Qwest got in the way and they eventually went away or got real slow and expensive with lots of excuses (Speakeasy). So after years of having to move around Qwest finally offered ADSL at a half way reasonable (bundled) price. After having all the problems that I have had with third party companies not getting the support that they needed from Qwest and the fact that no matter what Qwest was going to be in the "loop", and I would get a far better price for the speed, I went with Qwest. My first indication of trouble should have been the botched install coordination. It took five different Sales Reps to get it right and two of them I knew from having worked there years ago.
In the beginning it was great. After time and growth in my area, my once pristine phone lines that once carried 10 Mbps SDSL, oh I'm 3300 feet from the CO, are all beaten up from the addition of additional lines. So from 10 Mbps, well 7 with Qwest to 4 if I am lucky. The final report was that the lines from the CO to the Crossbox, the first third of the loop, are damaged. But from the Crossbox to the house are perfect. So why won't they fix what they have broken. They won't really say hiding behind their acceptable speed policies. So here I sit at a distance the many would kill for with a service that is mediocre at best. Oh and Fibre won't be coming here for a couple of years since this area is just fine as it is now. Plus it's Fibre to the CO that will not do me any good.
So . . .
Followup comments: | Forums » comments on review of Qwest.net |
| »next review in page (previous review)
 Review by wxyz
UPDATED: 119 days ago
member for 6.9 years, 161 visits, last login: 23 days ago
Rapid City,Pennington,SD
Contract price not specified.
Qwest
"It's available"
"Lots of internal hops before reaching the internet"
"Decent service at a decent price"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
|
2009-08-01 Update: Lately, I've been seeing momentary drops in the connection, resulting in my VPN connection failing. This has been happening 2-3 times a week for the past several weeks. Still waiting for them to offer something more than 1.5 MB, which I typically get 50-60% of that speed.
--------------------------------
I am a full-time telecommuter so my employer pays for high speed internet access. So I cannot speak to the cost as I don't see that bill.
When I moved here, even though Qwest said ISDN was available, it wasn't. So I initially was connecting via dial-up, with 26 kbps being a "good" connection. I then tried satellite, which was OK for surfing the internet, but as soon as VPN was turned on, it slowed down to 50-60 kbps - still better than dial up. Finally a local company put up another tower and offered fixed wireless at 1 mb bi-direction - which was great except I had to pay for the bill with my corporate credit card and then had to do monthly expense reports. Then in July of 2005, Qwest finally made DSL available in my area. Being my employer had a contract with Qwest, I switched to it. In addition, the wireless company was bought out and prices increased significantly.
Service has been good except for the 2 days when 2 (one with the DSL service) of the 3 phone lines were down because of a major cable cut. Again, like some other reviews, the people answering the phone didn't always have the right information. During those two days, I heard several times that the phone/DSL service would be back within a hour to two, and it wasn't.
There are basically three things I don't like about the service. First is the fact they only offer 1.5 mb service in my area, even though initially it appeared they were going to have 5 mb service. Second is the number of internal hops on the Qwest network, before it finally reaches the internet. My wireless service had 2 internal hops while Qwest has at least 6. And finally Qwest's configuration results in high ping times - 106 ms vs 61 ms on wireless to my company's vpn servers. But I've read enough about that on the forums so I'm just going to live with that.
But overall, it is an acceptable service. And the fact they let you run servers is actually a great benefit. So now if I can just get them to upgrade to higher speeds, it would, as my son says, make me giggle.
Respond to review · See Full Discussion
Followup comments: iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
·Comcast
·Qwest.net
 ·magicjack.com
 ·BeeCreek Communica..
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| Network and Latency Same problem here, though I'm not going to pass judgment on anything until I try out my own line (right now the DSL is shared among everyone in the apt complex).
The hops on the backbone are because Qwest is a Tier 1 carrier; they have a major internet backbone system so they use it for their DSL traffic. I wouldn't say it's the greatest backbone in the world, but that's why you stay on it for so long; I doubt your wireless provider owns their nationwide backbone.
The latency...well...that's because Qwest insists on using the Interleave system on their DSL service for 99.99% of customers. This system is more reliable in averse line conditions, but it adds a MINIMUM of 32 ms, and usually more like 45-55 ms, to the first hop of your connection (at least where I am), giving the whole route a significant handicap versus, say, cable or FastPath (non-interleave) DSL.
By the way, are you getting advertised speeds on the connection (the full 500 down, 896 up)? 5 Mbit DSL is available here but I want to know what to expect percentage-wise when I test the service in a week. | |
| | | |
| Forums » comments on review of Qwest.net |
| »next review in page (previous review)
Review by techjockey
UPDATED: 121 days ago
member for 4.8 years, 260 visits, last login: 1 days ago
Boise,Ada,ID
$46 per month (24 month contract)
about 14 days
Qwest
"Decent Tech support"
"Over Subscribed DSLAM, speeds rarely over 3 megs"
"As long as they don't throttle as does CableOne, I will be happy."
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
|
Qwest DSL is one of two options in my area of Boise for speeds over 1.5 megs. Since Cable One (and apparently in my area Qwest) are not able to meet demands and Cable One throttles between noon and midnight, I went to Qwest. Twice now in a month, I've had to call to complain about only getting 600kbps down and 400kbps up. (paying for 3Meg down and 600kpbs up) The first call, the tech was able to identify it as an over subscribed DSLAM and had my connection moved to another one. Everything was back to normal. Earlier this week, I was having the same issues and the tech tried to blame my router, my ethernet connection and then my computer. After me saying multiple times to check the DSLAM and he did and it was over utilized again. They moved my connection once more and so far it has been as expected. Right now I would rate Qwest at about 6 out of 10.
Followup comments: | Forums » comments on review of Qwest.net |
| »next review in page (previous review)
Review by itadam
Posted: 121 days ago
member for 121 days, 7 visits, last login: 108 days ago
Tempe,Maricopa,AZ
$72 per month (24 month contract)
about 5 days
"Installation was completed in a timely manner"
"Multiple run-arounds with Sales, and Customer Service"
"If you can get it, and don't have another viable alternative get it"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
|
What other options did you consider for broadband? Cable HSI through Cox
What SPEED/package did you order, at what monthly price? 20Mbps/5Mbps for 72 dollars a month (includes free modem), 2 year agreement.
How was the order & install process? Painful, but worth it. Let me explain from day 1.
Day 1:
I was going to have to move, the lease was up at my old apartment. Amidst searching for a new apartment I located a list of apartment complexes wired for Qwest's 20/896k service. Until the day I began moving Qwest's availability page still listed the 896k upstream services at my new place, no 5Mbps upload DSL package. The day I began moving July 24th it became clear to me I was going to have an alternative to Cable HSI through Cox. I ran Qwest's check availability form and what do you know they're offering the 7/5, 12/5, 20/5 and 40/5 services where I'm at. I was previously on a 20/2 (25/2 if you take into account their supposed "speed boost") line through Cox at my old address so I ordered the 20/5. If I can get 20/5 and it isn't sufficient I'll upgrade later.
During the online order process I selected self-install, there was no indication that the 20/5 service would need a professional installation. After I pressed submit on the order I was given an installation date of 7/31. Seeing how I was moving and I'd be without service for an entire week I panicked. I could have cable installed the same day, or even on the weekend why was this going to take a week, especially when I chose self-installation. So I went to the nearest Qwest store.
The guy I spoke to at the Qwest store on day 1 was honest with me. He told me I couldn't expect the service to get installed before the 31st. If that was the installation date I was given, it was already set in stone. However I could return on the following Monday and speak to his supervisor about calling Qwest to get the order expedited. It was the end of day, end of the week so I suffered the weekend with simply my cell phone for Internet service. It sucked. Day 2, 3
Day 4:
Having some experience with Qwest at two other residences, having used their horribly slow 1.5 Mbps ADSL I wanted to make sure my order was going to get installed on Friday. I didn't want to have their professional installer come out, and then tell me it'll be the next week before the service gets installed. So I called Qwest first thing Monday morning before I had to go to work. I spoke to a guy, he claimed he couldn't even find my original order. He filled out another order for me. I explained how I need this installed asap, so he said he would find some way to get the installation date set for the 31st, but that was the soonest it would get installed. I asked for a re-confirmation, and said July 31st, anytime between 8am and 5pm. OK. But we're back to square one.
Later in the day, about 3pm or so I was able to leave work, and visit the same Qwest store I did on Friday. I spoke to the supervisor and he explained he couldn't expedite my order but gave me a toll-free Qwest number and told me to speak to them about it.
I called and spoke to a lady from India. The trick there was to confuse her as much as possible, as fast as possible. I did, and she asked me to hold on while she found someone else I could speak to.
From there I was transferred to a guy in the US, who possibly knew less about the technical end of things than the lady from India but he understood my frustration and that's all that mattered to me. He spent close to an hour on the phone with me claiming he still couldn't see any orders for me, using my address, name, and even the phone numbers I was quoted for the dry DSL line. So we proceeded with placing another order.
After the order was completed he quoted me an installation date of July 30th as the soonest. Even better I thought, but still horrible. I explained my frustration, and then he put me on hold while he spoke to the dispatch center supervisor and asked about expediting my order. After 20 minutes of waiting he returned and said he had a code to call in and I told him to proceed. LOL. He returned about 10 minutes later, and asked me for a time block. 8am to noon, or noon to 5pm. How about ASAP? (Side question) What's so difficult to understand about as soon as possible? He returned and said a professional installer would be at my new residence tomorrow morning between 8am and noon, and that I would supposedly be the first installation of the day, so the installation would most likely be at the beginning of that time block.
Day 5
Oh boy. But I'm still skeptical. I was missing half a day at work just to have this installed.
The installer calls me about 9:50 am, and explains he'll be at my place in 10 minutes. I'm excited. I walk to the box outside my apartment just to see him putting the line in place. He tells me I'm the first Quantum+ (20/5) subscriber being wired into the DSLAM I'm connected to. I ask him how far I am from the remote terminal and he says under 2000 feet. 2000 feet is apparently the cut off for the 40/20 service Qwest has just started offering. The installer says when he gets me installed he can distance out to be exact.
We walk up to my apartment, and after having told me all the greatest things about the modem I'm getting he unveils it to me. LOL.
He plugs the modem in, and powers it on. Connected to my PC via ethernet (gigabit), he types in my PPPoE username and password and presses apply. The modem reboots and says ISP status failed. But the line status says 20/5 so I'm nearly jumping for joy. He makes a phone call to have my PPPoE password reset and wholla it works.
He leaves, and calls me. I'm about 2800 feet from the remote terminal, so I don't exactly qualify for their 40/20 service but I do still qualify for the 40/5 (big deal imho, if I want more downstream I'll go with DOCSIS 3 cable when its available to me).
ugh, back to work. I look forward to getting home and performing some speed tests on the line.
I run a few speed tests, and the majority of them say 18 / 4.5 so I'm not getting the full of 20/5 but it still beats 20/2.
Thoughts: Qwest needs to deploy fiber to the home. That's the only solution in my opinion. It's great I can get 20/5 service but I'm no more than half mile from the remote terminal, so I would assume I could get faster.
What brand/model was the supplied equipment? ActionTec Q1000
What good or bad experiences most struck you? Bad experiences: being purposefully juggled around by their Customer Service, and Sales teams. Good experiences: the actual Installation was quick and easy
Followup comments: | Forums » comments on review of Qwest.net |
| »next page (previous review)
Review by kirkalm
UPDATED: 123 days ago
member for 9.2 years, 946 visits, last login: 19 days ago
Issaquah,King,WA
$55 per month
about 3 days
Qwest
"Fast upload, servers allowed"
"My remote DSLAM has a 12hr battery backed up, everything dies after that..."
"Great value..."
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
|
Have just became eligible (1 June 04) for DSL due to RT-DSLAM install in area, love the up-load speed
Update 1 May 05, purchased static IP and dropped noip.com, waiting for higher speeds to hit area.
Update 27 May 05, back with no-ip.com due to registrar not supporting dns changes that I needed done... looks like I'll be waiting a while for the speed increases as my RT-DSLAM has fiber ran to it but it is not terminated..
I have also been using the Actiontec 701wg in bridge mode and using a SonicWall SOHO3 for PPPoe authentication
Update 28 July 09, Have now been running some month's with the 12 meg down / 1 meg up, no issues with up time, just ported over our QWEST pots to QWEST VOIP... working great. Replaced the SonicWall with a UnTangle Server (www.untangle.com) running behind a bridged Actiontec 701WG
Followup comments: | Forums » comments on review of Qwest.net |
|
|
(35)