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CenturyLink Now Offering Higher Than Advertised Speeds

CenturyLink appears to be doling out some notable speed increases to customers across the company's thirty-eight state footprint. According to this thread in our CenturyLink forum, users on the company's 12 Mbps tier are seeing their service suddenly clock in at 15 Mbps. User mikemacman See Profile writes in to tell me his 40 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up line now offers him 50 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up. He also notes a local friend has seen his 40/20 Mbps offering increase to 50/20 Mbps.

Click for full size
The speed increases appear to have occurred without a price hike or an official announcement, though I've dropped a line to CenturyLink for confirmation.

Believe it or not, the FCC Has played a staring role in a number of ISPs (like Time Warner Cable did recently) suddenly offering more speed than they advertise, and the agency deserves ample credit for a new policy that has paid dividends for everyday users.

A few years ago the agency started using an army of volunteers with custom firmware embedded routers to test real-world user connection speeds. Using that data, the FCC then started naming and shaming ISPs that were failing to offer advertised speeds, particularly during peak usage hours. Provision user modems at slightly higher sync rates, and you magically find yourself performing better in the FCC's rating list.

CenturyLink (and many DSL providers in particular) have often found themselves on the bottom end of the rankings. The FCC's last report tagged CenturyLink as a notable underperformer, something you can expect to see changed when the FCC updates the publicized rankings later this winter.
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Automate
join:2001-06-26
Atlanta, GA

Automate

Member

SamKnows: FCC uses September data

I got a SamKnows e-mail reminding me that the FCC primarily uses Septembers data and to make sure my collection point is working.
gworkman
join:2005-10-18
Las Vegas, NV

gworkman

Member

PHX, AZ

It's odd, but true. I am a 40/5 customer and saw 46 this morning. It'll be interesting to see next month's Sam Knows report.


mleland
Premium Member
join:2002-12-17
Westwood, CA

mleland

Premium Member

This happened on Frontier too!

After I got my Samknows box for FCC testing, in very rural North Eastern California, it took Frontier about 3 months and my account magically went from a 3m\128k to 6m\512k. When I asked some neighbors about their speed they had noticed that things were moving a bit faster now.

I do know one of the local telco guys and was told that the T-1s for backhaul were badly overloaded and had been that way for over a year. He also said the orders to add more backhaul to the remote terminal I was on came in about two months after I got my FCC testing device in late 2010. He mentioned that my RT had been scheduled for the upgrade sometime in 2013 or 2014. Only my local RT was upgraded to 6m down at that time. The rest of the area, COs and RTs, was upgraded over the next year. I am now told that assuming you are willing to pay for it that 15m\5m DSL is now available in my area from Frontier.
Bengie25
join:2010-04-22
Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Bengie25

Member

Re: This happened on Frontier too!

T-1 backhauls? Ouch.

Hopefully they get fiber soon. I'm sure it's on their to-do list.
mleland
Premium Member
join:2002-12-17
Westwood, CA

mleland

Premium Member

Re: This happened on Frontier too!

There is fiber the local CO but I doubt they have fiber to my RT. Maybe some day!

I still find it funny that I had DSL in the middle of nowhere from Citizens Communications(before they bought Frontier and changed their name) while friends of mine in the metro area of San Jose still had A\B analog cable service and PacBell\Att was still trying to upgrade these so called "unprofitable for DSL" RTs around San Jose.

This was more than a few years back now but still... A major metro RT and you can't make $$ off DSL on it when you would be the first broadband option to serve everyone from that RT? What a joke...
drslash (banned)
Goya Asma
join:2002-02-18
Marion, IA

drslash (banned)

Member

Mediacom

You can add Mediacom to the list of ISPs that deliver higher than advertised speeds. This has been confirmed by Mediacom many times in the forum. My 50/5 clocks in at 57/5.5.
TheRogueX
join:2003-03-26
Springfield, MO

TheRogueX

Member

Re: Mediacom

Same here. I'm quite happy with it.

IowaMan
Premium Member
join:2008-08-21
Grinnell, IA

IowaMan

Premium Member

Re: Mediacom

Click for full size
Yep I can confirm VERY NICE speed and GREAT ping.
ArizonaSteve
join:2004-01-31
Apache Junction, AZ

ArizonaSteve to drslash

Member

to drslash
Come on now, I tired Mediacom and it didn't even work! I guess it can be faster than zero but that wouldn't take much.
BlueC
join:2009-11-26
Minneapolis, MN

BlueC

Member

Sustained or burst?

I'd be curious to know of these speeds are simply the result of a soft rate-limit or if they truly are over-provisioning the speeds slightly.

It's one thing to see the higher speeds on a speed test. I wonder what a sustained download (>5min) would see in regards to throughput.
Bengie25
join:2010-04-22
Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Bengie25

Member

Re: Sustained or burst?

I'd like to compare prime-time sustained bandwidth from different ISPs, so here's mine

That dip was my mechanical HD thrashing because of my swap file being on it and too many Chrome tabs.

That was a download from a single server somewhere in New York over 1,000 miles away during peak hours. Yep, Internet backbone is horribly overloaded.... /sarc




When doing P2P, my data rate is less smooth.




Can't you see the 8pm congestion going on? It's horrible!
davidhoffman
Premium Member
join:2009-11-19
Warner Robins, GA

davidhoffman to BlueC

Premium Member

to BlueC
From my experience some DSL providers have a pretty consistent experience for a large download. I have use the TestMy.net website's largest download and upload files and get a fairly consistent data transfer rate on my AT&T DSL line and on other AT&T DSL lines here in central Georgia. Those transfers take about 10 minutes. Windstream DSL, in the same general area, is a very inconsistent, if you can get the entire file to download at all. Windstream uploads are horrible.
Matt7
join:2001-01-02
Columbus, OH

Matt7 to BlueC

Member

to BlueC
said by BlueC:

I'd be curious to know of these speeds are simply the result of a soft rate-limit or if they truly are over-provisioning the speeds slightly.

It's one thing to see the higher speeds on a speed test. I wonder what a sustained download (>5min) would see in regards to throughput.

I can't speak for Century Link as I don't have them.. But I know recently when TWC speeds slightly increased they disabled "Power boost" (which fool speed tests into looking like the connection was faster).. Instead of 20/2 here with TWC I get 22.65 / 2.40 ish.
Technicholas
Premium Member
join:2010-11-11
West Des Moines, IA

Technicholas

Premium Member

Still at 12/896

I am still at 12/896 while neighbors are upgraded to 15/896
FastLearner
join:2003-09-14
Arvada, CO

FastLearner

Member

Faster speeds

I pay for the 20meg tier and I'm syncing at 26megs.
I noticed this almost a month ago.
Nemesis158
CTL 1G Fiber
join:2012-09-15
Spokane, WA

Nemesis158

Member

wont happen everywhere

Unfortunately there are still many areas which CL cannot over provision.
Where i live the old Qwest terminals don't have any fiber and already have far to many users on them for the amount of capacity that is available.
we are talking 160 users on a cabinet wired with nothing but 8 T1 lines, despite the fact there is a useable fiber optic line 200ft from my house......

Gilitar
join:2012-02-01
Mobile, AL

Gilitar

Member

Add AT&T to the list

of ISPs offering slower than advertised speeds.

YankeeNTX
@telenetwork.com

YankeeNTX

Anon

Re: Add AT&T to the list

LOL
davidhoffman
Premium Member
join:2009-11-19
Warner Robins, GA

davidhoffman

Premium Member

Higher than advertised speeds.

The DSL ISPs have always claimed that about 1/6 of the data they transfer does not show up in the SamKnows based ratings. That is the overhead portion. "We are giving you the advertised speed, but it encompases both content and all the routing data. SamKnows does not always pick that up." The DSL providers have two choices. Boost the content delivery speeds to match the advertised speed or change the advertising to lower speed tiers. Choosing to increase the content delivery speeds by about 20% to 25% should get them to the 100% delivery rating by the either next internet performance report or the one after that. For many of the DSL subscribers, the ISP only has to change some limits in the software controlling the internet connection speeds. For other subscribers it will take significant investment in hardware and physical plant to get the data transfer rates increased.

PNW097
@qwest.net

PNW097

Anon

New Automated System

I have recent issues with my Centurylink DSL. From three tech visits and many calls I learned that the higher speed is a result of their new automated system.

My problem wasn't related to this, they sent me a replacement modem and thought the automated system was at fault, it was simply corroded connections in the street pedestal that a 20 year vet technician fixed within 5 minutes - once he was called out.

If you have 15mbps and pay for 12mbps and are getting disconnects, they claimed on three tech phone calls I had that it was their new automated system causing this and can readjust the line speed down.

toby
Troy Mcclure
join:2001-11-13
Seattle, WA

toby

Member

But most of the CL customer get LESS than PAID for speeds.

CL only upgrade their speeds where they have competition.

Otherwise, they leave them alone and collect the money for terrible service.
firedrakes
join:2009-01-29
Arcadia, FL

firedrakes

Member

Re: But most of the CL customer get LESS than PAID for speeds.

i can confirm this myself. i havae prism and internet and my 1mb(full) was what i had then 2 weeks ago i notice it was up to 3mb full now
ArizonaSteve
join:2004-01-31
Apache Junction, AZ

ArizonaSteve to toby

Member

to toby
No, mine went up from 20 to 25mb and there's no competition here. Maybe they think there is cause the cable co., Mediacom, advertises internet service but that doesn't actually work but don't tell them that.

Yucca Servic
join:2012-11-27
Rio Rancho, NM

Yucca Servic

Member

Speed and cost

Like everything else bandwidth increases and the cost to the consumer eventually goes up. Nothing is free when it comes to an ISP. Somebody has to pay the piper. Expect it!

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

linicx

Premium Member

I'm in the middle

I get advertised 10/1 DSL as advertised but it is very erratic when they are working on lines as they apparently are now. When they were upgrading the last time I was rebooting the modem 4-6 times a day. I am doing it again which makes me suspicious.

Out of 5 tries to run a speed test only one was completed. The ping when reported was between 97 and 93 which is abnormally high. The test stops, etc.. It's messy, and it acts like it is oversold. It might be as it is cheaper than the telco that shares their office, and shares their fiber to provide cable. And the kids are back in school. Where I live broadband is a craps shoot.

I was told last night that even though there is fiber in the office I won't see much change until they bring fiber to the curb. She didn't understand how unlikely it is until I explained there is 14.000 residents vs 30M tons of corn that is exported annually.

After seeing Excede is outperforming all the telcos it is enough to make me think twice.

chd176
join:2003-01-10
Winfield, AL
·CenturyLink

chd176

Member

not in the entire footprint

I don't think this is being rolled out in CenturyLink's entire footprint. Most of the people that has noticed the sync rate increase have been in former qwest areas as the legacy CenturyTel (former GTE) do not have the 12 MB tier available. The max without VDSL for these areas are 10 MB. I don't think we even have bonded DSL as an option, at least not in my area.

fuziwuzi
Not born yesterday
Premium Member
join:2005-07-01
Palm Springs, CA

fuziwuzi

Premium Member

Re: not in the entire footprint

My parents in Virginia have CenturyLink DSL. They are limited to a MAX of 1.5Mbps down/256Kbps up. This is their only choice for internet service, there is no cable in the area. CenturyLink also does not provide any higher tiers for that area.

chd176
join:2003-01-10
Winfield, AL
·CenturyLink

chd176

Member

Re: not in the entire footprint

I was stuck on 1.5/256 for 8 years lol finally I was able to upgrade to 10/768. Hopefully they'll upgrade your parents RT (presuming they're RT fed) to allow the higher tiers. Mine went from being fed from T1s to eventually fiber fed and I was able to chose up to 10/768.

fuziwuzi
Not born yesterday
Premium Member
join:2005-07-01
Palm Springs, CA
Hitron EN2251
Nest H2D

fuziwuzi

Premium Member

Re: not in the entire footprint

I'm hoping that, as well. Over the past couple of months, my parents report that there has been some sort of "cable" being buried along the major highway to the substation that serves their area. After getting them to describe it, I am pretty sure it is a fiber trunk. So perhaps sometime this year or early 2014 they might see an upgrade, I hope. My mom has become a Youtube addict.

Steve B
Premium Member
join:2004-08-02
Auburn, WA

Steve B

Premium Member

I Subscribe to the 40/20 Service...

I just noticed yesterday that my speeds are now 50/20. I rebooted my DSL modem to be sure and still 50/20. Nice... =)

jadebangle
Premium Member
join:2007-05-22
00000

jadebangle

Premium Member

Re: I Subscribe to the 40/20 Service...

said by Steve B:

I just noticed yesterday that my speeds are now 50/20. I rebooted my DSL modem to be sure and still 50/20. Nice... =)

Why do ppl think rebooting their cable modem will get them upgrade?
Bengie25
join:2010-04-22
Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Bengie25

Member

Re: I Subscribe to the 40/20 Service...

Because it seems to work many times. I had the same issue with Charter, every time they upgraded their speeds.

13/1 and Charter said they upgraded us to 18/2, or some numbers like that. After 3 days, I still had my old speeds. Unplugged my modem, and it came back up with the new speeds.

Did the same thing for every upgrade.

Steve B
Premium Member
join:2004-08-02
Auburn, WA

Steve B to jadebangle

Premium Member

to jadebangle
said by jadebangle:

said by Steve B:

I just noticed yesterday that my speeds are now 50/20. I rebooted my DSL modem to be sure and still 50/20. Nice... =)

Why do ppl think rebooting their cable modem will get them upgrade?

I think you misunderstood me. I didn't reboot my modem to get the upgrade. I had logged in to the DSL modem to reboot because of connection issues and wanted to see if there were abnormal amounts of errors on the line. I rebooted to see if the new speed stuck or if it was some kind of hiccup that would go away.

graycorgi
Premium Member
join:2004-02-23

graycorgi

Premium Member

125% of slow is still slow

I wonder what increases are in store for the generous 3mbps offered to residents in my neighborhood.
rontom
join:2006-04-09
Wright City, MO

rontom

Member

CenturyLink spped boost??

Click for full size
How about a speed boost for the 1.5Mbps service...we could use it the most!

chd176
join:2003-01-10
Winfield, AL
·CenturyLink

chd176

Member

Re: CenturyLink spped boost??

You're getting fairly close to the advertised speeds of 1.5/256, I'm not sure they'd raise the sync rate much more as this seems to just be trying to get everyone to their advertised speeds by syncing higher than you pay for to account for the overhead.

lineofsight
join:2003-01-03
East Saint Louis, IL

lineofsight

Member

Re: CenturyLink spped boost??

My Mother in Law has Century Link in Keokuk, IA and the sync speed was historically 1024 down and I think 512 up. After reading this story, I remote accessed and looked at the sync speed the router/modem claims and it shows 2272/896.
ozar
Premium Member
join:2008-04-13
USA

ozar

Premium Member

extra speed

This is wonderful news!

I'm in Central Texas and haven't noticed any increases in speed as of yet, but will keep watching for it in case it should happen in our neck of the woods. I'll certainly be updating my Century Link review when and if a speed increase occurs...
Jammers
join:2009-01-15
Tillamook, OR

Jammers

Member

Speed increase

Still stuck at 10 Mbps here. Considering i haven't seen an upgrade in over 5 years any increase in speed even to 15 Mbps would be appreciated but i won''t get my hopes up.
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