 Review by SpookyTx 
Posted: 1.7 years ago
member for 1.7 years, 1 visits, last login: 1.6 years ago
 Gilman,Taylor,WI
 $60 per month
 about 18 days
 CenturyTel
 "When it works, it works."
 "It RARELY works."
 "Better internet than carrier pidgeon."
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Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings below consensus)
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First, let me state that there IS no choice; it's CenturyTel or nothing in this area. That being said, you really do feel like you're being held at gun-point for anything remotely close to data services. My cel phone doesn't even work until I drive 20 minutes, and I can't honestly complain about my POTS line service.
I ordered my modem and service once I moved to Gilman. I had recently moved from D/FW where I had Verizon FIOS, so I will capitulate that I could be viewed as spoiled. I received the modem a day earlier than I was told, and the phone service had been activated earlier that day, so I was pleasantly surprised. Being an IT pro, I eschewed the start-up disc, and entered my PPPoE info directly into the modem (which was provided me 3-4 days previous by phone-jockey). The modem was a Westell Versalink 327W; I've used those extensively while working for Verizon doing DSL and FIOS support. The modem behaved normally, service began, and had no issues until the next day. I live 500 feet from my CO, well within CT's loop-length limitations.
Inside the following 3 days, I had to request a new modem. Mine began resetting itself sporadically. Out here at the corner of No and Where, they had 1 tech in-town, and another in Thorp (20-30 mins away). The local tech came by to replace my modem, since it was obviously fritzy. The local tech had never even seen a 327w, and did not have a replacement. Instead, I was given a Dual-Connect 6100. I've had plenty of good experience with these from a support stand-point also, so I chocked it off to a bad 327w, and went about configuring my shiny new 6100. After 3 hours, it began resetting itself sporadically. When I was able to connect, I had speeds worse than dial-up. I found the chances of two modems in 1 week being bad to be highly unlikely, so I called tech support again to request a line-check. I was hoping to see if they could tell if there was a problem with attenuation or interference from a cross-connect or something to explain the lousy service I was getting and the modem resets. After a conversation with the local tech, I was referred to the other technician, who was based in Thorp. The tech made a visit, and it was deduced my pc was having issues due to lsass and csrss causing CPU usage spikes. I corrected this issue by simply nuking windows and installing Debian. I wasn't pleased about losing 20GB of data just to prove a point. Since when does Windows' being a virus in and of itself make your modem flip out? At worst, my service speed would be poor, but a hardware reset?
After slagging Windows, and moving to Linux just to prove a point, my service was still VERY poor, and the modem began resetting on me randomly. Some times it would work fine for an hour, then all the lights would go out, DSL would lose sync, and the OS would report my 100MB connection to the modem was severed. I contacted Tech Support again, and they send me a 2nd 6100. After 3 hours, it began behaving identically to the first 2: random resets, poor service when it wasn't resetting. By this point, I'd had the service for a week, and gotten 5 hours usage out of it. I called tech support again, and was shipped ANOTHER 6100. The resets began again within 2-3 huors, but became less sporadic after day 3 of modem #3.
Now here's where I find failures :
When dealing with DSL circuits, tech support should have a mapping tool or testing app for checking the conditions on a given circuit. According to CenturyTel, their Tier 1 and Tier 2 technicians have no tool for this diagnostic. I have tried several times, but apparently there is either no Tier 3, or they are equally unable to help. I understand that you get what you pay for when it comes to support personnel; I don't expect network engineers, CCNAs, or MCSEs for 8-10 an hour. However, after dealing with technical support for an average of 20 mins per call, 3 calls a day for the first week of service for 3-4 days, and 2nd week consisting of 8 calls over 3 days (I was frankly depressed about the lack of support) I have gotten to know their support apparatus.
I would sooner trust a Taco John's employee to support my connectivity. I have nothing but contempt and loathing for my DSL provider. At 500 feet loop length, and having disconnected every single jack in my home to eliminate possible sources of cross-connects or 'interference' and properly filtering every device (1 POTS phone), I still had a slew of bad modems (even Westell's aren't THAT bad), and I get decent service from 11pm-2am. My modem SAYS it's connecting 1792/128. My speed tests however, bear witness to speeds ranging from 5600 (yes, HUNDRED) bits per second to 1792, while real thoughput is around 1.5k down.
In conclusion, if CenturyTel HAD competition, they'd lose. They'd shut their doors, lay off employees, and the guys at the top would sell their shares, and find other work running other companies into the ground.
The way this company can redeem itself : aggressive expansion of infrastructure making the value of the brand WORTH paying for. I would gladly pay in excess of 100 a month for low-tier Fiber Optic. I'm certain that many in my area would agree and gladly do the same. There are 490 people in this town, and about 6-7k in surrounding area. It would be worth it for them to do so, and make the quality of the service something consumers are happy to have. And CenturyTel would profit.
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