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All reviews of CenturyLink


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Reviews:
read 227 reviews (102 positive) (63 negative)
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Six Month Rating

Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:


$42 per month avg ($29 to $60)

Speed test results 3 year trend

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Review by blazecom See Profile
Posted: 1.2 years ago
member for 3.9 years, 133 visits, last login: 85 days ago


Columbia,Boone,MO
Business customer
$54 per month
about 5 days
CenturyTel
"Service, 5 free static IPs, High Uptime, Get more than I pay for"
"none"
"Get it if you can!"
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings above consensus)

    Had a rough start because we had a major storm and they were backed up with fixing that, so my line was delayed a bit, but my line has been solid, since I have the business package I got 5 static IPs for free (you have to ask for them) although my rate is higher than for a residential line (I needed the IPs). CenturyTel only blocks around 6 ports and they are not commonly used, my webserver runs fine.

    I have 10.0/768 dsl and I constantly get 11-11.5 down and 750-770 up, my pings are very low, around 39ms during the height of the day. I have the wireless Westel modem and have never seen a drop yet when it comes to sync....

    The bottom line is they are the best carrier in my area when it comes to cheap Business Grade DSL.

    The other companies in my area only carry SDSL for Business Grade and right now I just don't need that.

    Followup comments:

    dsldude08
    Premium,VIP
    join:2008-01-03
    La Crosse, WI
    ·CenturyLink

    Awesome...

    Glad to see you are happy with your service. Has it continued to meet your expectations? If you have any issues that need to be addressed, or questions, please feel free to post them in the CenturyTel Forum.

    Thank you!
    --
    "We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution."
    - Abraham Lincoln
    Forums » comments on review of CenturyLink

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Review by casmith See Profile
Posted: 1.3 years ago
member for 2.9 years, 454 visits, last login: a few minutes ago


Salem,Fulton,AR
$110 per month
CenturyTel
"Good most of the time"
"Lately bad latency issues (intermittent)"
"No other options available otherwise I would rather have another provider."
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)

    As there are no other viable options for a high-speed streaming type of connection, I am stuck with an overpriced service. I am required to have telephone line even thou all I really need is their DSL, which when it's working properly works pretty well, but lately (past 3-4 mos) there has been bad latency issues.

    Followup comments:

    dsldude08
    Premium,VIP
    join:2008-01-03
    La Crosse, WI

    Latency

    What kind of ping times are you getting? What speed are you supposed to have? What are your actual speed results?

    Thank you.

    casmith

    join:2006-12-27
    Salem, AR
    clubs:
    ·CenturyLink

    Re: Latency

    Well, there is a problem with one of the ISP's devices in Mountain Home which has been ongoing for about 1 month...

    As I said the issue is intermittent but when doing streaming gameplay or remote working this is a problem with 300+ms pings.

    A DSL line should generally have ping times of under 100ms to a MAX of 150ms.

    That issue and their tech department where they don't even know what latency is, is irritating.

    dsldude08
    Premium,VIP
    join:2008-01-03
    La Crosse, WI
    ·CenturyLink

    Re: Latency

    Ok, well according to your test results, there is obviously an issue going on in Mountain Home. What have they told you about this when a tech was sent out? Do you know if anyone has contacted our Network Support Center to see what they show on their end versus yours?
    --
    "We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution."
    - Abraham Lincoln

    casmith

    join:2006-12-27
    Salem, AR
    clubs:
    ·CenturyLink


    1 edit

    Re: Latency

    Ya I called support 3x tonite as I'm basically fed up waiting on them to notice the issue after there was a line cut causing an outage about 2-3wks ago, but this seems to be system problem with their equipment in Mt. Home. Waiting on a call back from Tech Support from Team Leader asked to have the call escalated for complex issue. The other 3 people didn't even know what latency is :/ Scripted Tech Support is sometimes a problem.

    Also, a tech is supposed to be comming out to do a line check tomorrow, but I don't believe that is the problem as Mt. Home is a problem when comming from DSLReport to ME, and they get same type of high latency at the same location as I do.
    Forums » comments on review of CenturyLink






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Review by netlive See Profile
UPDATED: 1.3 years ago
member for 1.5 years, 9 visits, last login: 1.3 years ago


Plattsburg,Clinton,MO
$60 per month
about 75 days
CenturyTel
"None - Not a single one."
"Too many to list - read full review for details."
"There is something very wrong with this company. Avoid at all costs."
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings well below consensus)

    I was promised numerous times by their customer service before I purchased my house (a mere few hundred feet from the aggregation point) that they could provide me 3.0Mb DSL service with static IPs. Turns out they do not offer static IPs, but "sticky" IPs through "dial-up DSL" technology - using the old dial-up modem PPP technology. I made numerous phone calls to CenturyTel complaining about this, only to be told every time I call that they have no record of my previous calls indicating promises made or any dissatisfaction with my service. This is either the pinnacle of incompetence or I am being flat-out lied to.

    Then when I find workarounds for their lack of true static IPs I find out that they have so severely oversold their backhaul that the most throughput I can get is 20-25% on average, with a low of 7% in mid-afternoon when all of the kids get out of school and start logging on. How is someone who works through the internet supposed to conduct business when the network chokes in the middle of the workday?

    CenturyTel's response? "Perhaps you should consider our T-1 service for $450 per month".

    My response is not fit for print.

    I moved to my current location based on the false promises that CenturyTel repeatedly made to me only to find out they are a den of incompetent liars. They have a complete monopoly on broadband service in this town of ~2500 people and they are using it to cheat and abuse their customers. If there were any viable alternative at all I and others here would be gone in a heartbeat, but instead we're forced to suffer under the boot of CenturyTel.

    If anyone from CenturyTel sees this, I would love to post a follow-up about how you promptly fixed this huge mess in Plattsburg, MO and how everything works wonderfully now, but until then I will continue to spread the word loud and clear about how you are treating your customers here.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------

    UPDATE on 6/9/08:

    I have successfully switched to Socket DSL services (socket.net). After more than a week of tests and activity I can confidently say that they are providing exactly the DSL service that I expect from a 3Mb DSL connection with static IPs. And yes, they are REAL static IPs over a fully-bridged connection, not the mis-labeled crap CenturyTel tries to pass off as static IPs - using a PPP connection and DHCP server to re-issue the same IP. Sorry, but that's not a static IP, and no amount of ignorant double-talk from CenturyTel will ever change that.

    I still have not received any reply from CenturyTel regarding any of these problems. In fact, every business in town that relies on their DSL connection has had the same problems I have, and the issues have become so severe that City Hall has gotten involved and asked me to assist in finding alternatives to CenturyTel. Well, I found one in Socket and I'm going to make sure everyone in Plattsburg knows that a viable alternative exists. From what I've been told the business community here is ready to lynch CenturyTel, and I can't blame them. I'm ready to lynch them myself.

    I don't understand what CenturyTel's problem is. If you have so much contempt for your customers why do you even bother? Why not sell your assets to another business that's actually interested in the products and services they are offering? I've never in my life encountered first-hand the kind of contempt, apathy, rudeness, and just plain ignorance that I have encountered with CenturyTel. If the Public Service Commission regulated DSL like they regulate the phone lines CenturyTel would be black-balled from ever providing service to anyone.

    If you're an investor in CenturyTel I would get out immediately. There is something definitely very wrong with this company.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------

    UPDATE on 7/15/08:

    After being ignored in every other avenue of communication, I sent CenturyTel a registered letter demanding that my DSL service with them be discontinued immediately. Well guess what, THEY COMPLETELY IGNORED THAT TOO.

    I have no words to describe how awful CenturyTel is. I have now sent all of my information to the Missouri Attorneys General office, the Missouri Public Service Commission, the FCC, and the FTC. If they won't respond to me, and won't even respond to our city government, then perhaps they'll find it necessary to respond to one of these organizations.

    I simply cannot stress hard enough how utterly terrible CenturyTel is. There is absolutely no excuse for this, and this company should not just be avoided but should be dissolved altogether.

    Followup comments:
    chelpt

    join:2008-05-24
    La Crosse, WI
    ·CenturyLink

    Update?

    So I don't get it. My connection is exactly what I expect. Mind, I have high tech support standards, so I don't talk to them.

    But your story sounds like a torrential rain of BAD... and at the end you said it was promptly fixed. Does this mean your connection works?, they gave you a discount?, you actually found a good tech support person?, the Area Plant Supervisor called you?

    I feel the story is leaving us hanging.
    netlive

    join:2008-05-14
    ·CenturyLink

    Re: Update?

    No, it was never fixed. I said that I would be happy to report back here if it *was* promptly fixed, which it has not been. In fact, I have submitted requests for a technician to come and review my connection and its myriad of problems, and CenturyTel DID NOT EVEN RESPOND to my request. At this point I feel that I have been sold a fraudulent service by a company who has now disappeared.

    Fortunately, after months of searching, I have found a competitor in this area and am in the process of setting up the same DSL service with them. Once that service is online I will post back here with another update, but I can tell you that so far the technical knowledge, responsiveness, and customer service with this new company has been absolutely the polar opposite of CenturyTel. At this point I just could not possibly think any lower of CenturyTel, and they apparently aren't even bothered enough to care.
    netlive

    join:2008-05-14
    I have updated my original review.
    chelpt

    join:2008-05-24
    La Crosse, WI
    ·CenturyLink

    Re: Update?

    Ok, I'm sorry to hear that it was so bad in Plattsburg. I'm not sure if Centurytel just act differently in La Crosse (maybe it is because they have the Midwest headquarters over here) or what. But I do have one thing to ask of you...

    Your Static IP. Were you paying the extra $20 to get this? I do, and I get the static IP just fine. Sure the modem needs to log in and such... but getting that static status makes certain that it is that ip address all the time. Did some one in their customer service tell you that it came with static ip? That would have been wrong. Also, did your system just not understand how to use the 255.255.255.255 on a single static ip?
    netlive

    join:2008-05-14
    ·CenturyLink

    Re: Update?

    Yes it's bad in Plattsburg, and it's not just me. As I mentioned our city government has been receiving fierce complaints and they have also been unable to get any kind of response out of CenturyTel.

    Yes I was paying the extra $20 for an 8 block (5 usable) static IPs. However, static IPs must be served over a fully bridged connection as described in RFC 1483. CenturyTel uses a DHCP server to re-issue the same IPs over PPP, which means to the outside world your IP address is still a dynamically assigned IP. If you only need a static IP for game playing or other casual use then that's fine, but when you're trying to run a business this just doesn't cut it. The static IP *must* be visible to the outside world as an actual static IP, not a dynamically assigned IP controlled by the upstream provider. The generally accepted term for this arrangement is "sticky IP", and it is fundamentally different than a static IP.

    Furthermore, by issuing these sticky IPs with a DHCP server, it makes the other 4 usable IPs worthless. How am I supposed to set up 5 routers - one on each IP - when the IPs are assigned in the order of request? Every time my power goes out or I lose DSL synchronization it becomes a race condition for each router to log in and obtain an IP, which means there is no guarantee that the same router will end up with the same IP from the sticky set. As I said before, this just doesn't work for actual business use.

    The amazing thing to me is that CenturyTel doesn't even realize this. It's not that CenturyTel understands and just accepts it as a shortcoming of their service - they actually believe they offer static IPs. Their website even states that they offer static IPs. I'm still considering whether or not I should report them for false advertising. If there were an agency for reporting technical incompetence I would have reported them for that long ago.

    GeekJedi
    RF is Good For You
    Premium
    join:2001-06-21
    Mukwonago, WI
    clubs:
    ·CenturyLink
    ·VOIPo
    ·Vonage
    ·RoadRunner Cable

    Re: Update?

    First, if you're running a business, then you should pay for a biz-class service, or be prepared to deal with the issues.

    You are paying residential prices for a residential service, with no speed or uptime guarantees. It seems that the T1 offer is entirely appropriate for someone who needs biz-class service, or at least calls an complains about issues when you haphazardly decide to run your business on a residential connection.

    It's unfortunate that you're having those sorts of issues. It seems to be the exception, rather than the rule.

    I'm not sure what you'll achieve with your "reporting" about their advertising. A static IP is a static IP - and I use CTL as a backup connection at my office (a backup to a T1, since I wouldn't trust my business to a DSL connection) and I can access my stuff through a static IP. It may not fit YOUR definition, but it fits THE definition.

    Anyway, it sounds like you found a provider that better suits your needs. I think you're probably better off looking at them in the rearview mirror. As for me, I have 10000/768 through them and have had nearly zero problems in two years.
    --
    The goal of the broadcast engineer is to get all the meters on the transmitter to go as far to the right as possible!!
    netlive

    join:2008-05-14
    ·CenturyLink

    Re: Update?

    I was paying for biz-class service. I've been doing this long enough to know exactly what service levels I need in order to run my business. I never expected SLA guarantees or dedicated circuits like you would get with a T-1, and that's not at all what I'm complaining about anyway.

    There is a certain level of expectation for a business class DSL connection, and getting just over 20% of the bandwidth, being sold one product and receiving something entirely different, and being treated with such contempt and eventually being ignored is absolutely unacceptable.

    As I said before, the entire city is ready to lynch CenturyTel and not even our city government has been able to get them to respond. Does this sound like an exception to the rule? Does this sound like someone who is just ignorant of what they really need? Does this sound like just one unhappy customer with an axe to grind?

    And CenturyTel's rate of $450/month for a T-1 circuit was with a 3 year contract. So you're basically saying I should fork over a no-bid contract worth $16,200 to a company that can't even get the simple details right? A company that is so rude and technically incompetent that they have an entire city upset with them? A company that won't even respond when the problems are so bad the city government has to get involved? And I'm supposed to put trust in any SLA they provide for the more complex services?

    And I have to fervently disagree - a static IP is a very specific technical setup that is very important to the business class users who really need them. A sticky IP is technologically very different from a static IP, and if you really needed a true static IP you would understand that the two are simply not interchangeable at all.
    netlive

    join:2008-05-14
    ·CenturyLink

    I just have to follow up again on the static IP issue because it's really becoming a pet peeve of mine.

    A static IP is *not* defined as an IP that doesn't change. It's defined by the way the IP is assigned - ie, statically. If a DHCP server is assigning the IP then by definition the IP is *not* static. It makes no difference at all if you receive the same IP from the DHCP server or not, it's still being dynamically assigned.

    Static IPs can be delegated to independent name servers for reverse DNS resolution, which is critically important for real business class use. Sticky IPs cannot be delegated which makes them no better than using third party dynamic DNS resolvers with a non-sticky IP.

    Static IPs are also assigned - statically - at the node consuming the IP. That guarantees that the node will maintain that same IP if the connection is ever lost or reset. Nodes that request their IPs from a DHCP server are *not* guaranteed of receiving the same IP address if there is more than one IP in the sticky set.

    This isn't directed at anyone in particular, but anyone that thinks that "static IP" simply means an IP that doesn't change then please stop talking about it. That's *not* what static means, and by propagating this misinformation it only serves to make it harder for the people who need real static IPs to get what they really need.
    myriad

    join:2008-07-27
    West Monroe, LA

    Re: Update?

    I just found this entry and wanted to clarify some things. Using your description, CenturyTel is using static IP addresses. When a static user connects, their IP address information is associated with their account; it only tries to perform allocation from a dynamic pool if the account is set up as a 'dynamic' account. Because the connection is a Point-to-Point connection, the first IP address in the range is given to the router and the other IP addresses are then routed to the first ip address since this is the gateway. By statically assigning IP information on the servers a user sets up, something which is good practice in server administration, you never have the issue of servers 'battling' for the ip resources.

    Also, you should be able to contact the support team for your ISP if the reverse DNS records are incorrect and ask them to fix them for you.
    Forums » comments on review of CenturyLink

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Review by jood See Profile
Posted: 1.3 years ago
member for 3.2 years, 59 visits, last login: 1.3 years ago


Pine Prairie,Evangeline,LA
$59 per month (24 month contract)
about 4 days
CenturyTel
"None"
"Absolutely horrendous service. Massive packetloss. Overloading of badnwith. Price is horrible for the speed offered."
"Not even worth being called a broadband connection/internet provider."
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings below consensus)

    First off, I'll start with I've been a CenturyTel customer for over 6 years now. I live in a small village called Pine Prairie, Louisiana, which basically has a population maxing at 1,000 due to a large prison facility being within the town limits. We have no other options here for phone service/internet service other than CenturyTel. 59.99 a month package for 1.5mb/256up.

    Well, the first year that we got it, it was fantastic! I had 56k for 1 year before getting broadband, and I was absolutely amazed.. Boy was I happy.. then, about 6 months later.. it was like I was playing on a 56k again. I am an avid gamer, who depends on quality of the service... packetloss being my main factor, secondary comes speed.

    Well, repair ticket after repair ticket, my problem has never been solved and they always tell me it is fixed. As of about 4 years now, I've been getting packetloss of 4-5% from the hours of 6-11pm. On top of that, the speed slows to about 700kbps down (which isnt that bad). 4 years I have called and talked to technician after technician about the problem.. them telling me it's something wrong with the lines, they check my lines and everything is fine on my end.. Then the other day I finally had it. My packetloss had sky-rocketed up to 39%. It stayed like this for a solid week. Well, the night it happened, I called the hotline and talked to a tech. They set up a repair ticket and when they couldn't figure out what the problem was, they told me "Sorry we don't know what's wrong. But to tell you the truth, we only offer internet service. We don't guarantee quality."

    This has to be truely one of the worst internet providers out there. Don't even waste your time bothering with this company. You are better off settling with 56K from another company.

    Followup comments:
    Forums » comments on review of CenturyLink

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Review by grunt9800 See Profile
Posted: 1.3 years ago
member for 7.4 years, 2574 visits, last login: a few hours ago


Fort Rucker,Dale,AL
$92 per month (12 month contract)
about 7 days
CenturyTel
"Stays connected when good weather"
"Intermittent connection during bad weather/Speed not as advertised"
"Good when connected"
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)

    My Other Reviews·AT&T Southeast
    Get disconnected for a minute or so whenever there's thunder and lightning. Currently only 3 Mbps of the advertised 6 Mbps (waiting on resolution)

    Price is bundled with landline

    Followup comments:
    Forums » comments on review of CenturyLink






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Review by mmccrore See Profile
Posted: 1.3 years ago
member for 1.3 years, 0 visits, last login: 1.3 years ago


Lapeer,Lapeer,MI
$49 per month
CenturyTel
"Consistantly reliable, well priced, well supported"
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings above consensus)

    have provided great service for years.
    have had the same price plan since the first packages were offered in my area, and have been automatically updated as service became available.

    49.95 when 256 became available
    49.95 up to 768
    49.95 up to 1.5Mb
    49.95 next week up to 10Mb

    Within a month or two of availability, upgrade notifications came from CenturyTel via email, or local technician (which was nice) and performed without headache.

    Service disruptions (on only a few occasions) in the past few years have always been met with good customer service, and have even been credited toward my account for time of service disruption.

    I noticed that 15Mb is now available through centurytel, but I would imagine that fiber is required up to the house for this. I live far from the road, thus only having copper up to the house, so this will have to suffice for the time being. At least until cable or 802.16 are available locally. Nice to see that centurytel and my satellite provider have combined forces, however!
    F* the cable monopoly in this neck of the woods! Haha!

    Pre Sales information: 4/5 Decent enough website, but phonesales staff is not informed
    Install Co-ordination: 5/5 Customer support++, and great local (inhouse) support!
    Connection reliability: 5/5 Only a couple disruptions in several years
    Tech Support: 5/5 Notification and usage credit!!
    Services: 4/5 Would like to see better discounts in Dish service
    Value for money: 4/5 Only free wi-fi gets 5/5

    Followup comments:
    Forums » comments on review of CenturyLink

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Review by swineyjs See Profile
UPDATED: 1.4 years ago
member for 1.4 years, 0 visits, last login: 1.4 years ago


Troy,Lincoln,MO
Contract price not specified.
CenturyTel
"DSL in Rural Missouri"
"Installation has not been smooth"
"To Early to call"

    We just bought a new house. Called CenturyTel and ordered Phone and 3mbps DSL. Install was set for 7/26/08.

    Why am I writing early? Well...Because we called to get status and someone closed the work order saying it was done on 6/16/08. We drive 1 hour to the house and find that indeed a contractor showed up on 6/16/08 and did the install to the house. He used, are you ready for this, Orange 18 AWG UTP in thin PVC that he ran on top of the ground and tied in a knot to the house and then closed the work order. Even if someone comes behind this guy and uses this cable, I will have tons of trouble. First the run should use 24 AWG Direct Burial cable...I think we can all agree that indoor cable under the ground is a bad idea. Second the signal loss using the wrong cable will cause DSL issues.

    So far I'm not impressed with CenturyTel. I'm waiting to hear back from the account folks. I'll keep you posted.

    Followup comments:

    setustraight

    @propel.com

    before you type think

    The orange line you refer to is temporary until the permanent line is buried. The permanent line will be at least 24ga 5pr buried drop. You should get facts before you blog.
    Forums » comments on review of CenturyLink

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Review by chelpt See Profile
UPDATED: 1.4 years ago
member for 1.5 years, 82 visits, last login: 4 days ago


La Crosse,La Crosse,WI
$60 per month (12 month contract)
about 21 days
CenturyTel
"Fiber To The Premise @ 15 meg and Static IP"
"TV is still being tested"
"with Static IP, it is a WAY better deal than Charter."
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)

    I moved into the La Crosse area about 5 years ago. My path was Onalaska, then to Viroqua, and back to La Crosse. Onalaska and La Crosse are both serviced by Centurytel, while Viroqua is serviced by another company (who will get their own review).

    When I first moved to Onalaska I tried the cable company for a static IP. I actually went for it. But I got a speed that was less than the 256k of DSL, and it required to be a business account. That was 5 years ago, but I kept my eyes open. Centurytel was in the area and it was my initial thought that DSL was worse than Cable. After a few months I ditched the business class cable service and I couldn't even use a DynDNS service. I found any server calls were blocked.

    I talked to some one that worked at Centurytel's Internet Help Desk and found that such thorough blocking wasn't done by Centurytel. They did block some email ports, and otherwise only major virus ports got blocked. So I changed. I went with just the regular service and I was able to use the DynDNS service as I started my own web server.

    Moved to Viroqua for about 2 years, then moved back to La Crosse and Centurytel. My new home is serviced by utility poles, and I found out they upgraded the area to Fiber Optic Heaven! And they were selling a full fledged IPTV service as well (not that web browser based thing, but real chanels to my TV)

    Even though I have an old home, I had them upgrade to the FTTP (Fiber To The Premise) service. It took them about 3 weeks to schedule, as it was being done with TV service too (they were fighting a back log, and in this area there is a particular football channel that Centurytel has that the other guy doesn't, probably the sole reason for the long wait).

    The upgrade consisted of using an ONT (Optical Network ????) on the outside of the home and a nearly 2 foot by 2 foot board with a battery back up, power supply, apc power strip, 8-10 port Lynksys Switch and a Westel 327 Wireless & 4 Port Router. They wired an Ethernet Connection to my Computer Lab and then an Ethernet Connection to my main TV Connection.

    The internet connection has been SOLID. 15 Meg is so Choice.

    The TV service could use some work. I've heard we should be getting new TV boxes soon. So I hope that will fix those issues.

    --------- 6/10/08-------

    A week or two ago the TV went out. This was 2nd bad outage in the last two months. I've heard rumors that they are going to do a major overhaul of the TV system. I got myself a good credit for the TV outage, so I'll keep with it for now. I got a real good fiber internet connection with 15 meg down and residential static ip, so that is keeping me in place for now.

    (an FYI about my charges: only includes Static IP and 15 Meg Internet)

    Followup comments:
    Forums » comments on review of CenturyLink

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Review by spoc See Profile
UPDATED: 1.4 years ago
member for 1.4 years, 4 visits, last login: 1.3 years ago


Trussville,Jefferson,AL
$62 per month
about 7 days
CenturyTel
"got everything promised, has not been down, good price"
"none so far"
"recommend, if you can get it"
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings above consensus)

    Service: business

    Speed: 10M/768K

    Distance to DSLAM: about 2-3K feet

    Length of service: 3 weeks so far

    We have been looking for DSL ever since moving to this location. We thought it would have to be Bellsouth (now AT&T) whenever it became available because the local phone company was a "mom & pop", as is common in Alabama. We have been using Charter cable for several years, but it was often down. Charter speed was usually as advertised (1.5M/256K), but there were often DNS/routing problems.

    Recently we found out that DSL was available from CenturyTel for about the same price as we were paying Charter, but the service was 10M/768K. It took a couple of days to get things sorted out with a splitter, etc, but the connection has not been down since we first got it working. Email support a little slow, but that's OK because the phone support is good. Local tech support is good too.

    I would recommend this to CenturyTel customers.

    CenturyTel: Are you advertising this to your phone customers? Also, please do not sell out to Ma Bell. I am glad we have an alternative, and I am pretty sure this level of service would cost much more from AT&T.

    Update: After reading other reviews, it looks like the service you get from CenturyTel varies a lot with where you are located. I guess a lot depends on the people in charge locally. So far I have no complaints.

    Followup comments:
    Forums » comments on review of CenturyLink

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Review by dsldude08 See Profile
UPDATED: 1.5 years ago
member for 1.8 years, 277 visits, last login: 4 days ago


La Crosse,La Crosse,WI
$50 per month
about 2 days
CenturyTel
"Fast, Reliable, Solid"
"Tech support could be better. But it is free, and 24/7/365."
"Best internet I've ever used."
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings above consensus)

    From order to install it took about two days. The technician came, wired up a separate phone jack ($85 though), and we synced up right away. I ordered the 10MB service, I'm about 2,300ft from the central office on 24 gauge copper (per the tech that came out). Speed tests average at about 10.5MB down and 720K up. the connection is PPPoE still, but hopefully they start sending the modems or routers pre-configured eventually. The prices range a little bit by a few different options. For example, the lowest speed available is the 256k and then it jumps to 1.5MB and then 3MB-15MB (15MB if you're fiber) and the 3MB-15MB are the same price, it just depends on what you can get at your location. Normal pricing that I was quoted was $50/mo for the 3MB-15MB, but with a discount it's $10 off for 12 months, of course the promotions change though. The modem I have is the Westell 7400 four port router, no wireless though as I have my own. I have not had any disconnects since I got it nor any drop in connection. My only suggestion is that I had to change the DNS servers to OpenDNS because CenturyTel's were a bit slower. I have had no bad experience as of yet and if I do I will post a follow-up.

    ***5-23-08***

    I've only had a few issues with my DSL signal dropping a couple times, mainly due to the fact that I had it plugged in through a surge protector. It worked for months and then out of the blue it gets sensitive to it. Either way, not a huge issue. If you do get this installed by a tech, if you're ok with the cost (if there is one depending on what you get), get a direct line from the phone box on the side of your house (NID) to the room the computer is in, and have a whole house filter put on the NID, because then you don't have to use the little filters all over the house. Other than that, still rock solid, still getting over 10MB, just waiting for fiber to show up at my doorstep. :-D

    Followup comments:

    dsldude08
    Premium,VIP
    join:2008-01-03
    La Crosse, WI

    DNS Servers

    Come to find out I was using the wrong DNS servers for my area. I switched back to CenturyTel's and I am rock solid for DNS yet again.
    Forums » comments on review of CenturyLink


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