How can century link STILL be so incompetent? Innefective customer service. Three different answers on same subject. Three hours on the phone yielded 7, yes 7 transfers and still no help. Asked for a supervisor and got rudeness in return. I have had to contact them twice in as many months about 2 different issues. Both times a nightmare! My sense is that customer service reps are not trained, are poorly paid so don’t care, and don’t have a clue what they are doing. Couldn’t contact the local office as they aren’t listed! I’m going with out internet until I find an alternative. I will not be held hostage by these idiots. I can only vote with my dollar.

Ever since I moved to a rural area, I have been experiencing daily disruptions of internet service. Come to find out, the entire community is having the same problem. Generally, the internet slows down to about 2 Mbps after 4 PM and intermittently on weekends. As I have done research (when the internet is actually working at a satisfactory speed), I've found that most rural communities experience similar issues from CenturyLink.

I have spent over 14 hours talking to their customer "service" and technical "support" departments to no avail. There was one evening that I spent 6 hours on the phone with them straight. Customer "service" usually tries to sell me a TV bundle before even acknowledging the fact that I'm upset with their internet service. To me, it seems awfully rude, unprofessional, and not to mention completely inefficient to try to sell a customer a new service when they are already unhappy with their current service. When I finally become assertive with them and point out how idiotic this is, they apologize and transfer me to technical "support."

Technical "support" generally consists of employees who are not native to the English language. This means that making any progress with the company takes a lot longer because I have to explain and re-explain the issues to them so that they will comprehend. This is very BAD NEWS for someone like me who doesn't have an "unlimited" cell phone plan. The typical experience with this department means spending hours listening to these people tell you that CenturyLink is perfectly flawless and that all of the problems are caused by your modem. Not only is this unrealistic, arrogant, and very poor problem-solving, but the assumption that the problem is your modem when you just bought your modem directly from CenturyLink is completely ironic and self-defeating. After spending countless hours reconfiguring my CenturyLink modem, the internet was still incredulously slow. Technical "support" told me that they would send out a technician to look at the problem, but since they were in disbelief that it was their fault, they were going to charge me $80 for the house call. I told them that that was not ethical and, tired of the 6-hour phone call, I finally hung up on them.

After several attempts to contact technical "support" for help, I filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). FCC policy states that the "carrier" should respond within 30 days by postal mail and provide the FCC with a copy of the response. I waited for 29 days and finally got a response from a CenturyLink analyst in Denver. This response was not only addressed to the FCC instead of me, but it was also via email instead of postal mail, AND at the last minute. It was quite apparent that the analyst did not read my complaint in its entirety. She essentially gave me a typical, fake customer "service" response that most large corporations would provide to their customers. This entails beating around the bush and not directly addressing the customers concerns, not admitting any fault, and not being sincere about any apology that is offered. The analyst stated that their records show that my DSL line is stable and fully functioning, which is exactly the run-around that I got from technical "support." However, upon multiple inquiries to find out how they even take these records and how they know that they are accurate, I still have no clear answer. The analyst also admitted that the lines in my area are "at capacity," offering no sincere apology or any hint of remorse on the matter. She stated that the lines would be updated by next month. When I asked for compensation for several months of disrupted service that I paid full price for, I was offered a mere one-month credit, which I consider to be as good as a Band-Aid for a bullet wound. I then submitted a rebuttal to the FCC.

My rebuttal mostly consisted of an additional request for their method of recording statistical data. In other words, I wanted to know how and why they think my line is stable. The response to the rebuttal came several days later from the same CenturyLink analyst. Again, it was quite apparent that my message wasn't read in its entirety; she seemed to have just skimmed over it to provide a quick, beat-around-the-bush response. She still did not provide their method for taking records. Furthermore, she said that my rebuttal contained no new information and didn't require a new response. My next rebuttal will be more assertive as it seems that this person has difficulty with reading comprehension.

In conclusion, CenturyLink should simply be boycotted. I am personally planning to switch to a cellular hotspot (even though it costs more). CenturyLink is much too large of a company to provide sincere customer service. None of the representatives I have spoken with have ever visited my town, nor do they realize how unethical their practices are. They seem complacent in the way they do business and they are apathetic when it comes to customer service as long as they are making money. They have ethical blindness, which is a common ailment amongst large corporations.

I was contacted by phone from an independent Century Link Representative wanting to know who my current carrier was and what I was paying for my plan. I told him I was paying around $120.00 a month for my two phone lines and internet for my salon but that my plan did not include nationwide calling. I was fine not having nationwide calling for that price as the staff and myself would just use our cell phones to return long distance calls. He told me that Century Link could do a plan for around $110.00 a month not including taxes and that it would I would have nationwide calling as well. I thought that would be great and he then scheduled me for a time to have my phone switched over to from Charter to Century Link.

When I received my first bill from Century Link I was shocked at all the extra fees that I was not informed about to the tune of $500.00 and on the bottum of the bill in small print was a statement about a three yeaqr contract and that if I cancell before the three years was up I would be charged for each lline around $500.00. I also notce extra charges for long distance calling which I was told woulbe included in the price of $110.00. I immediately called back my old carrier to come and switch me back to their service as it was clear to me I had been scammed. Now I have received a bill from them with the addtional charge for what they say is breaking their contract. I was never informed of any three year contract untill I read the fine print on the bottum of my first statement and have not payed this bill. I have contacted Customer Support and have just gotten pushed from one person to the other but have still not been able to resolve this issue. I am willing to pay for the month and a half of the service they provided but want nothing more to do with Century Link. I have talked with others who have had the same experience and don't want others to be put in this situartion. I would appreciate if you could look into this matter at your earliest convenience. Thank you,

Dana Shy/ owner
The Ritzz Salon

(almost) A Year in the Life of a Century Link Customer:

June 2016: I was told that if I wanted to pay online, I had to pay more to use Western Union (through CL's website) and I had to use a credit card (not my bank account). Otherwise, I needed to mail a check in, so I started using my bank's free bill pay feature (they write the checks and mail them in).

July 2016: I was offered three-year, no contract promotional rate for 12mbps. It would be $19.95 for 11 months (until July 2017), and $29.95 after(July 2019). Which comes to $23.94 and $32.66 per month respectively with taxes/fees added in.

August 2016: My first bill with the new promotional offer was $22.80 (prorated) (paid 8/5/16 from my credit union).
-- I updated my last name on my account. Then, without authorization, my account was closed and a new one opened in using my new last name, but using the same phone number. I was not told about this change.

September 2016: I discover that I am being charged a fee for opening a new line. I am promised a refund of the $48.83 (one month of service + new account fees) after I pay it. So I pay it (from my credit union on 9/8/16).
-- I received refund check on 9/18/2016
--After much ado, CL maintenance find that my internet service had been "unplugged" at the utility box for a month. I am told I will be credited for 39 days of no service.

October 2016: Find I haven’t been credited at all, in fact, my bill is now $65.77.
-- They applied my $48.83 check to the closed account, then refunded it. Now the current account now is past due and has late fees. (late fees were credited by rep, bringing my bill to $58.77.
-- Customer service refuses to give me the rest of the credits I am owed for new line fees or outage.
-- I send a detailed letter to the Vice President of Operation (of CL) in my state, whose assistant apologizes and credits my account $128.

November 2016: I am overcharged for service at $29.95/monthly ($34) rate. But I was unable to see this using Quick Bill Pay feature (only shows me that I owed $0).

December 2016: (same as November)

January 2017: I find that I owe $32.59, only showing a $1.35 credit left on my account.
-- I am told that I now have to sign up for autopay to get the $19.95 promotional price I was promised in July 2016.
________________________________________________________________________________

If there was any other option for DSL internet service in my area, I would jump on it. A few words of wisdom:

1. don't just email transcripts to yourself. Use print feature, even if to just print to google drive or a pdf. This way the numbers in the transcript aren't scrambled.

2. If you live in a state where one party phone recording is legal, by all means, get yourself a phone recording app. Use it. Label (date, names, etc) and save all customer service call files.

3. Screenshots. Get them. Save them. Back them up. -- screenshots of bank account/ credit card activity, of their website, ads you see from these companies. Timestamp them.

The less shit we put up with from these companies, hopefully, the better service we will get.

I've had to call centurylink every month since I've started service in December 2015. Every call takes at least an hour to an hour and a half. It is insanely time consuming and draining to have to explain what is wrong with your bill to multiple representatives every time I call.
I signed up for Internet basics which is high speed internet for low income customers and for months was paying $14.95 for a basic 3m-7m speed internet. Every month they billed me at $19.95 and I'd have to call in and have them correct their error. In April, one representative said that I was being billed $19.95 because the speed they had me at was actually 12m. I told that rep I wanted to downgrade because I didn't need that speed (as I only use the Internet for research and classes) and was interested in paying no more than $14.95 for my internet. I told the representative it was all I could fit into my budget. He told me that the downgrade would take effect next billing cycle and that I still had to pay $19.95 (after fees it turns out to $21.94) but that the difference between the correct and incorrect bill would be credited on my next billing cycle.
So the next bill comes in and in expecting to pay no more than $15 and it turns out I now owe $69.52. YUP.
I refused to pay that amount until they fixed it. Three billing cycles later...I now owe $229.48 and am expected to pay $149.50 by today.
I spoke to a rep earlier today who said that the agent I spoke with in April downgraded my internet speed but also dropped my internet basics discount. Which is why I have been charged $69.52 for May's bill and $79.96 for June.
I was asked if I was informed that by downgrading from 12m to 7m, my internet basics discount would be removed. No I wasn't. I was never informed. I was told that they would have to review the call I made back in April in order to file a claim against that agent for misinforming me that my internet basic would be removed. They said all they would have to listen for are two things: 1.if that agent failed to mention my discount being dropped once I downgrade. 2.if he failed to mention my bill would go up.
So I'm thinking, I got this. They are going to listen to the call and figure out he screwed up and then they'll re apply my discount because the agent definitely didn't mention either of those things and actually reassured me that my bill would be less than $21.94 next billing cycle.
Boy was I wrong. They reviewed the call and said that according to the call I was informed my discount would be dropped. They are flat out LYING to me. They said that I agreed to downgrade knowing my discount would be dropped and that I would now be paying full price. How does it make sense for me, someone who started this service under a low income program, agree to pay $80 for 7m speed internet when I couldn't even afford to pay $19.95 for the 12m speed??? How does that make sense?
I was transferred to someone in the loyalty dept who said that while he understands my frustration, he can't change what's on paper and that I owe the remaining balance. So their representative makes an error and I'm expected to pay for it? CenturyLink operates on dishonesty. I'm going to be livid if these thieves take me to collections. I wished I had never signed up with them and have a feeling this is going to be a long process before it's resolved.
I had a meeting that I didn't make today because I was on the phone for an hour and a half. This is the screenshot I took of the call with shady centurylink reps I was on to send to the student I was suppose to meet with.

I've had to call centurylink every month since I've started service in December 2015. Every call takes at least an hour to an hour and a half. It is insanely time consuming and draining to have to explain what is wrong with your bill to multiple representatives every time I call.
I signed up for Internet basics which is high speed internet for low income customers and for months was paying $14.95 for a basic 3m-7m speed internet. Every month they billed me at $19.95 and I'd have to call in and have them correct their error. In April, one representative said that I was being billed $19.95 because the speed they had me at was actually 12m. I told that rep I wanted to downgrade because I didn't need that speed (as I only use the Internet for research and classes) and was interested in paying no more than $14.95 for my internet. I told the representative it was all I could fit into my budget. He told me that the downgrade would take effect next billing cycle and that I still had to pay $19.95 (after fees it turns out to $21.94) but that the difference between the correct and incorrect bill would be credited on my next billing cycle.
So the next bill comes in and in expecting to pay no more than $15 and it turns out I now owe $69.52. YUP.
I refused to pay that amount until they fixed it. Three billing cycles later...I now owe $229.48 and am expected to pay $149.50 by today.
I spoke to a rep earlier today who said that the agent I spoke with in April downgraded my internet speed but also dropped my internet basics discount. Which is why I have been charged $69.52 for May's bill and $79.96 for June.
I was asked if I was informed that by downgrading from 12m to 7m, my internet basics discount would be removed. No I wasn't. I was never informed. I was told that they would have to review the call I made back in April in order to file a claim against that agent for misinforming me that my internet basic would be removed. They said all they would have to listen for are two things: 1.if that agent failed to mention my discount being dropped once I downgrade. 2.if he failed to mention my bill would go up.
So I'm thinking, I got this. They are going to listen to the call and figure out he screwed up and then they'll re apply my discount because the agent definitely didn't mention either of those things and actually reassured me that my bill would be less than $21.94 next billing cycle.
Boy was I wrong. They reviewed the call and said that according to the call I was informed my discount would be dropped. They are flat out LYING to me. They said that I agreed to downgrade knowing my discount would be dropped and that I would now be paying full price. How does it make sense for me, someone who started this service under a low income program, agree to pay $80 for 7m speed internet when I couldn't even afford to pay $19.95 for the 12m speed??? How does that make sense?
I was transferred to someone in the loyalty dept who said that while he understands my frustration, he can't change what's on paper and that I owe the remaining balance. So their representative makes an error and I'm expected to pay for it? CenturyLink operates on dishonesty. I'm going to be livid if these thieves take me to collections. I wished I had never signed up with them and have a feeling this is going to be a long process before it's resolved.
I had a meeting that I didn't make today because I was on the phone for an hour and a half. This is the screenshot I took of the call with shady centurylink reps I was on to send to the student I was suppose to meet with.