Tryinng to get CenturyLink to repair our interent. Need advice/help.
Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2023 11:33 am
This is written in long form to preserve details.
4 years ago we purchased, for the business, from the only cable-based internet provider in our area an 8Mb/s connection over ADSL from CenturyLink. Over the years we have had problems with our internet either losing the connection, or the speeds dropping down as low as 3Mb/s. The time before last that a tech showed up, he worked on the connection, said he had done all that he could for us, and we started to get 10Mb/s, which is impressive taking into account the distance. This most recent time the service tech showed up and diagnosed CL's cable as failing to preform to specifications. He said that 1 pair was throwing too many errors for 8Mb/s and the others were, as he put it, "dead". He said that they needed to install a new cable.
Now I have heard from other internet techs in my lifetime that the internet cables need to be replaced every 2 years to maintain maximum speeds. IDK how true this is.
We recently got a mailing indicating that we are getting a new contract with CL for 6Mb/s internet and phone service, which we never had nor did we order. Moreover, they're planning to charge us $300 for running the phone cable!
Naturally, we called them up using the cellphone, only "the call couldn't be completed as dialed". Tried again and again with the same result. Tried with wife's phone, which CL also knows about with the same result. Borrowed a phone from someone else and got through, no problem. Is CL blocking my and the wife's number?! Concerning the downgraded speed, CL rep said that she couldn't give us more than 3Mb/s, what we were getting on one of the bad pairs, so we should be happy that we are going to receive 6Mb/s. The person on the other end said that we were not receiving any phone service, but couldn't explain the charges on the sheet, which is the planned bill for this month, for phone service, 911 service, etc. We asked to speak to a supervisor, and was told that "the supervisor would call us back today." Still waiting on that.
So how do we get CL to hold up their end of the contract for 8Mb/s? How do we get a replacement cable? Is there anything else we should be aware of or can do?
Thanks!
4 years ago we purchased, for the business, from the only cable-based internet provider in our area an 8Mb/s connection over ADSL from CenturyLink. Over the years we have had problems with our internet either losing the connection, or the speeds dropping down as low as 3Mb/s. The time before last that a tech showed up, he worked on the connection, said he had done all that he could for us, and we started to get 10Mb/s, which is impressive taking into account the distance. This most recent time the service tech showed up and diagnosed CL's cable as failing to preform to specifications. He said that 1 pair was throwing too many errors for 8Mb/s and the others were, as he put it, "dead". He said that they needed to install a new cable.
Now I have heard from other internet techs in my lifetime that the internet cables need to be replaced every 2 years to maintain maximum speeds. IDK how true this is.
We recently got a mailing indicating that we are getting a new contract with CL for 6Mb/s internet and phone service, which we never had nor did we order. Moreover, they're planning to charge us $300 for running the phone cable!
Naturally, we called them up using the cellphone, only "the call couldn't be completed as dialed". Tried again and again with the same result. Tried with wife's phone, which CL also knows about with the same result. Borrowed a phone from someone else and got through, no problem. Is CL blocking my and the wife's number?! Concerning the downgraded speed, CL rep said that she couldn't give us more than 3Mb/s, what we were getting on one of the bad pairs, so we should be happy that we are going to receive 6Mb/s. The person on the other end said that we were not receiving any phone service, but couldn't explain the charges on the sheet, which is the planned bill for this month, for phone service, 911 service, etc. We asked to speak to a supervisor, and was told that "the supervisor would call us back today." Still waiting on that.
So how do we get CL to hold up their end of the contract for 8Mb/s? How do we get a replacement cable? Is there anything else we should be aware of or can do?
Thanks!