Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2016 21:17:52 -0500
From: dave cohen
Subject: Re: CenturyLink and my 2 cents
Unknown to us we have been using for years a modem/router combo unit provided by CenturyLink and an additional router also provided by CenturyLink, the later costing $7 per month.
I AM a computer guy, and just noticed the same thing on my bill, I believe it was $8.99/mo. The advantage at the time was that they would support, replace it, upgrade it – and we did go thru several that died in thunderstorm. I even bought a hot spare on ebay for just that reason. However, we quit using it some time ago – and I forgot about that charge. So, I paid them about an extra $100 for nothing. I sent mine back, and like you they said they never got it – wanted to know if I had tracking set up. But, at least the guy I chatted on line with did drop the charge from the bill – if you still have problems, keep trying to chat with support on line and you may find someone with sense there.
Advantage of 3rd party modem/router is better performance, much cheaper. Disadvantage is CenturyLink will likely not help you if you have any issue related to connection if it is not their modem. You are on your own, and of course the modem/router company support is almost always worse than CL (is that really possible?). They aren’t getting paid monthly like CL.
So while cost is high, you could consider it modem/router insurance/support charge, and for some people this may be Ok. People pay $7-10/mo for cell phone insurance, right? Don’t feel bad. Do feel bad if you are an idiot like me paying for something I’m not using!
On a humorous note – while railing on them via chat recently, I asked what would happen if modem/router were stolen and you could not return it. No answer. I guess you are screwed.
We loathe CenturyLink. If I could run string and dixie cups to various destinations, it would be an upgrade from them…
- Dave
I have HUGE problems with CL as well. I live in (rather I did live-just moved) Silk Hope. They were charging me for high speed, when the performance was on a dial up level. After many calls, and many hours on the phone, I finally got them to admit that they were not providing the service they had been charging me for. So the great company that they are, they agreed to charge me $5 less per month. As for the 3 years they had charged me for a service that I did not receive, they basically said tough s@#t. This was after I finally spent over three hours on the phone, going from customer service to technician to customer service to technician to the “escalation” dept. Also after I had a field service person come out and tell me that there was no way to increase my speed. They were charging me for 20 MB/S and I was getting 1.2 MB/S. I was just “too far out” anyway, this is a horrible company, but we should not blame the company, it is the morons in congress who have deregulated everything and allowed monopolies like this to exist.