I mentioned before here, about my adventures with CenturyLink. I've been a Bell customer for about 47 years - my entire adult life. CL is a baby Bell, spinoff in about '84 with the AT&T divestiture as Qwest, renamed 10 yrs ago.
I've subscribed to their phone and DSL internet service bundle for some time. Out here in our neighborhood all we can get is a DSL connection on POTS lines - aka "twisted pair". (Yes I used to be a software engineer for AT&T - programmer, analyst, and DBA in the 90's.) There are no other providers using landlines out here - other options are Hughes satellite service and some can get connected via the cell phone companies - both bad choices with speeds not quite "broadband" with too-high prices, data limited packages and throttling if you hit the limits. Meaning your speed will be dropped to a tiny fraction of your base speed until the period end. We couldn't connect using the cell connections as "line-of-sight" is required while we are in a cell hole. What we could get from CL on DSL was a line rated at 3MBPS down, about 500K up. Actual speed the line would deliver was gross 7MB per the modem's speed report but it would benchmark on speedtest a net of about 2.2. With this "high speed" connection the wife could telecommute saving lots of money and time. I've worked out of the ranch since '99. We had to carefully husband our use, so we didn't collide with the bandwidth so sparse. Our DSL package had no contractual quantity or speed limits. We could use what they delivered.
So I'd monitor the bandwidth and limit my use so our use matched the bandwidth we had. Meaning, we used what we bought.
CL didn't like that. They want to sell the product at their profit prices, and want you to not use it much. Maybe get your email, some shopping online, and generally GTF offline for 23 out of 24 hours. The wife conducts conference call business meetings over the connection using VOIP, for her employer, another telecomm company, competitor of CL. They don't pay for our connection, it's out of my pocket.
So suddenly our line went from 7000kbps to 4096 gross on the front end of the modem. Benchmarked generally around 1200kbps or so. I got on the horn with TS and got the runaround for quite some time, must have talked to 8 TS associates (I wouldn't call them engineers - pretty sure they have sparse "shingles" based on their knowledge and unprofessionalism). All calls were recorded (by me).
Two of them said we have been "throttled". And they told me the speed of the order - which matched the report from my modem 4096d, 640u. No one else would admit that - pretty sure they let that slip and weren't supposed to.
As a result, I couldn't get the bandwidth I needed to stream content - no more videos or movies even during off hours. The wife could no longer conduct VOIP meetings. She had to resume commuting with all the expense and time that takes in what has become horrible traffic with the growth in Denver. Man was I pissed - CL denying me the service they sold and I paid for at the tune of $115 / mo because I was actually USING it. Recall I asked on this board some months ago, a survey of your speed, provider, price and type of connection - ours was the VERY WORST and reportedly in the bottom 2% nationally. While CenturyLink claims they were delivering a "superb" connection. What's the word for such lies - denial of the truth like I'm blind or going crazy - "gaslighting". I googled "throttling" - found it's common at ISP's to punish actual users of their products. Motivated me to REALLY find a replacement. CL personnel have this barely concealed attitude that they are the only option so we basically have a Hobson's Choice - suck up and accept it. They put in fiber optic cables along Hwy 86 just 2 miles from here and cruised right by our somewhat large development of 400 homes. Anybody who lives even on the wrong side of the road of the cable - tuff crap you're SOL. They truly have Ernestine's attitude.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOg7IiUnZ5QDidn't take me too long. I found that Rise Broadband can provide true broadband using microwave tech at 25MB down, about 10 up, with no limits, from their tower 1.7 miles away - line of sight, I can see it over the trees. Benchmarks at 23-24 all the time. I couldn't wait to shut down CL on the ISP use, which I did ASAP. Now use them for phone only. Told them to pound sand (figuratively, not actually).
Well now the Baby Bell is acting like a baby. The phone has become really unreliable. It's down right now, and is about half the time. Yeah I test it at the terminal box - there's no signal coming in. Yes they are paid on time. And their online test reports no issues.
Oh yeah. I called for a tech to fix it yesterday. The quickest they will get a tech here to fix it is Tues. I am looking to dump them for my phone service as well now. Unfortunately I have 2 phone lines and one is the business line. I need 2. However now that I have Rise Broadband their uptime is over 99% - sometimes I need to make the connection when I start my day. They also have VOIP - looking into that to get rid of CL.
So there are two bottom lines. To contact me, please use my email -
valkstuff@horseapple.com. Prefer that over the PM through the club here, which might go down. And why use their resources. I have a cell phone but don't publish it's number - if we need to talk I can call you on that line.
Secondly - if you need a phone company - and who doesn't - try to pick a responsible one. Not this jerkoff unprofessional CenturyLink.
