CenturyLink
reviews and complaints

In the past several years we have had to call you out because of "non-service" or outages but mostly unexplained interruptions in the service. This past year has been even worse. A couple of months ago a Tech was out and exchanged our Modem for an updated version with no change in the service. Every, I mean every day, we have no service between 1:00 pm and about 6 pm. Last time I spoke to Technical Support, the gentleman told me that I had to upgrade my service. I thought to myself upgrade from what from no service to getting uninterrupted service.
We pay our Bill for your service every month without any interruptions but yet your service continues to be poor for us. I have had to change my work schedule because of your service and that was a huge inconvenience for our family and life style.
Thank you

In the winter when snow was on the ground Centurylink laid a new cable to my residence. It has laid on the ground for months and months. I was given a date of July 1 as the day it would be done. Someone came and looked at it and that was all . So for months we have had to work around this cable. My grandkids have tripped over it, I have had to raise it to mow the lawn. I myself have tripped on it as it lays across my deck. It runs through the neighbors yard and they have dogs tied up that could be tangled in the cable as well. I cannot get any answers to why this is not being taken care of. I continue to be charged each month, but I am not getting any help from Centurylink. i want to be compensated for this total disaster. I have been a customer for many years and cannot believe the inaction of this company. I am very close to leaving.

Repeated unsolicited phone calls from different numbers. Am listed on DO NOT CALL. PLEASE STOP THE CALLS!

These calls interrupt me daily…several times during an hour period all day. Shall I obtain an attorney as I am on the DO NOT CALL LIST but these calls continue.

STOP IMMEDIATELY!

In late August 2020 we ordered and received a business landline. In September we started to have issued with the line that made it impossible to have a call. We have since had several tickets to fix this without success. Centurylink repair, who have been at the property at least 12 times, or more, had confirmed since fall last year that to resolve the issue they would need to dig to repair the ground fault by finding, digging and making the repair from my house to the main of the street. However, to this date they have not done this. Instead they just keep closing the ticket. Then I need to call again to raise the repair request.

In May this year a tech suggested they ask the neighbour to make a "temporary" connection (that they say isn't really allowed) while they fix my ground fault, which was due to take some weeks. So they ran a loose (yes just over the fence, street and our gardens) line and reassured both my neighbour and I it was just short term while they fix the line.

I got a call a few days after this from the dig technician who said: "to be honest that it would be a hassle to dig and suggested and cancel the service". I was quite surprised by this and I asked him : "is it normal to suggest customers go elsewhere because you prefer not to do a repair?" I also asked: "if this is the case why was I not told this several months ago, and can he make a note on the system so that I am able to get a full refund?" To these he replied that not for him I should talk to customer service. When I pressed to say but you are repair and need to up date the ticket will you put what you said in the notes? He said no.

Still waiting to see what happens. A week or so alter I call customer service and was told the ticket was closed (again). And again after explaining the situation they reopen the ticket and send out another tech at the start of June. he was surprised with what he found and send out an update to the supervisor. Last week two tech who have been here before visited (they actually had installed the "temporary line" . I ask what was happening and the reply was something like "it being worked on" . When I explained what I was told by the Technician supervisor (I have his name and number) they just brushed it off. And guess what? they closed the ticket again!

I called today to reopen and again and spoke with Customer service and Repair. But it is clear that centurylInk repair department do not wish to fix my line and have left me with an interim line that not allowed, which they have not noted in the system and so look like I have my normal service resumed, when it has not. Just to add they have full access to the box as it outside and they can and do freely walk in to access, they know this and have so many ti, es.

Now I know they do not intend to fix the ground fault I am fine to cancel the service but would require that the many bills sent be removed and a full refund for payment made be provided.

I have spoken with Repairs, Customer service, billing and Finance. Both Finance and Billing have been very kind but they point you back to customer service have followed up and keep pushing this to repairs who have basically keep opening and closing the ticket without completing the work shutting it down.

What recourse do I have to resolve this?

In the last week the provider has been down twice for several hours at a time. Monday it was down for 12hours or more. Now, on Friday, they are down again. Seriously considering Verizon since it doesn't cause problems. CenturyLink is total crap and losing Virginia customers. I've been with them for 50 years. to for a change I guess.

In December DirectTV chose to cut off my services. they said I needed to "upgrade" my equipment. I called CenturyLink, got ahold of someone who did not apparently understand the English language and told them not to pay the DirectTv for January, as my service had been cut off. They paid it anyway. I REFUSE to pay for service I did not receive. Filed several complaints against DirectTV and CenturyLink (btw, NEVER "bundle" services from separate companies). I received a response from Brenda Spence at "corporate" stating they would not cut my phone for not paying the directTv bill... On 6/5/21 I got a disconnect notice. They had put most of the money owed me on to basic (local services), ONLY 7.23 towards direct tv (when the total amount "past due" was ONLY for direct tv). I have attempted to contact Ms. Spence several times but only get voicemail and no return calls. If they employed people who actually UNDERSTOOD and spoke the English language correctly so that they understand and Americans understand them, this issue would not have happened, yet when you try to get an English speaking person you are on the phone for hours at a time.

She refused to put me through to a manager. Continued to cut me off when I was speaking and telling me I was wrong. Advised me that she was not going to help with the billing issues and when I told her I was recording our conversation, just like they are, she told me I could not speak to her manager and that she was making a note and that I was not allowed to record the call.

Last week I set an appointment for tech help. The new modem causes multiple problems with internet service: one of five surveillance cameras no longer work, and two of four alexa echo dots no longer work. The tech never showed up. I called centurylink to find the appointment had been cancelled but we were not told so we waited all day. Our time is not important to them.
Another appointment is set for today. Again we are expected to wait all day for a tech to show. Instead of waiting and wondering if the appointment is still active and not cancelled as it was last week, I called centurylink to check. There was ansolutely no way I could get past that offensive little man who answers for centurylink. I got nowhere. Centurylink-man hung up on me 4 or 5 or 6 times, refusing to connect me with a human. This is a wretched way to treat customers who pay for service. In fact, this is not service. It is a joke perpetuated on customers who have no other choice for internet. Shame on centurylink!

Worst customer service. Spent hours on phone last week for days on end trying to get someone to come out to repair internet. Entire street was out. Said no issues. Can never reach a person. Offer online chat but when you hv no internet you can't online chat! It's ridiculous.
The tech came out last week and said there were ten calls from my street... completely different information from cs. Finally fixed it after days w out service. After working fir five days, back out. Spend two hours on hold w cs. Only to get disconnected and not get call back. Everyone on my street out of service again and we all got different responses. I don't hv time to spend hours snd hours sitting on hold and not get any resolution. They know we hv no other options w internet snd just don't care abt the customers. It's beyond upsetting.

My business was without phone service from 05/08/2021 through 05/13/2021. It was reported to Windstream who was helpful with reporting and updates. However representatives with CenturyLink was not helpful. I was continually transferred from one person to the next, each time having to explain entire problem again, each time not getting any answers or anything fixed. This was after trying to navigate through the horrible and completely frustrating phone menu just to speak to a CenturyLink representative. There is no excuse for a business or individual to be without phone service for this long. There is no excuse for having to go through a horrible phone menu to try to speak to someone only to reach multiple customer service representatives who, literally do not care and just transfer you to the next person who does not care.

We have been with Centurylink internet service for over six years, despite their unreliable internet service. When we returned to Prescott, AZ in early April we were unable, as is frequently the case, to obtain internet access. We must emphasize his has happened before, many times before. This time we were COMPLETELEY unable to obtain internet access. In frustration, we canceled our internet service through Centurylink on the 27th of April. As we had no access to the internet, we had no assurance that this request had been honored

When we returned to California on May 7th, 2021 (where we had reliable access through AT&T) we found that our arrangement with Century link had NOT been canceled!

On that date, we talked to several CenturyLink representatives who told us that we could could NOT cancel our service unless we agreed to comply with their (undisclosed) disclosure agreement! Please not that we have NEVER been under contract with CenturyLink and have been reliable customers FOR OVER SIX YEARS!

We have been charged for a service that we have NOT received and have NOT been allowed to cancel unless we agree to their undisclosed terms!

The company is fully aware that many of their customers are seniors who tend to be compliant with the most egregious demands, and will likely submit to their conditions.

In view of this company's flagrantly disregard for the rights of their customers, ALL prospective clients should be advised to avoid doing business with CenturyLink, as they clearly have no interest in dealing fairly with their clientele.

I spent over 3 hours on the phone. First my bank verified check was never returned by them and was not submitted or returned unpaid. More than sufficient funds were available at all times. CenturyLink representatives could not provide a copy of my check to show markings to prove it had gone thru the bank saying they do not gave access to email, yet they are my internet provider and they have no access to email? They kept requesting my routing number, I asked why and was told they needed it to submit electronic payment. I refused to provide since they have that information on the check they received. They said they could not submit the check to the bank a 2nd time and that eventually the check will be returned to me. I refuse to provide routing information or another payment until I receive my original check back which I have not. I also refuse to pay return check fee, especially since bank refused payment and CenturyLink cannot or will not provide proof that it was. Nor will I pay a late payment fee for this since you received my check well before it's due date. Right now this will cost me a minimum of $30.00 to stop payment on my check since CenturyLink could easily process this check at any time as well any additional payments that are sent. Something is not right with CenturyLink representatives, the excuses they provided, and inability to provide any proof.

Hello,

While I understand that Century Link is a large organization with many complex roles to meet, I find it to be greatly sub-standard in some of these roles. As a management consultant and familiar with business practices, I have experience with good and poor processes, and I absolutely dread having to contact Century Link. The process is long, it is repetitive, it is not consumer-friendly, it takes you through frustrating amount of steps, and is generally poorly thought out. It could be streamlined so much better!

From a admittedly small sample of the great amount of calls that you handle, this is only my experience (though many of people I know agree) but basically every one of my more than dozen calls over the last two years have been incredibly frustrating. Representatives are friendly and do their best to help, but the system in design towards customer-friendly attitude reminds me ones I have seen in less developed countries or centrally planned economies.

From not being able to find my account (4-5 times) to transferring (a few times then losing me and having me start the whole process again) to forcing me to answer many questions and ultimately not transferring me to where I would like to go seems to be the rule rather than exception.

Half a year ago, something changed with billing on the Century Link end. My auto payments were not going through. It was not a fast nor simple thing to correct, even though it had nothing to do with anything on my end. Recently, I got a note that Century Link changed my account number and billing system. After checking on-line account, it seemed to be fine - but based on past experience I knew it could quickly evolve into a problem that would take a lot of valuable time to rectify for me. And of course, unlike representatives, I would not be getting paid for the time spent trying to fix it. After a few minutes of answering questions, and trying to get through to a representative for a clarification, it ultimately told me the call center was closed. This was after repeated attempts to get a representative, which even after I requested that option, it wasted my time with so many other automated responses regarding my balance, COVID rules... It could have immediately told me that it was not possible to reach a representative. Century Link is a tech and communication company and it could have a system that demonstrates that.,

Bottom line, I truly dread having to call Century Link. My suspicion that it will end with a frustrating system with messages, choices, questions, and prompts that may or may not end well basically comes true almost every time even though each time I hope someone will have streamlined the process.

Again, while reps are mostly very helpful and try their best, I would be embarrassed and ashamed if as a Senior Manager I were getting paid any bonus or any type of reward outside of a basic competitive salary when it comes to contacting customer service. I do not know if it is complacency, lack of competition, or whatever it may be, but it is very reminiscent of the countries I have lived or world in that had a centrally planned or monopolistic organizations.

Desirable resolution: That this message reaches the senior management, if particularly as I suspect, and would be willing to wager that I am not an isolated case, or that if you were to do a study on your process, that this is an issue that senior management should address.

If it is just me and a few others, well, then basically ignore this. But I think I am not the only one that finds this frustrating and inefficient. Ideally, having a survey or outside check of the process would likely result in recommendations that over time, could save thousands and thousands if not millions of customers time and frustration. Think how nice that would be to have that kind of a positive impact on so many people.

I cancelled CenturyLink services in September which was finalized in October and paid my account off. I have been receiving an ongoing bill of $172.50 even after attempting to clear it up. Today I called (again) and spoke to Lashawn who transferred me to Sabrina in billing who then hung up on me. They claimed they never closed my account and I have to talk to billing to reverse the charges but they never fix the problem! Lashawn also said we owe $40 for a bill that was not paid since 2018 (I've never received a current bill for this amount). We paid that account and closed it several years ago. I'm don't know why Century Link continues to bill us. I did verify the services have been shut off since September 2019!

I have tried over and over again to have Century Link come to my apartment and get the internet to work. I need this for my job. It works for a month and then it's slower then molasses again. Right now it barely stays on which means I can't do my job.

I have called MANY times over the past several years including last month when I guy came out and reduced the amount of wifi from 4 to 3 (I believe) and now it's not working again.

I wish I had dates, I don't but they know it's a recurring issue.

Three months ago I noticed that our wifi was slowing down. Then it completely stopped. Nothing has changed in our house that would make that happen. CenturyLink provides the worst equipment I've ever used.
I want another modem/router please. I do not want to be charged for this.
Is there anything else you can do to increase wifi coverage? I should be able to use wifi in my bedroom. When the wifi worked, I had to stay in the living room to use it which is the room the modem/router is in.

I spent 2 hours today on the phone with customer reps and supervisors. I wanted to know if Century Link services an area I am moving my business to at the end of the month(April). I asked if I could keep the 2 business numbers I have had for years. The answer to the first question was a quick "yes". The answer to the second question was "I don't know". The first rep directed me to write an email giving my request to move and keep lines/phone numbers as well as the address I am going to and the address I am leaving along with other information. The email address I was given by rep Nick was [protected]@centurylink.com. I repeated it back to the rep twice. I composed and sent the email and it bounced back saying "no such email address". I tried again and same result. I called back and got another rep who told me that of course I could keep my numbers with the move. I then asked to schedule the move and was put on hold. The rep Jordan came back and said that his system was running slow and he was going to give me to his supervisor Joe. Joe said that he would help schedule an appointment for installation. Joe put me on hold several times and then came on and said that I was going to have to send an email after all. I have been a loyal customer of Century Link for years and this is the worst customer service I HAVE EVER HAD any company.

I can NOT speak with any customer service agents in the US! After a 45 min. wait and jumping through hoops by the automated system, I was forwarded to the Philippines where the representatives rooster wouldn't stop crowing, so he pretended to be an automated voice and hung up. Next time I finally got a real rep. who also spoke over me instead of escalating to a higher level for help, then hung up. Now I can't even get through and all I can experience is the automated system that makes you chase your tail around in circles.

All listed phone numbers for customer service have been disconnected! This is NO way to operate a successful business!

After a decade as a customer, I am joining a class action law suite!

Very dissatisfied,
Sterling Smith
[protected]
acct. # [protected] 404R

Scheduled an appointment to upgrade service from residential to business. Technician came to house but did not call or follow other pre-stated instructions on arrival, but simply left because he did not want to open gate. Called many representatives at Century Link to rectify situation but most representatives hung up (on transferring to someone else) or simply kept us on hold and did not respond.

Re: account [protected] Re letter dated March 3 2021 from Monroe La.. saying in part your recent payment of $34.75 has been returned by your bank. Not true went to my Sioux Valley Credit Union...never returned...plus I have complained to century link that payment was never charged to my bank in January 30 when I made payment on your auto service or February 24 was never taken out. Called several times saying money hasn't came out and they said they have payment. Bank said no they never received. Now they say bank returned payment...just at bank not true. I have confirmation number of January and February. Please call me [protected] Marion Dirks Sioux City Iowa