Internet service provider shenanigans (CenturyLink)

[SDG 3,319]

I’ll keep it brief for the TLDR crowd.

I have Clink internet service and I rent a modem through them.  The last few months my internet service has been cycling off and on.  On Sept 16 the service went off for several hours so I called the service line.  The tech couldn’t get any kind of response to the signal being sent so he sent a tech out. A few hours later a tech arrived and checked the box down stairs and everything was fine.  The modem was the culprit.  He replaced the modem and was on his way. 

Today I get a bill from Clink for $100 service call.  They want to charge me for trouble shooting and fixing their defective equipment.

What are my options surly?   Would you pay the bill or go scorched earth?

[Lobwedgephil 1,139]

You could get your own modem that will work a thousand times better than the one provided to you. 

[Gene Parmesan 4,002]

I am assuming all that fine print that nobody ever reads covers them to do stuff like that, so it's doubtful you have much recourse.  Your only options are to pay it, or bitch and moan enough to the point that they drop it.  Get your own modem for sure.  You've probably rented their crappy modems long enough to pay for a better one 3 times over.

[Dendox 102]

i've experienced something similar, but with a different provider.  I called and spoke with a rep and told them that I was not advised of a service charge and that it was needed for me to receive services I paid for and necessary due to their equipment failing.  They hemmed and hawed....we tell everyone about the service fee..........

I then asked for a recording of that call.  They said they would have a supervisor listen and call me back.  Two days later I got a call to say the fee was being removed from my bill.  

[RPM 26,317]

A: Centurylink SUCKS. They service mostly remote areas and have shitty infrastructure. Their customer service is run by Peggy in Manila.

B: Why in the fuck are you renting a modem? You can buy one for less than $50. Clink charges at least $5 a month for theirs.

C: When they do send a tech, I refuse to let them inside the house, thus eliminating the "it's your wiring" excuse and subsequent charges. You get a signal to my box outside and I can handle it from there.

[RollLeft 5,040]

10 hours ago, SDG said:

I’ll keep it brief for the TLDR crowd.

I have Clink internet service and I rent a modem through them.  The last few months my internet service has been cycling off and on.  On Sept 16 the service went off for several hours so I called the service line.  The tech couldn’t get any kind of response to the signal being sent so he sent a tech out. A few hours later a tech arrived and checked the box down stairs and everything was fine.  The modem was the culprit.  He replaced the modem and was on his way. 

Today I get a bill from Clink for $100 service call.  They want to charge me for trouble shooting and fixing their defective equipment.

What are my options surly?   Would you pay the bill or go scorched earth?

3

tldr: Provider charged me $100 for service call, trouble shooting and fixing their defective equipment.  What say shag?

fify

[RPM 26,317]

GAWD I hate Centurylink. Get home last night and my internet is out. Nothing unusual, normally comes back in an hour or two. Get up today and it's still out so I call. After 5 min on hold I get "Susie in Manila", re-verify all the info I had to enter to get put on hold in the first place then she tells me I cancelled my service.

What the actual fuck?

They are my only option other than sat service, which sucks, so I can't cancel. I did call and renegotiated my bill last month after they raised their base price $20. Susie tells me she can't do anything , but transfers me to an actual American in America that speaks English as a first language. I re-re-verify all my info, then they tell me my area is sold out and they can't add a new account. I go fucking ballistic. I've been a CL customer since they bought it from Sprint and was a customer since they bought it from CenTel which was a long fucking time ago. I didn't cancel my service, CL screwed up and this is NOT a new account.

When it was all over they reactivated my account, but as of the time I left for work it wasn't working yet. Oh yeah, they were kind enough to wave the re-connection fees and I am locked into the new price for life which is the reason I called to bitch in the first place. They're gotdam extortionists and I hate them with the heat of 1000 suns.

[RPM 26,317]

A quick follow-up. I get home tonight and still no service. I called and spoke with Sally in Manila again and she says my service is on, there must be a problem with my wiring and they'll have to send a technician. First appointment open is Friday afternoon.

Dirty cocksuckers. There's nothing wrong with my wiring. It's all your fucking fault and your punishing me for griping about your price.

[RPM 26,317]

Tech shows up this morning and tells me there's a shitshow with the equipment and it might be a few days before I can get back online. Wunderbar.

I found an open letter to CenturyLink customers about their dedication to customer satisfaction and the special team they had put in place so I contacted them via Twitter. Complete waste of time.

[RollLeft 5,040]

On 2/6/2019 at 2:51 PM, RPM said:

... but transfers me to an actual American in America that speaks English as a first language...

 

So Canadian?  Definitely not Brazilian.  Mexican Americans predominantly speak Spanish.  

[RPM 26,317]

Just got my service back about 5 minutes ago. 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21,874]

55 minutes ago, RPM said:

Just got my service back about 5 minutes ago. 

And the first thing you did was post here

[RPM 26,317]

1 hour ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

And the first thing you did was post here

I have my priorities straight.

[Errestaurants 2,570]

try a verizon hot spot. our farm is in a Century Link only area and of course they suck and the area is sold out. I got a verizon hot spot and it actually works pretty good unless you are in a metal building that is insulated. 

[RPM 26,317]

It never fucking ends. 2 days ago my internet goes to shit. We just had a big storm and my connection usually drops when that happens because we have junk equipment out here. I call Clink and talk with a US employee (you have to request for one and wait). They convince me it's my ADSL modem. It's a cheap Asus and I've gone through a couple. Instead of ordering a new one from Amazon I make the 150 mile road trip to Fry's and buy the only ADSL modem they have. Jesus Christ, not everyone has cable.

I get home, swap modems and the son of a bitch won't connect. Well to be honest it connects, but you don't have a connection. I call Clink again, get a US employee named David and this guy is amazing. I explained everything that happened and he walked me through the settings. Problem was it still won't connect. He could see me on his end, but I can't see him. He remote accessed my modem and tried resetting from his end. Nothing.

We spent almost 2 hours and he called me back twice when my call dropped. Absolutely the best experience with Clink customer service that ended up being all for nothing. My original modem was just fine. It's their junk equipment causing the problem and they can't get out here until next Thursday.

At least I have my cell phone.

[kevwun 15,764]

Probably a Tier 2 support guy.  Once you get to them, they almost always know their shit.  The problem is dealing with the idiots until your case gets bumped up to them.  It's the same with pretty much every ISP, telco, software or hardware company.

Edited June 2, 2019 by kevwun

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2,732]

ATT tried this recently after being told when setting the appointment we would not be charged a service fee for them to come out.

[kevwun 15,764]

It's better for your sanity to use a modem they provide because when you're using your own, they will often blame the problem on your equipment first without spending time to dig in to the problem.

[RPM 26,317]

I can buy 20 modems for what they charge. Now I have a fresh backup.