Complaint Review: CenturyLink

Last year, CenturyLink allowed my bill to climb to nearly $400, never once sending a disconnect notice. While assuming I was ahead and making two payments per month, when I finally decided to check my bill online--expecting a credit--I was shocked to see the amount. They claimed I was on a new price lock plan and that it had expired and that it was not their responsibility to inform me it had. However, I had been with them since 2002 and never once did they allow my bill to climb to over $150 without sending a disconnect notice. They also refused to communicate with me, rarely and sometimes never, responding to my emails to explain why they allowed my bill to get so high. My only choice was to sacrifice my landline and sign up with a VoIP service. I'm on a fixed income (SSDI).

After disconnecting my phone service--at my request--which took them awhile, CenturyLink came up with a new scheme. When I spoke with one of their cs reps named Michael, he gave me a discounted price for life plan of $35 per month AND a confirmation code. However, even though he stated I would receive a confirmation email, it was never sent and when I emailed CL about it, they never responded. I did chat with a Mikaela on Facebook, who "assured" me the discount was showing on my account. Via regular mail, I also received the change order with the future amount, showing as $45 per month, which included the modem rental. Due to illness, I did not check my mail again until the end of the month, and CL issued a disconnect notice, stating I must pay over $200 by Feb 2d to avoid disconnection.

(The background story about their billing practice on my account is another nightmare. For example, on one statement I noted an extremely confusing amount due of over $300, with an overdue amount of $170. How is that possible?)

So I paid the amount they requested through their web site on Feb 2d and they sent confirmation emails on the 5th. On Feb 7, around 7pm, I lost Internet service and therefore my VoIP and assumed there was an outage, so I called tech service. Kyle asked if I ordered a disconnect because that order was showing in their system. I didn't, of course, and explained what transpired. Nor was I notified that if my payments--though confirmed--were not received by the 7th, my Internet service would be disconnected. But then again, they did send confirmation emails, showing receipt of the amount they requested. Anyway, Kyle found my payments and said I needed to call Customer Care in the morning and that it would be taken care of immediately.

WHAT A JOKE! The first person couldn't find it initially, but after some digging, found my payments noted on my account though not posted. She kept placing me on hold. Eventually, someone else picked up, who was hostile and nasty, speaking to me as if I had no idea what I was talking about and saying if I wanted my service restored, I had to make a payment of over $300. She even had the audacity to tell me I had not had service for quite a while, and argued with me when I told her I was just online the day before. I hung up on her insanity and ignorance, and calmed down enough to try again, but called a number from the disconnect notice. The account specialist was nice enough, or so he seemed, but it took him a long time to find my payments, too.

He gave me the impression he understood my dilemma, even acknowledging that the disconnect was due to company error. However, he told me they could not restore my service, but that a new account had to be created, which wiped out my price for life discount. He insisted they could not give me that discount and anything that happened before the disconnect was not valid. He stated he couldn't even find the confirmation code for the discount given to me by Michael. Also, according to him, service could not be restored until Monday the 12th. I told him that was dangerous because I am a disabled senior, but it didn't matter. Correction of "their" error would not be considered an emergency. THEN, to top it off, the executive office told him my payments had not posted. REALLY? And until they did, they would not reconnect.

The specialist even asked if I had the funds in the bank and suggested I check with them. When I calmed down, I remembered I could call the bank even though I could not get online. I did, and the banks confirmed CL deducted the payments on the 6th and provided a trace number. They suggested calling CL on a two-way call to confirm CL's receipt of the payment. We called. (By the way, I was using one of those tiny cheap free government cellphones with extremely poor service. The interruptions were beyond frustrating.) Another person named Todd, another account specialist who had never heard of the other senior account specialist, confirmed CL indeed deducted the payment on the 6th, with the transaction having started on the 5th. He also stated he did not understand why the payments were not posted, but did say there must be a "glitch" in the system because other customers experience the same problem.

Did they change their decision to reconnect me sooner than the 12th? NO, of course, not. I slept as much as possible to reduce the stress, during the weekend, then it hit me I could use Xfinity's wifi service by paying a small amount. I checked my email, thank God, and learned CL actually shipped ANOTHER MODEM I didn't need and did not request. I asked someone on Facebook--Katie--who attempted to convince me it was a return label because no such modem shipment was showing in their records. I laughed... had to. After I copied and pasted the shipping information from UPS, showing the package weighed THREE POUNDS, she eventually stated she located record of a modem and return label being ordered and shipped. I laughed again... had to, again. I canceled the delivery via UPS's web site, so it could be returned to sender. CL tried to stick me with TWO modems for which I would be billed, knowing they have a pattern of denying they receive their equipment from customers. There are numerous complaints online about this practice.

STAY AWAY FROM CenturyLink! They are NOT to be trusted. January 27, 2017, the Denver BBB even issued a warning about using CenturyLink. "DENVER -- The Better Business Bureau issued a warning Friday on CenturyLink for 'advertising claim concerns, a pattern of complaints and government action.' As a result, CenturyLink now has a C rating with the Denver/Boulder BBB."

I sincerely believe all this was done as an act of retaliation because I canceled my phone service and also sent a complaint to the Public Utilities Commission because I heard an employee mention it in the background; but--then again--a former neighbor stated she is experiencing a similar situation with them and says it's their ignorance, that they're not smart or organized enough to exact retaliation.

I believe it's retaliation as well as disorganization, and negligent and reckless management of customer accounts. They patronize us by dubbing us "loyal" customers, while they are disloyal to us, betraying our trust at every opportunity for their gain. I will never trust them again!