[Chinook]

Has anyone had any experience with Century Link for a bundled package of phone/internet and TV service? How about Comcast?
I'm a new Villager,
Sue

[Lauren Sweeny]

Welcome! Most new to TV are talked into Comcast because it has the TV news channel 2 . This channel runs news of TV and all the events happenings and schedules for clubs,and for rec. centers. I used it when I first moved here. I tried Dish and now have Direct. I found Comcast to have slow internet and poor sharpness to picture . As for Dish , a tech told me it wasn't a good choice for movies as download time and weather compromise it's ability. (Understand that it is a dish that sends a signal to a sati lite and bounces it back to you.) I am in the process of setting up Direct for internet. The Direct tv was just installed ,the picture quality is good but have not had it long enough to really tell its good and bad sides. Cannot say much about any of the phone systems. Try to read previous post by entering key word in search, " Dish, Comcast etc." I hope you enjoy TV as much as we do. Feel free to PM us as new friends, and answer any questions you might have.

[ron122049]

I chose CenturyLink and I am very satisfied with the packages offered and the internet reception. etc. They also allow you to put the package on "vacation" when away for more than a few weeks which I liked as I visit my working spouse up north. I would never use Comcast again. Our service in Michigan was terrible and the Customer service was awful. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!

[rp001]

I've been here about four years. I've had comcast bundled, dish and century link for internet. This place sorely needs new providers as the cust service from all is just plain non existent. Comcast is the worst closely followed by century link. I approached dish to find out the buyout cost for my agreement as I was contemplating using dish when they offered my a lesser price for TV and internet, and guess what, I "qualified" for a price reduction. My bill immediately dropped fourty bucks.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I had Comcast up north and I love their service so I got it when I arrived here.
When I say their "service" I mean that the television picture is excellent and the internet is fast and reliable. Their customer service is horrible and they just went up on my rate by about 30% because I was on a so called introductory package. When I called to complain, they would budge. The problem is that they know they have no competition up in the northern area of The Villages where I live.
I investigated Dish and Direct. I had friends tell me that they are badly affected by weather. One friend told me that his would go out with every little rain storm. Others told me that it would only go out in bad storms. Then people on TOTV would come to their defense and say that it wasn't too bad and they would only lose service for a short while in during very bad storms. It seems to be a crap shoot whether or not you'll have problems with them or not. Like I said, Comcast is fast and reliable. I haven't heard anyone complain about Comcast going out in any kind of weather.
Someone told me about Century Link and I was looking into that. I was told that it was cable, but now I hear that it's a satellite dish and I really don't want that.
Many people who live in the southern part of TV rave about Brighthouse. If that comes here, I will drop Comcast like a hot potato and tell them why.
I hate the way they operate their business, but I put up with it for now because their signal is fast and reliable.

[jnieman]

I have Comcast for internet only and have had for 6 years. My internet speed is between 30 mbps and 60 mbps. I have had no issues with it at all and my husband and I are on our computers constantly. We used to have Comcast for TV but switched when our equipment broke down over and over. I've heard they have purchased some new equipment since then. We have Direct TV for television and love it. If I lived South of 466a I would look into Brighthouse also.

[bandsdavis]

We have used Century Link for the 2 years we have been here. The picture is very good, internet is as fast as I need, and when service is need (rarely) they are very responsive. Their service people who you reach on the phone for tech issues are very good.

[tanderse]

I can't complain about Century Link service for TV or internet. However, their billing and lack of integrity is beyond belief. I agreed to initial service at $82 (including taxes) per month. The first billing I received was for two months and amounted to $90 per month. I decided to wait another month before calling. In the third month, I received a bill at more than $114 per month. I called they agreed to reduce my monthly bill to $94 (including taxes). I protested, but finally agreed to $94 a month (allegedly the $82 quote didn't include taxes, but I know I asked for a total price including taxes when I committed to Century Link). In February and April, I had to call again. Bill remains at $94. This month (August) I again receive a monthly invoice at $114. I call Century Link. This time Wanda tells me she will honor the $94 rate if I sign up for another year with Century Link. I tell Wanda that's extortion, she needs to honor Century Link commitment through October. We can't come to terms, I tell Wanda to cancel my account, she says, "... she is sorry I won't work with her." I say, "WHAT???" I should have said "WHAT YOU EXTORTIONIST!!!". Then she says, "By the way it will cost you $130 something, no wait $151.90 to terminate contract early." I tell Wanda to terminate the contract, I would not ever work with or recommend a service like CENTURY LINK that lacks integrity and fails to honor any of its commitment.

[Medtrans]

The lesson I take from this is, watch out for cable companies starting with the letter C!

[sailor47]

When we moved here in 08 we wanted to go with Comcast but could never get them to return calls or do what they called an engineering inspection. I think that's what they said it was but they had to come out and inspect the new house to make sure it was set up and that they had service in the area. It went on for weeks with no answer one way ot the other. Several of our neighbors already had comcast so the cable was there. I could see losy service.

So we went with Embarq now Century link. Tjey offered Dish for TV and the telephone and internet link a triple play. OK but expensive and the DIsh was marginally acceptable.

As soon as the two year contract was up I dumped dish for Direct. Direct was far superior with very few interuptions from bad weather. We still use that today.

We kept Embarq/Century link for our internet connection but discontinued our land line for telephone. We use Ooma for $3.21/ Mo. unlimited service. Initial box was $200.00 but has now payed for itself manytimes over. Century Link tried to raise our Internet connection cost because we no longe had the Triple play but I said Ok then we quite you and they backed of and have offered a lower rate for just the internet. Every year they trie to rasie it and we discuss the cost issue and it has remained the same. But they trie every year on the anniversary date.

One advantage to Direct is you can take it to a second home. We did that until this year now we are permantly here. But we took the box North and called them that we were moving temporarily and they came out installed an antena and set it all up for no charge. Then we just carried the box back and forth rehooked up and called them. No Charge for that service on either end.

That's our story