…… (Also Tech) Can't Log Into Centurylink Main Account

[Meemur]

First, an apology to China Connection. He warned us that we should change our Centurylink account password before the email switchover. I'm sorry that I didn't heed his warning.

Background: about a month ago, Centurylink rolled out their new email, which has been a nightmare for many customers. I'm not alone!

- First, I couldn't log into my email for about five days. I do not use any sort of email client. I access that email account on a PC using the Chrome Browser. The problem seemed to have resolved itself when I deleted the shortcut from my desktop and made a new one.

- Next, when my bill came due ($35 for Life Plan), I tried to log into my main account to pay it. I was given the message that I had to change my password. I tired to do that, but the password reset link was not reaching me, nor was it in the spam folder (or anywhere else).

- After messing with that, I wrote up a "ticket" and was bounced around to several different techs (probably bots) who didn't understand my problem. They would send the password link and tell me to wait four hours for it to show up. I did that for five days.

- I paid my $35 for Life through the "quick bill pay" and was changed an extra dollar for doing that. Now, this is in violation of my contract: $35 for life.

- Next, I contacted the Centurylink "advocacy" department, which resolved the problem I had last year with email. I wrote out the above, and also threatened to contract the Iowa Attorney General because they charged me the extra money.

- I was told I reached the "vice president" (Stephanie Polk) of Advocacy. Yesterday, I was assigned to someone else, probably another bot. I sent an email asking why the password reset link couldn't be sent through one of the computers whose emails are reaching me.

I haven't heard back, yet.

Questions:
- Has anyone else had this problem? How did you solve it?

(Note: switching companies is not an option. I'm rural and can't afford Media Com, which offers low teaser rates that go to $50/month in short order. They have additional problems, as well).

- Is there anything else I should try?

 

[WalknTrot]

Huh. Sorry, can't help. I have Centurylink phone and internet, but never heard anything about any of this. Granted, I never set up and do not use their email. I kept my old "legacy" email service that I've had for 25 years with a small local company who expanded to loftier heights. I pay a few bucks/month for it, but it's been worth it.

Must say, I've had good luck in the past using their service ticket setup, but only for outages. Guess I'd try to get a real person on the phone again tomorrow..? Somebody should be able to reset your password for you from their station while you are talking to them on the line.

 

[patriotgal]

I wish you luck. We were stuck with high century link bill and horrible internet for years until elec coop came out with alternative. You really get bounced from tech to tech when you have issues.

 

[packyderms_wife]

do. not. use. centurylinks email. it's NOT secure!

We dropped centurylink several years ago and went with mediacom for our internet. centurylinks internet service was pretty much dial up speeds, it would take me eight hours to upload a five minute video to the internet and that was even with compression, etc., switched to mediacom and that same eight minute video uploads in about five minutes or less.

 

[Meemur]

Packy, I can't afford Media Com. It's $50/month down here after the first 9 months.
I'm stuck with Centurylink for now.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Packy, I can't afford Media Com. It's $50/month down here after the first 9 months.
I'm stuck with Centurylink for now.

you need another email provider then.

 

[phloydius]

I want to look up some info on some of the tech sites to see if there might be something that will help you. I do not have any experience with Centurylink (I have never used them), but I might be able to search the right terms to find something that may help. (Well to be honest, this may actually be a long shot but it doesn't hurt to try). Before I do, I want to make sure I understand some of the details about what appears to be the base problem you are experiencing.

1) You can currently access your email and send and receive most emails. Correct?
2) Your email ends in "@centurylink.net", if not let me know what it ends in.
3) That @centrylink.net email address is the one that is on your account. Have you confirmed this with them?
4) When you login to the main account, is the "username" that you type in an email address or is it something else. Also, in the past (before you started having problems) was the password on the main account the same as the password you used when logging into check your email?

 

[Dennis Olson]

Why are you using centurylink’s email system? Stop it. Go to a different email service.

 

[aznurse]

Had qwest/century link. That was the only provider. Started with their email, then went to hotmail/gmail/proton mail. No problem with multiple browsers. And all are free.

 

[Meemur]

1) You can currently access your email and send and receive most emails. Correct?

Yes, except for the password reset email. Who knows where that is going?

2) Your email ends in "@centurylink.net", if not let me know what it ends in.

Yes

3) That @centrylink.net email address is the one that is on your account. Have you confirmed this with them?

Sort of. I tried putting in the old email (eNet in Columbus, OH) during one of the password recovery attempts, and the error message was "no record." I have not confirmed that addy with a person. Added to my notes. That might be part of it.

Added: if the password reset email is going to eNet it will bounce back. That is no longer an active account.

4) When you login to the main account, is the "username" that you type in an email address or is it something else. Also, in the past (before you started having problems) was the password on the main account the same as the password you used when logging into check your email?

My username to log in is the same (similar to Meemur25@Centurylink.net -- NOT REAL)

Yes, it's the same password for both.

I'm thinking due to the email SNAFU last year that some engineer did a work-around that is messing things up now.

Thanks for anymore insights! I will try phoning again tomorrow. I tried last week but was on hold for 45 minutes and had to hang up.

 

[mzkitty]

If all else fails, send a real letter via certified return receipt requested to the president of the company. Copy your state attorney general and make sure the pres of the company sees that you have sent a copy to the attorney general.

That should get them hopping pronto. People HATE when you send things to the attorney general.

 

[Meemur]

I have plans to do that, anyway, MzKitty. Centurylink has played gouging games before.

I truly hate this company, but I have to use them for now, and one of my jobs requires me to use Centurylink email. I'm not that worried about security because I use a different system for "sensitive" emails, such as they are. (I do most important things face-to-face)

 

[Nowski]

Meemur, dear lady I wish you luck.

I had CenturyLink DSL, the last year that I was in Wake Forest.

Previously I had Time Warner Cable, which was just bad out in
that part of northern Wake County, out by Falls Lake. Very rural,
and it just became so unreliable, that I had to switch internet
providers because I was working remotely.

I switched to CenturyLink DSL, and it was worse, much worse.
Every time that it rained, I did not have any internet, and no matter
how many times I called, or who I spoke with, they could not fix it.

I got offered severance, and that was in my CenturyLink contract,
took their modem back, so I got out. Was without internet for
several weeks.

Went to Verizon and got a JetPack, with 5GB data plan. Internet again,
but slow, but never dropped.

Today, I use a StraightTalk Samsung Galaxy phone with 15GB hotspot.

Somebody there knows what the problem is, and you will eventually
get to this person.

Take care Meemur.

Please be safe everyone.

Regards to all.

Nowski

 

[Panner]

I sure am glad for the info posted here. CenturyLink just installed fiber optic cable here and will offer internet here about $25 less a month from what I am paying now. Guess I will pass on switching.

 

[Meemur]

Thanks, Nowski.

I'm hopeful someone one here works for Centurylink and could post or PM me some insight.

I have the feeling that C-Link really screwed the pooch with this new email make-over. There are a lot of PO'd customers.

 

[Meemur]

I sure am glad for the info posted here. CenturyLink just installed fiber optic cable here and will offer internet here about $25 less a month from what I am paying now. Guess I will pass on switching.

Panner, I had almost zero problems with them in Columbus, Ohio when they installed their fiber optics. Out in Iowa, it's a different story. I'm told some it has to do with sub-standard help: not enough pay, so the decent engineers go elsewhere.

Maybe wait for awhile and read the customer input.

 

[phloydius]

Sort of. I tried putting in the old email (eNet in Columbus, OH) during one of the password recovery attempts, and the error message was "no record." I have not confirmed that addy with a person. Added to my notes. That might be part of it.

Added: if the password reset email is going to eNet it will bounce back. That is no longer an active account.

If they have the wrong/old/dead email address on your account and bounces, it will almost assuredly be "trashed" when returned. Most of the password reset systems are 100% bot controlled, and locked away behind forms to keep employees from having access. The people you talk to in support are generally pressing a button that says "send password reset" and that is likely about all the control they have over the system.

I say this, not because knowing this will help you in this particular issue, but incase you have any hopes that someone might notice or could tell you if the email bounced to them.

My username to log in is the same (similar to Meemur25@Centurylink.net -- NOT REAL)

Yes, it's the same password for both.

I'm thinking due to the email SNAFU last year that some engineer did a work-around that is messing things up now.

Thanks for anymore insights! I will try phoning again tomorrow. I tried last week but was on hold for 45 minutes and had to hang up.

So what this does tell me, is there might be an "easy" (sorry hate to use that word) solution. Get another email account for this purpose: Linking to your account for this reset. It is very likely that there is something wrong with the email address stored on their system, which could be they have the old one you mentioned or it could be corrupted. It could also be that their own spam blockers are blocking their own password reset email (I saw this with Time Warner in the past).

Before you call them, sign up with another free email service. Make sure you have the password is a good one and you have it saved somewhere safe! Test the email, to make sure you can send to and from with another of your accounts. This gives you a record of the new email address in another place incase you lose or forget it at some point.

Then when you call them, ask them if you can change your email address on the main account. Some providers won't let you, but most will. Doing this should not do anything to your centurylink email address, it should still work as it does now. [If you have concerns about this, ask, and I'll go into more detail]. Then ask them if they will send you the password reset to the new email address. This will bypass either of the two problems I just mentioned that could be causing it.

There are many free web-based email providers out there. Gmail & Hotmail are two that often used, but I personally recommend ProtonMail.com which is way more secure and private.

You don't need to use this new email address for other things if you don't want to, but the odds of it fixing your issue in a more timely fashion is way more likely than going back and forth with them for a few more weeks or sending a letter.

 

[Meemur]

I have multiple email accounts in different places. The issue is that the password reset won't take a new email that it doesn't have "on file," or I could've fixed this problem myself by using one of my other accounts.

But I will try to get a human who can do something on the phone this week. I have my doubts that I can get high enough to someone with the power to actually fix stuff, which is why I posted in TB.

But Thanks!

 

[et2]

First, an apology to China Connection. He warned us that we should change our Centurylink account password before the email switchover. I'm sorry that I didn't heed his warning.

Background: about a month ago, Centurylink rolled out their new email, which has been a nightmare for many customers. I'm not alone!

- First, I couldn't log into my email for about five days. I do not use any sort of email client. I access that email account on a PC using the Chrome Browser. The problem seemed to have resolved itself when I deleted the shortcut from my desktop and made a new one.

- Next, when my bill came due ($35 for Life Plan), I tried to log into my main account to pay it. I was given the message that I had to change my password. I tired to do that, but the password reset link was not reaching me, nor was it in the spam folder (or anywhere else).

- After messing with that, I wrote up a "ticket" and was bounced around to several different techs (probably bots) who didn't understand my problem. They would send the password link and tell me to wait four hours for it to show up. I did that for five days.

- I paid my $35 for Life through the "quick bill pay" and was changed an extra dollar for doing that. Now, this is in violation of my contract: $35 for life.

- Next, I contacted the Centurylink "advocacy" department, which resolved the problem I had last year with email. I wrote out the above, and also threatened to contract the Iowa Attorney General because they charged me the extra money.

- I was told I reached the "vice president" (Stephanie Polk) of Advocacy. Yesterday, I was assigned to someone else, probably another bot. I sent an email asking why the password reset link couldn't be sent through one of the computers whose emails are reaching me.

I haven't heard back, yet.

Questions:
- Has anyone else had this problem? How did you solve it?

(Note: switching companies is not an option. I'm rural and can't afford Media Com, which offers low teaser rates that go to $50/month in short order. They have additional problems, as well).

- Is there anything else I should try?

Sorry to say it … Welcome to the new world. Customer service ( good) is a thing of days gone by for the most part. If you do get someone ( overseas) they probably know squat … or gives a $hit.

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

I had an issue with Century Link last week. I contacted customer advocacy, got the standard reply from Stephanie Polk and within a day or two got a real person who got my case. She fixed everything within another day or two (which was pretty shocking that she could do it so fast because I was told it would take a month (reason I contacted customer advocacy in the first place)) and processed a refund for the four days without service. So my advice is hold on and wait - if you got the email from Stephanie Polk you should be hearing from the person who gets your case really soon. PS - I was frustrated I didn't hear back from the person who got my case so I emailed some follow up emails to the case number address that came from Stephanie Polk, that may have sped things up, I'm not sure. Re-read Stephanie's email, there should be something in there about if you have additional info how to send it with email instructions. Email that address restating your issue, do it every day if you have to, but you should hear back in a day or two. Bottom line - customer advocacy is the only way to get help from CL. Real people, not bots and not in another country giving standard answers that don't fit the issue. I doubt you'll get help over the phone but if you have the time and patience you can try. I got nowhere. But any time I've used customre advocacy I've gotten my problem resolved.

HD

 

[Meemur]

Thanks, HD. Prayers that you don't have further problems.

I'll follow your advice.

It is much appreciated!

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

Thanks, HD. Prayers that you don't have further problems.

I'll follow your advice.

It is much appreciated!

I had Hurricane Ian damage to my box. I hope to have no hurricanes for a looooonnnnnggggg time!

HD