Product Review: Qwest High Speed Internet

I am a previous customer of Qwest's high speed internet and for the most part I really liked it.

The speed seemed fantastic, which was probably aided by the fact I had gone from dial-up to Qwest. I enjoyed having pages load so fast it seemed instant compared to what I had before. I also enjoyed finally being able to watch videos and download things in under an hour.

Connectivity seemed great as well. I was always able to sign on, and was rarely spontaneously booted off. The few times I was randomly disconnected, it was usually because of something my computer did.

When I first ordered high speed internet from Qwest, I elected to install it myself. I am not always the most technical person, so I was a bit skeptical as to how this process would go. However, it was surprisingly easy. You install a CD, which loads the MSN browser. Then you are guided through how to set up the modem (plug this here, that there, etc.). Everything seemed to go fine, and it was time for a test run. The computer claimed the modem wasn't connected. Grr! After a half an hour, I discovered I had put one end of a phone cord in the wrong spot. Duh! So installation is easy if you pay attention.

I was not entirely thrilled with the MSN browser that was included with internet service. I liked the email preview pane, the fact MSN messenger was incorporated, and the overall look. However, the browser would sometimes take a few minutes to completely open. It would also periodically freeze for no reason and sometimes I had to restart to get the computer to snap out of it. I could never determine whether that issue was with MSN or my computer, so I stopped using the browser and had no further issues.

Customer service with Qwest seems to be ok. They do correct any errors in your bill without much fuss. But like almost any customer service number you call, you never really know how long you'll be on hold. Or how well the customer service agent will speak English. When I called customer service to cancel my internet service, it ended up taking 15-20 minutes and two agents. The agents were friendly and did cancel the service. However, I had to continually tell them "no I don't want a bill credit or other deal". Once the phone call was finally over, I thought I was all set.

I received the next bill and then found out it took them a few days beyond that phone call to actually cancel the service. It was only a few extra dollars, but when your decision to cancel is money driven, that's annoying. I also was charged for modem rental on that bill and the one after. I had to inform them they had received the modem, and I was given a bill credit. Minor glitches, but Qwest does resolve billing errors which is one of the most important things a company can do.