By Lou Marzales
Just last week mysterious packages from CenturyLink arrived at various businesses and residences around its service area. They contained a small gift (a Tile, a device that can be attached to a key chain or cell phone and tracked via an application if the key chain or phone gets lost), along with a letter saying, "We at CenturyLink value your business and regret losing you as our customer.": The gift and the promotional offer of two months' free service were aimed at getting back lost customers. But the packages were a mystery because they were sent to businesses and residences that had not cancelled their CenturyLink service. Yet.
After experiences around much of the country Sunday and Monday, some may want to get those packages. For much of those days, for example, most of the Columbia River Gorge had no direct 9-1-1 service. CenturyLink phone lines were down throughout the area. Emergency agencies in Washington and Oregon made quick announcements advising residents of work-arounds to contact 9-1-1 help. Some banks were unable to transact some of their business.