In an era where Internet connection has become a necessity in almost all households, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are trying to take advantage of all the industry loopholes to overcharge the users. The competition is also limited in some rural areas where residents have access to only one ISP. Furthermore, most of these companies have a couple of hidden costs that will add directly to the monthly bills.

This likelihood of extortion and exploitation leaves new Internet users and those seeking alternatives, wondering whether there’s any ISP that is better than the other. As a matter of fact, CenturyLink has proven to be a viable alternative in this regard. So, let’s see if CenturyLink is a good alternative to you and whether its monthly cost is something to go by.

CenturyLink Overview

CenturyLink is a prominent global company that is positioned in Monroe, Louisiana. The company offers Network services, communications, and the Internet. Over time, CenturyLink has increased its Internet provision network in the US, which gives it an upper hand in many situations.

CenturyLink Internet Availability

You’re definitely wondering if CenturyLink is available in your area. If you live in any state where CenturyLink cable and Fiber Internet is accessible, you’re very likely to get some of their internet deals. CenturyLink has the biggest coverage in Texas, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Washington.

CenturyLink DSL internet is available to more than 49.3 Million Americans while it’s Fiber, Copper, and Fixed Wireless Internet is available to another 9.6 million people. Check on the company’s website for availability and confirm which type of Internet is available to you.

Here are some facts about CenturyLink Internet

CenturyLink offers DSL, Fiber and Copper Internet across the US

CenturyLink is the 3 rd largest DSL internet provider in the country.

largest DSL internet provider in the country. CenturyLink offers Internet and other services across 39 states in the country

CenturyLink services are available to about 14,105 zip codes Nationwide

CenturyLink summary Table

Category Price/month Cheapest Residential plan $49 Fastest Residential plan $60 Best plan for small and medium-sized Business Gig Fiber @ $60 Best Bundle package $90 for Internet and Digital Phone Cheapest Bundle package $74.99 Internet and Traditional Phone Data Caps 1TB Data cap Equipment Rental fees $15 Installation Fee Up to $125 Early termination Fees None

CenturyLink pros

No contracts

Gigabit Internet Option

No surprise Price Hikes

Affordable Internet Only Plans

Reasonably priced Bundle packages

Best for small Businesses, Residential use, and medium Business Internet needs

CenturyLink Cons

The Installation fee is comparatively high

The download speeds are a hit or miss

CenturyLink Plans and Prices

The prices you see on the CenturyLink portal are what you will get for life. Unlike many ISPs that will hike the Internet prices after a 1 year grace period, CenturyLink offers Price for Life plans. The company also features six only plans, but they all come in a broad range of speeds. If you’re careful, you might have noticed that 5/6 plans have the same price.

The price varies depending on where you stay. As a matter of fact, you will pay for the fastest Speeds from your area at a price that someone else will pay for 15Mbps. The CenturyLink Internet speeds vary from 15Mbs-100Mbps.

The fact that you’re paying $49.99 for 15Mbps and someone else is paying the same amount for 100Mbps is not appealing to all. Most people want to know the speed that will be available to them in advance. Check this out;

CenturyLink Internet Plan Download speeds Price Price for Life 15Mbps 15Mbps $49.99 Price for Life 20Mbps 20Mbps $49.99 Price for Life 40Mbps 40Mbps $49.99 Price for Life 80Mbps 80Mbps $$49.99 Price for Life 100Mbps 100Mbps $49.99 CenturyLink Fiber Internet Plan 940Mbps $60

As I was saying, the prices for the first five Internet plans from CenturyLink are the same. What makes the difference in the Internet speeds you’ll receive is the location. I like the fact that CenturyLink prices will never go up. If you start paying $49.99 for 100Mbps, that is the price you’ll pay for life.

With that said, their prices seem to be higher and expensive for most customers. This is not to mean that there’s no competitor with cheaper prices. Cox and Windstream offer cheaper prices for their 10Mbps and 25Mbps. But remember these two ISPs don’t come with a price for life Guarantee. Are you complaining about your current ISP? Are you overpaying for Internet? Let’s see how CenturyLink compares to some of its main competitors.

How CenturyLink compares to Competitors

AT&T

One of the main CenturyLink competitors is AT&T. The prices for 100Mbps from AT&T are above the normal price of the same Speed in CenturyLink. Remember, AT&T offers an introductory price that might skyrocket in the future.

Cox communication

Another main competitor to CenturyLink is Cox Communications. This company offers the Internet of the same download and upload speeds, but the prices are comparatively different. For the Internet range of 10-940Mbps, Cox charges $19.99-$99.99. This is comparatively lower than CenturyLink’s price, but remember, this is an introductory price and is set to increase after a short while.

SuddenLink

Someone would equally want to know how CenturyLink compares to SuddenLink before choosing any of the two. SuddenLink Internet speeds vary from 100Mbps to 1,000Mbps. The deals on Suddenlink are better than those of CenturyLink when it comes to prices. The introductory price for 1,000Mbps is $74.99. But this price is set to rise to a standard one, which can be more than that CenturyLink.

Xfinity

Comcast Xfinity is a prominent ISP that offers download speeds of 15Mbps to 2,000Mbps. Surprisingly, Comcast Xfinity offers you more than 1,000Mbps at a price lower than $300. But they still have other plans starting from 15Mbps. The price for the lowest plan is $24.99.

Windstream Internet

Lastly, let’s see how CenturyLink Internet compares to Windstream. The company provides Internet with download speeds from 25Mbps-1,000Mbps at a price range of $28.99-$90. If compared to H2H, Windstream seems to have better plans.

From the above data, it’s clear that some ISPs in the market offer better prices than those of CenturyLink. The only challenge is that the prices in most of these company’s websites are only introductory. For that reason, CenturyLink is a good ISP for people that are looking for a long term partner in Internet provision. Another thing is the plans, and their prices, as listed above, can change from time to time.

The company that comes close to what CenturyLink offers is Xfinity. Xfinity comes close with a cost of $70 for their Gigabit Fiber Internet.

Internet speed Review

As seen above, CenturyLink commits to delivering the fastest Internet speeds they can get you. But that is not always the case if you don’t live in areas where CenturyLink high-speed Internet is available. CenturyLink provides Internet speeds from 15Mbps to 100Mbps with the DSL service and another 940Mbps with its Fiber network. The speed ranges depending on where you are and, most importantly how many people are using the service. Fortunately, you will not have to pay more or less for all Internet plans below 100Mbps. The price only changes with the CenturyLink Gigabit plan.

Just like most ISPs, I have personally come across a number of complaints that CenturyLink doesn’t offer advertised speeds. Some people claim they end up getting less than 10Mbps for any of their plans. According to 2018 data available on Federal Communications Commission, CenturyLink ranks low in terms of Actual to advertised Internet speed provision.

Luckily, CenturyLink ranks above some major DSL providers in the country. This is actually the reason why CenturyLink earned an honorable mention for the best DSL internet provider in the US.

For people that care more about speeds, CenturyLink may not be the best in this category. But 100Mbos is enough for most household and business Internet needs.

Data caps

All the plans included on CenturyLink portal have a 1TB data cap. I wouldn’t say it’s a data limit because nothing happens even after surpassing the limit. The company will just send you a notice on your phone indicating you have reached your data limit but you will not be cut off internet provision.

That aside, almost no one will ever reach a 1TB limit in a month unless they’re streaming the entire Netflix at once. 1TB is actually a monstrous amount of data for most households. This 1TB data limit is also pretty standard because that is what other ISPs such as Xfinity, Cox and AT&T provide with most of their plans.

CenturyLink fees, Equipment, and contracts

CenturyLink just like other ISPs has several additional fees that users have to know about. I started by saying that this Internet Provider doesn’t have any forms of contracts. But expect to pay some money for the equipment and a couple of other sections as explained below.

Service contracts

You don’t have to sign any form of contract to get CenturyLink services. Instead of a contract, you’ll get the price for life plans. This indicates that the prices you see on CenturyLink official website are not introductory prices. Those are the prices you’ll pay for life. The fact that there’s no contract means that there are no early termination fees.

Service fees and Installation fees

You are probably going to pay for Installation fees, which vary depending on where you currently live. The Installation fees can be as high as $125. Some of the customers claim they had to pay more than $60 for fiber internet installation. But it never hurts to ask for a discount. As a matter of fact, CenturyLink would offer you free installation but only if you qualify.

Equipment and rental fees

CenturyLink will rent you a modem for $15 per month in case you don’t want to shell out cash on your own Modem. This is a pretty standard rate for renting Internet equipment. In fact most ISPs charge $15 or higher monthly. For people that plan to keep CenturyLink for longer, I would advise going for your own Modem. The Modem costs $150, which means you can save a lot of money if you intend to stay with CenturyLink for more than 10 months.

In case you complete your Modem Order online, you are probably not going to pay for the $50 shipping fees.

Another notable thing is the CenturyLink Modem Secure Wi-Fi feature. This is an upgrade that people are going for to offer Wi-Fi to the rest of the family or customers in case of a business. This feature is only available with some modem models but it’s worth it if you don’t already have security software. Though, this feature will cost you an additional $5 per month.

Outages and Service Uptime

In 2018, CenturyLink experienced a catastrophic Outage that lasted for more than 37 hours. This outage was caused by an accidental equipment failure. Since then, many people expect the same issue may re-occur. Although that is not a must, I’ve personally come across a number of people complaining that CenturyLink Internet has constant outages. The Download speeds also vary greatly and there are situations where the speed is way below the advertised.

CenturyLink common Applications

With that information, what are some of the Internet applications that I believe CenturyLink will work well with? Let’s check what people say about some of the applications, including Streaming, Download, and Upload of files, browsing, and Gaming.

Streaming

You need less than 10Mbps to stream quality movies and TV shows on Netflix and other streaming platforms. But for seamless streaming, people usually want to have download speeds of up to 25Mbps. Unfortunately, CenturyLink offers download speeds of 15Mbps in some areas. This download speeds may be enough for streaming but not the best in the market.

Streamers CenturyLink Internet Recommendations

For streamers, the best CenturyLink Internet plan is Price for Life 80Mbps. These are reliable speeds for seamless streaming and the most affordable for people that want the best Internet without paying an arm and a leg. 80Mbps is enough to suit the needs all of almost everyone. Another reason why I choose this is because of the reasonable monthly price. Note; the download speeds may vary from one place to the other.

Download and Upload

CenturyLink download and Upload speeds as advertised on their websites vary greatly depending on where you live. The speeds vary from 15Mbps to 940Mbps. 15Mbps is enough to download most files and run a small business. The only challenge is with the Upload speeds, which vary from 1Mbps to 10Mbps for their DSL internet. 1Mbps is not enough for seamless upload of large files. For that reason, there are better alternatives to go for. Keep looking.

Gaming

Online gamers know very well the importance of a stable Internet connection and consistent download and upload speeds. Although CenturyLink download speeds are consistent, they can vary depending on where you live. With that said, the Internet is pretty good for gamers.

CenturyLink Internet plan recommendations for Gamers

Gamers would want Internet speeds as high as 100Mbps. But if you have a large family where everyone has some interest in online gaming, you better choose the CenturyLink Fiber Internet. This Internet plan is all about speed, where you get symmetrical download and upload speeds.

Speedy Web Browsing

You only need more than 1Mbps for a seamless and uninterrupted web browsing. CenturyLink download and upload speeds are enough for web browsing and all the other Internet applications.

Internet TV

CenturyLink has some good offers when it comes to bundling TV and the Internet. You can go for the double package with Streaming TV, DirecTV and Prism TV. The channels are enough for a medium family’s entertainment needs.

CenturyLink Bundled Offers

Users can easily bundle CenturyLink TV, Internet, and home phone. This is likely to save you a lot of money along the way. Users can choose fast Internet bundles with reliable home phone, DirecTV, or Prism TV. For only $85.00 per month, you can get great Internet and Home Phone bundles.

People also choose Double Play Bundles combining TV and CenturyLink Internet. The speeds may change with location, but you still get enough home entertainment. The Triple Play Bundles, which combines TV, High-speed Internet, and Home Phone Unlimited, costs $144.99 per month. It comes with the whole Home connectivity with powerful Wi-Fi and 24/7 technical support and, most importantly, anti-virus protection with McAfee Security.

What do Customers think of CenturyLink Customer Service?

To clearly understand how the customers feel about CenturyLink Customer service and their services, we’ve researched online and also checked available reviews and user comments. Most of them agree that CenturyLink Customer service is not the best out there.

One CenturyLink customer claim that she scheduled for CenturyLink Installation after ordering one of their Internet plans. The appointment day came and no one showed up. The family had to go without Internet for days. She called the customer service and no one was willing to listen. She was advised that someone had canceled her appointment. If her appointment had been canceled, then the customer service should have made it a point to call her.

After consultations and multiple call transfers, the installation date was rescheduled but that had to take up to six days without the Internet.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) has ranked CenturyLink customer care at 59/100 which is below the average customer satisfaction score of 62/100. This backs up all the complaints on their portal and several other places on the Internet. Hopefully, the company will do better.

FAQs

Is CenturyLink a good Internet Provider?

There are several factors that determine a good Internet provider. Most people tend to look for the price for life guarantee. If you’re one of them, then CenturyLink is definitely your ISP. Another advantage is that if you live hundreds of Miles away from their main box, you can get up to 20Mbps speeds. But living too far from the box would only leave you with slow Internet.

How reliable is CenturyLink Internet Service?

I have come across many people confirming that CenturyLink Internet is reliable. They actually compare the reliability of CenturyLink to that of Xfinity and other ISPs. Most of them affirm that CenturyLink is better than Xfinity in terms of prices and reliability. But you will find their customer service slow, and rude.

Why is my CenturyLink Bill so high?

CenturyLink may change your monthly bill unexpectedly at a point in time after the grace period’s expiry. To learn what is increasing your monthly Internet bills, it’s always important to contact the company for inquiries.

Why is CenturyLink Internet not working?

Among the many possible issues, start by checking your firmware to see if you need an upgrade or change it. Check the cables and replace them if the need arises. It’s important to involve a professional representative of the company to be sure.

Does CenturyLink Price for Life Include fees?

For this rate to apply, someone has to consider paperless billing. The taxes, fees, and surcharges apply. The speeds may also not be available in your place, depending on where you reside.

Final verdict

I have personally liked the CenturyLink’s steady prices and no-contract options. To the surprise of many, CenturyLink doesn’t require any paper signing to get their Internet. This is unlike most ISPs that will tie you to costly yearly contracts.

The CenturyLink Internet prices are very competitive, especially if you can get their Fiber Internet or one of their high-speed plans from DSL. The speeds vary but still are enough for multiple devices use, gamers, streamers, browsing and for business use.

The only issue is with their upload speeds. This may not hit you until you have to upload a large file with more than 1 GB in size. Speeds of 5Mbps will take you more than 20 minutes to complete a photo gallery upload. The customer service is also lackluster. All in all, CenturyLink is a viable option for many.