CenturyLink
available in 
- Price for Life guarantee*
- Internet speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
- Bundle options for internet, phone, and TV
- Available in 37 states
*Data current as of 6/21/19. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
CenturyLink pros and cons
One of the best things about CenturyLink internet service is that it offers a straightforward pricing model without the rate hikes you’ll get from other providers. CenturyLink calls that its Price for Life guarantee—and you don’t have to sign a contract to get it. So if you don’t want to shop around every few years for the latest deals on internet service, CenturyLink is a great choice.
On the other hand, CenturyLink’s lowest speed service (10 Mbps) is more expensive than you might find with other providers. We recommend CenturyLink to folks looking for mid- to high-speed plans, but if you’re looking for the cheapest internet, keep shopping.
Pros
- Price for Life guarantee*
- Contract-free options
- Bundle discounts
Cons
- No nationwide hotspots
- Installation fee
- Limited availability for fiber
*Data current as of 6/21/19. Price for Life guarantee is currently available in the following states: AZ, CO, FL, GA, ID, IL, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NM, NV, OH, OK, OR, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WY, but may be subject to change. Price for Life guarantee may not be available in the following states: AL, AR, IA, IN, KS, LA, MT, NJ, UT, and all states where CenturyLink is not available.
CenturyLink promotions and deals
CenturyLink’s most popular promotion is the Price for Life guarantee, which is available in most (but not all) of the states where it offers service. Customers appreciate the no-nonsense appeal of a set rate that doesn’t double after the first year.
The Price for Life guaranteed rate is valid as long as you continue your current service without changes to your account, including downgrading your service, changing your address, or switching off your service.
The only drawback of the Price for Life guarantee is that it isn’t available in all of the 37 states CenturyLink covers. States that may not have a CenturyLink Price for Life guarantee include the following: Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Jersey, and Utah.
We hope the Price for Life guarantee and other popular CenturyLink internet deals roll out in all areas soon. In the meantime, it’s a great option for the majority of states with CenturyLink service that do have a Price for Life guarantee.
CenturyLink internet, TV, and home phone services
Internet
- $45–$85/mo.
- 10 Mbps–940 Mbps
- DSL and fiber
TV
- DIRECTV
- $59.99–$134.99/mo.
- 155–330+ channels
Mobile
- $60/mo.
- Unlimited nationwide
- Crystal clear voice quality
Bundles
- Start at $85/mo.
- Double Play and Triple Play
Data current as of 6/21/19. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
CenturyLink offers Double and Triple Play bundle options to keep you connected. Add a home phone line to your internet plan for an extra $40 per month, or bundle DIRECTV and internet together for $105 per month. The best value plan is CenturyLink’s Triple Play for $144.99 per month, which includes DIRECTV, home phone, and internet. Other CenturyLink internet deals vary by location.
CenturyLink internet
Our pick:
CenturyLink Internet Up to 80 Mbps
- Affordable internet for the well-connected family
- Great for 3–5 devices
Speeds up to
80
Mbps download
80
Mbps download
From
$5500/mo
Rate excludes taxes. Additional fees apply*
Customer speed experiences will vary, particularly when accessing the Internet wirelessly from various devices. Download speeds are typically up to 80 Mbps via a wired connection. Listed Internet speeds vary due to conditions outside of network control, including customer location, equipment, and access through a wireless connection, and are not guaranteed. See centurylink.com/InternetPolicy for additional network performance information.
Service and offer are not available everywhere. Residential customers only. Limited time offer. Prepayment with a credit or debit card may apply. Rate is subject to change. CenturyLink provided modem may be required for Internet; lease (up to $15/mo. fee) or a one-time purchase option (up to $150) is available. If customer subscribes to the Secure WiFi service, a $5/mo. fee will apply to a purchased modem. Self-installation, if available at customer’s location, may be selected; an up to $50 S&H fee applies to self-install modem lease/purchase. A professional technician installation fee of up to $125 may apply, if selected by customer or is required due to network technology at customer location. Month to month (sometimes referred to as “no contract”) service means no term commitment and may be cancelled at any time without an early termination fee but customer must accept High-Speed Internet Subscriber Agreement prior to using service (see centurylink.com/legal). Plan cannot be combined with other promotions. Other than promotional rates, plans with monthly rates that don’t change, and monthly rates offered with a term commitment, your monthly rates for services, leased equipment, fees, or surcharges are not guaranteed and may increase during the time of your service. Additional restrictions may apply. CenturyLink may change, cancel, or substitute offers and services, or vary them by service area, at its sole discretion without notice. All products and services listed are governed by tariffs, terms of service, or terms and conditions posted at centurylink.com/terms. See www.centurylink.com/feesandtaxes for taxes.
The price difference between the 20 Mbps and 80 Mbps plans is just $10, and we think that’s $10 well spent. With 20 Mbps, you’ll run into issues if several people are trying to stream video or use the internet at the same time.
But 80 Mbps is powerful enough to keep 3 to 5 devices streaming and gaming at the same time. If it’s available in your area, we highly recommend you go for the 80 Mbps plan. You can stream Gravity Falls in one room, while someone else plays Apex Legends, and someone else binge watches Stranger Things.
Want to compare plans? Hop over to the CenturyLink Internet page for an in-depth take on all internet plans.
Get CenturyLink internet and DIRECTV together
Our pick:
CenturyLink internet up to 20 Mbps + DIRECTV® CHOICE All Included
- 185+ channels
Speeds up to
20
Mbps download
20
Mbps download
From
$11999/mo
for first year
*or 12 mos. plus taxes & RSN Fee w/ 24-mo. DIRECTV agmt and combined billing. Price includes DIRECTV CHOICE ($69.99/mo.), CenturyLink ($50/mo.) DIRECTV CHOICE price higher in 2nd year. Regional Sports Fee up to $8.49/mo. is extra & applies. Data current as of 8/22/19. Offers subject to change.
If you want to get the most bang for your buck, we recommend the DIRECTV CHOICE All Included package along with your CenturyLink high-speed internet plan. DIRECTV CHOICE is the lowest-priced package that also includes free HBO® and NFL SUNDAY TICKET for 12 months (touchdown).
With this package, you’ll get over 185 channels to please a wide variety of entertainment tastes. For more details on DIRECTV packages you can add on to your CenturyLink internet, look at the TV page.
CenturyLink home phone
Our pick:
Unlimited Nationwide Calling
- $60/mo. standalone (or $40/mo. with CenturyLink internet)
- Unlimited nationwide long-distance calling
From
$6000/mo
Rate excludes taxes and voice fees/surcharges.
Data current as of 6/21/19. Offers subject to change.
CenturyLink home phone service delivers crystal clear voice quality, which can’t be said for VoIP or cellphones. You can keep in touch with family and friends all over the country with CenturyLink’s home phone plan.
It includes unlimited long-distance to US states, including Alaska, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands. A one-time installation fee may apply (depending on your location and whether your home is wired for home phone service).
For more information on features and services included in CenturyLink phone plans, view the CenturyLink phone page.
CenturyLink bundles
Our pick:
DIRECTV® CHOICE All Included + CenturyLink Internet + home phone
- Unlimited long-distance calls nationwide
- 1 free year of HBO® and 1 season of NFL SUNDAY TICKET
Speeds up to
20
Mbps download
20
Mbps download
From
$15499/mo
*for 12 mos. plus taxes & RSN Fee w/ 24-mo. DIRECTV agmt and combined billing. Price includes DIRECTV CHOICE ($69.99/mo.), CenturyLink ($85/mo.) DIRECTV CHOICE price higher in 2nd year. Regional Sports Fee up to $8.49/mo. is extra & applies.
**Speed may not be available in your area. Additional fees apply. Rate excludes taxes and voice fees/surcharges.
Data current as of 8/22/19. Offers subject to change.
CenturyLink offers a variety of internet, TV, and phone bundles. A popular choice is the Triple Play Bundle, which includes CenturyLink high-speed internet, DIRECTV CHOICE All Included, plus a home phone line with unlimited long-distance calling. This plan gives you a wide variety of entertainment options on over 185 channels, plus one free year of HBO and one season of NFL SUNDAY TICKET.
See if CenturyLink is offered in your area.
CenturyLink fees and charges
One of the best things about CenturyLink is that there are no contracts—and that means no early termination fees (ETF). Most other internet providers require one- to two-year contracts (boo), and canceling service early can cost you a wad of cash (double boo).
There is one way you might get hit with an ETF through CenturyLink though. If you bundle it with DIRECTV, you’ll have to pay DIRECTV an ETF if you cancel before the end of your two-year contract. (DIRECTV also requires a $19.99 installation fee, so you’ll get hit with fees from DIRECTV either way.)
CenturyLink one-time fees include installation fees ($50 to $125, depending on location) and equipment purchase costs (up to $150 for a CenturyLink modem). You can opt to rent your modem instead for $15 per month if you want to pay less upfront. Monthly fees and charges include taxes and government surcharges, which vary based on location.
Late fees also depend on your location and they’re affected by the number of services you have. A CenturyLink late fee could be anywhere from $5 up to a set percentage of your bill.
Learn more about CenturyLink.
Xfinity vs. CenturyLink
CenturyLink offers the most affordable 1 Gig plans, while Xfinity offers a better price on lower-speed plans plus free access to a powerful Wi-Fi network.
Cox vs CenturyLink
Compared to CenturyLink, Cox delivers better budget plans and consistent speed. If you want the most affordable 1 Gig plan, go for CenturyLink.
Spectrum vs. CenturyLink
Spectrum offers reliable speeds at a reasonable price. But if raw speed is your goal, get CenturyLink’s 1 Gig.
Our verdict
CenturyLink is best known for its Price for Life guarantee, which we think is pretty swell. We’ve never met anyone who looks forward to the end of an introductory rate so they can pay twice as much for the same service in the second year.
Another point in CenturyLink’s favor is that they don’t have contracts, so you can cancel anytime without paying fees. That’s what we call freedom. CenturyLink also has a wide variety of speeds to suit different needs, ranging from 10 Mbps to 1 gigabit (or close enough—it’s technically 940 Mbps).
But, as with all providers, not all speeds are available in all areas—especially the fastest ones. So, since CenturyLink’s pricing model gives you a way better deal on the higher-speed plans, you might be stuck with a lower-speed plan that offers a lower value.
For example, the cost difference between the 80 Mbps plan and the 20 Mbps plan is just $10—but in some places, you can only get the 20 Mbps plan. Also, CenturyLink doesn’t offer free nationwide hotspots like Xfinity, which may or may not be a big deal for you.
