CenturyLink Internet Review 2022

All CenturyLink net plans at present have unlimited data, but you could terminate upwards with bumbling DSL download speeds.

CenturyLink Internet

4 out of 5 stars

four

Data constructive 10/04/21. Offers and availability vary by location and are field of study to change.

* Paperless billing or prepay required. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges utilise. Get the fastest internet speed available at your location (max speed is upwardly to 100 Mbps).

Rate requires paperless billing. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges employ. Speeds may non be available in your surface area. Maximum download/upload speed of up to 940 Mbps via a wired connection.

We've taken some other look at CenturyLink'southward cyberspace plans and updated our review with all the new, juicy details. Here'southward how this DSL internet provider stacks up going into 2022.

Updated: several months ago

CenturyLink's toll for life guarantee has officially concluded, merely the ISP has incorporated unlimited data into all of its DSL internet plans. This means yous won't take any limits on your internet usage, or overage charges per calendar month. CenturyLink as well changed each of their plan names to "Just Unlimited Internet", but cheque out our full updated review here.

Updated: several months agone

CenturyLink appear its response to the coronavirus pandemic, and for the next 60 days is waiving tardily fees and foregoing service disconnects for residential and small business customers. In add-on, CenturyLink is removing its data caps for all customers.

Take a look at CenturyLink's Keep Americans Connected Pledge in response to COVID-19, and nosotros hope yous and your family are staying safe.

View all updates

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CenturyLink's internet service comes with a handful of perks that go far appealing to anyone on a upkeep: unlimited data, depression prices, no contract, and a price lock guarantee.

Just those perks might not outweigh the downsides of confusing download speed availability, lackluster cyberspace speeds, and notoriously difficult customer service.

Let'due south compare the pros and cons of CenturyLink cyberspace service and find out if it'southward correct for y'all.

CenturyLink internet deals

Data effective 10/04/21. Offers and availability vary past location and are subject to change.

* Paperless billing or prepay required. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges apply. Get the fastest cyberspace speed bachelor at your location (max speed is up to 100 Mbps).

Rate requires paperless billing. Boosted taxes, fees, and surcharges use. Speeds may non exist available in your expanse. Maximum download/upload speed of up to 940 Mbps via a wired connection.

Come across CenturyLink prices and plans in your expanse.

Pro Heading

Pros

Pro Bullet Unlimited data for all plans

Pro Bullet Price lock and no contracts

Pro Bullet Gig fiber cyberspace option for select cities

Con Heading

Cons

Con Bullet Confusing availability for download speeds

Con Bullet Not-so-great DSL speeds

Con Bullet Poor customer service

CenturyLink prices and plans

CenturyLink earned our Editor's Choice thanks to its lack of price hikes and contracts

An awards badge for the Reviews.org Editor's Choice award 2021

CenturyLink offers two types of plans: DSL, which you're nearly likely to see, and fiber.

Both plans are reasonably priced, though the Fiber Internet program is the better deal if y'all can get it where y'all alive.

The value for the Simply Unlimited Internet program depends on what speeds you tin get. CenturyLink promises to connect you to the fastest speed in your area—anywhere from 15 to 100 Mbps. Then you can see why your download speed determines whether the $50 a month cost is good value or non.

CenturyLink net promotional prices

Data effective 10/04/21. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to modify.

* Paperless billing or prepay required. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges employ. Go the fastest net speed available at your location (max speed is up to 100 Mbps).

Rate requires paperless billing. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges apply. Speeds may not exist available in your surface area. Maximum download/upload speed of up to 940 Mbps via a wired connexion.

While it's dainty to know you're paying the same price for the nigh juice CenturyLink tin requite you, yous may not similar starting out somewhat clueless about what download speed you'll get. We feel yous.

Merely CenturyLink even so has a few cards up its sleeves, like unlimited data, insufficiently cheap prices, and a big service area, that may turn the tables.

Want the latest internet reviews, top picks, and deals?

Where tin can you get CenturyLink internet?

Currently, CenturyLink offers internet service in 36 different states, including Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Minnesota, and Due north Carolina, among others. Unfortunately, those in states like California and New York can't get CenturyLink internet.

A map showing CenturyLink internet availability, mainly in Washington, Oregon, and Colorado

In the internet availability map above, states in dark blue have more CenturyLink net coverage, while states in calorie-free bluish have less coverage. And states in gray have no CenturyLink internet coverage.

As for the CenturyLink Fiber Internet plan, information technology'southward available merely in these nineteen cities:1

  • Phoenix, Arizona
  • Tucson, Arizona
  • Bedrock, Colorado
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Fort Myers/Cape Coral, Florida
  • Ocala/The Villages, Florida
  • Orlando, Florida
  • Idaho Falls/Pocatello, Idaho
  • Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
  • Columbia/Jefferson City, Missouri
  • Springfield, Missouri
  • Omaha, Nebraska
  • Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Portland, Oregon
  • Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Seattle-Tacoma, Washington
  • Spokane, Washington
  • La Crosse, Wisconsin
  • Platteville, Wisconsin

To double-check that CenturyLink internet is in your city or boondocks, enter your nil code below, and nosotros'll pull upwardly all the net providers near you lot. Easy, peasy.

Look for CenturyLink internet plans in your surface area.

Is CenturyLink internet inexpensive?

CenturyLink internet prices are some of the everyman of the depression. Combine that with its price lock promise, and you lot've got a recipe for some of the cheapest cyberspace in the Us.

Of course, that depends on what CenturyLink speeds you become in your surface area. If y'all're stuck with some of its slower plans, similar xv and xx Mbps, you'll discover a few cheaper cyberspace plans out there.

As for the CenturyLink Fiber Internet programme, you'll exist hard-pressed to find a lower cost from other fiber net plans with gig speeds. A couple of internet service providers (ISPs) with gig plans come close in cost, like Xfinity's Gigabit plan and AT&T Fiber'south Internet one,000 plan.

CenturyLink internet price comparison

Information effective x/04/21. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to alter.

New customers only. Rate requires paperless billing and excludes taxes. Additional fees apply.

^ For the beginning 12 months plus taxes and equip. fee.

° For the first 12 months with a ane-year term understanding.

** For the first 12 months. Some packages require a 1- or 2-year contract.

CenturyLink internet speed and data

CenturyLink's speeds may autumn short of your expectations, but the Internet service provider offers unlimited data on all its plans

We mentioned earlier that CenturyLink'southward DSL net hooks you up with the fastest possible download speeds in your area, upwards to 100 Mbps, of course.

And if yous live in one of the cities with CenturyLink Fiber Internet, your download speeds will skyrocket to 940 Mbps.

CenturyLink internet download speeds and upload speeds

What CenturyLink internet speed is right for you?

Pin

Information technology's important to know how fast your download speeds need to be. Pay for speeds that are too wearisome, and your kiddos will showtime nagging you about their TV shows buffering all the time. Pay for speeds that are too fast, and you'll likely pay too much money each month.

We'll help you effigy out how much internet speed you demand and then y'all tin pull a Goldilocks and pick the program that'south simply correct.

Is CenturyLink internet fast?

Nearly of CenturyLink'due south cyberspace connections are DSL. That puts information technology at a slight disadvantage when compared to speeds from cablevision and fiber internet providers.

Compared to Xfinity, Cox, or AT&T Fiber, you'll likely see slower actual speeds from CenturyLink's DSL net. Simply its Fiber Net plan should keep upwards with the pack.

CenturyLink advertised cyberspace speed comparison

Data caps

All of CenturyLink's internet plans come with unlimited data. This is a great option for someone who works from dwelling, every bit information technology provides a seamless experience for uploading multiple large files, video streaming, and even generating a hotspot for your tablet, calculator or phone.

  • CenturyLink data cap: Unlimited

Compare CenturyLink and Xfinity side by side

CenturyLink contracts, equipment, and fees

No contracts, no early termination fees. CenturyLink but charges you for your modem and installation

Cue the hallelujahs. CenturyLink doesn't make yous sign a contract for any of its net plans.

That means you go on your service for as long as y'all want and duck out at any fourth dimension with no early termination fees (ETF) raining on your parade.

But what nearly equipment and other fees? Here'south what you tin can await from CenturyLink on those fronts.

Equipment

Sometimes renting your ISP's equipment is the easy fashion. With CenturyLink, y'all'll pay up to $15.00 a month to rent one of its modems. Or you lot can pay a one-time fee of upwards to $200 to purchase your modem outright.

  • CenturyLink modem rental: Up to $15/mo.
  • CenturyLink modem purchase: Up to $200 erstwhile cost

If you're a new client, CenturyLink will likely hook you up with one of its newest modems.

Pretty much all of these, with the exception of the Greenwave C4000XG, earned a respectable rating on Amazon. So you shouldn't experience similar you need to bring your own modem and router unless you really want to.

CenturyLink modem rental and purchase fees

Data effective eleven/30/2021. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject field to change.
*Amazon.com Listing Prices (as of 11/30/2021 at ane:07 PM MST).

If you lot're all the same leaning toward using your ain equipment, Centurylink has a full list of compatible modems yous should check. If you're on the Fiber Internet programme, be aware that you lot'll need to double-check that the modem you choose supports cobweb technology and speeds up to 940 Mbps. (Otherwise, y'all'll end upwardly with slow internet speeds, among other troubles.)

Get Wi-Fi through your whole firm

Megaphone

Are you stuck with your modem in a far corner of your basement? A Wi-Fi extender might assist get that wireless connection all the way upwards to your 2nd floor so you can watch Netflix in bed. (#LifeGoals)

Service fees

CenturyLink doesn't hammer yous with whatsoever extra fees out of the blue, although it does accuse $59.99 to install your cyberspace devices and service.

Of grade, from time to time, CenturyLink besides runs free installation promotions. And so if that i-time installation fee is making you hesitate, wait for a flake and see if you tin land complimentary installation instead.

  • Installation fee: $59.99 one-fourth dimension fee
  • Early termination fees: None

Customer service

CenturyLink subscribers say its customer service is a headache, but then once more, and then is most internet customer service. . .

We wish internet providers would level up their customer service efforts. This goes for pretty much every Internet access provider out there, not just CenturyLink.

Information technology was nice to see CenturyLink make an endeavour and bump up its score in the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) report. Information technology dropped from a score of 63 out of 100 in 2020 to 62 out of 100 in 2021.2 And that's beneath the industry average of 65 out of 100.

CenturyLink internet ACSI 2020–2021 customer service rating

Rating

Score

ACSI 2020–2021 62 out of 100

But a number doesn't tell the whole story. We talked to a handful of CenturyLink customers that we know, and almost all of them said they've had bad experiences with its customer service department.

1 customer, Candice, told us her CenturyLink technician never showed upwards on the twenty-four hours her installation was scheduled.

She chosen customer service and CenturyLink ended up telling her that someone canceled her appointment. Candice finally managed to get her installation date rescheduled, simply merely after she talked to multiple people. Even then, her family didn't accept net for six days.

Installation issues like this tin can be a real pain, just similar outages and slow cyberspace speeds. If your internet is on the fritz, check out our guide on what to exercise if your CenturyLink internet isn't working. Or, if yous end up having to call, take a quick expect at these customer service tips to make your feel at least a teensy flake meliorate.

Recap: Is CenturyLink a practiced internet provider?

CenturyLink internet's unlimited information plans, contract-free subscriptions, and depression prices for its fast DSL and fiber cyberspace options make it one of our elevation choices when it comes to value.

Of course, no internet provider is perfect, and CenturyLink does come with a few hiccups:

  • If yous alive in a CenturyLink DSL internet area, your download speeds tin can range from 15 to 100 Mbps. Nosotros'd prefer a more definitive reply.
  • Calling CenturyLink's customer service "slow" is a compliment. Nosotros've heard some horror stories—but proceed in mind that pretty much every US internet provider has similar issues.

So is CenturyLink internet right for you? If the pros outweigh the cons, so yes. If yous tin connect to its Fiber Internet program, fifty-fifty more yes.

CenturyLink internet plans recap

  • Simply Unlimited Internet: $fifty.00/mo.*, 15–100 Mbps download speeds, unlimited data cap
  • Only Unlimited CenturyLink Fiber Internet: $65.00/mo.**, 940 Mbps download speeds, unlimited data cap

Data effective eleven/xxx/2021. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to modify.
*​Paperless billing or prepay required. Boosted taxes, fees, and surcharges apply. Go the fastest cyberspace speed available at your location (max speed is upward to 100 Mbps).
**Charge per unit requires paperless billing. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges apply. Speeds may not exist bachelor in your area. Maximum download/upload speed of up to 940 Mbps via a wired connection.

FAQ

Q: Is CenturyLink internet good for streaming?

Depending on which download speed yous can become, CenturyLink should exist okay for streaming. Its 80 Mbps and 100 Mbps plans should exist fine even for a household of 2 to three people, while its Fiber Internet option has more than enough speed for even large families.

Q: How reliable is CenturyLink?

CenturyLink's download speed isn't the near reliable—it scored 28th out of 38 different net providers in our 2019 analysis of the fastest ISPs.

Merely if you prefer to save money over getting the fastest speeds available, CenturyLink is even so an excellent choice thanks to its Price for Life guarantee and depression monthly prices.

Sources

Boosted contributors

Jerusha Kamoji

Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided 'as is' and is subject field to change or removal at any time. Production prices and availability are accurate as of the appointment/fourth dimension indicated and are subject field to change. Any cost and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the fourth dimension of buy will apply to the buy of this production. Reviews.org utilizes paid Amazon links.

Catherine McNally

Written past

Catherine McNally

Catherine has a degree in journalism and an MBA, and has spent the concluding 10+ years writing everything from Okinawa travel guides to stories on Medium. She'south been online since AOL CDs were a thing and is an unapologetic PC gamer. She believes the internet is a necessity, not a luxury, and writes reviews and guides to aid everyone stay connected. Yous can also find her on Twitter: @CMReviewsIt.

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