But those perks might not outweigh the downsides of confusing download speed availability, lackluster internet speeds, and notoriously difficult customer service. Let’s compare the pros and cons of CenturyLink internet service and find out if it’s right for you. Both plans are reasonably priced, though the Fiber Internet plan is the better deal if you can get it where you live. The value for the Simply Unlimited Internet plan depends on what speeds you can get. CenturyLink promises to connect you to the fastest speed in your area—anywhere from 15 to 100 Mbps. So you can see why your download speed determines whether the $50 a month price is good value or not. But CenturyLink still has a few cards up its sleeves, like unlimited data, comparatively cheap prices, and a large service area, that may turn the tables. As for the CenturyLink Fiber Internet plan, it’s available only in these 19 cities:1 To double-check that CenturyLink internet is in your city or town, enter your zip code below, and we’ll pull up all the internet providers near you. Easy, peasy. Of course, that depends on what CenturyLink speeds you get in your area. If you’re stuck with some of its slower plans, like 15 and 20 Mbps, you’ll find a few cheaper internet plans out there. As for the CenturyLink Fiber Internet plan, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a lower price from other fiber internet plans with gig speeds. A couple of internet service providers (ISPs) with gig plans come close in price, like Frontier Fiber Internet 500 plan, Xfinity’s Gigabit plan and AT&T Fiber’s Internet 1,000 plan. And if you live in one of the cities with CenturyLink Fiber Internet, your download speeds will skyrocket to 940 Mbps. We’ll help you figure out how much internet speed you need so you can pull a Goldilocks and pick the plan that’s just right. Compared to Xfinity, Cox, or AT&T Fiber, you’ll likely see slower actual speeds from CenturyLink’s DSL internet. But its Fiber Internet plan should keep up with the pack.
CenturyLink data cap: Unlimited
That means you keep your service for as long as you want and duck out at any time with no early termination fees (ETF) raining on your parade. But what about equipment and other fees? Here’s what you can expect from CenturyLink on those fronts.
CenturyLink modem rental: Up to $15/mo. CenturyLink modem purchase: Up to $200 one-time cost
If you’re a new customer, CenturyLink will likely hook you up with one of its newest modems. Of course, from time to time, CenturyLink also runs free installation promotions. So if that one-time installation fee is making you hesitate, wait for a bit and see if you can land free installation instead.
Installation fee: $99 one-time fee Early termination fees: None
It was nice to see CenturyLink make an effort and bump up its score in the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) report. It dropped from a score of 63 out of 100 in 2020 to 62 out of 100 in 2021.2 And that’s below the industry average of 65 out of 100. One customer, Candice, told us her CenturyLink technician never showed up on the day her installation was scheduled. She called customer service and CenturyLink ended up telling her that someone canceled her appointment. Candice finally managed to get her installation date rescheduled, but only after she talked to multiple people. Even then, her family didn’t have internet for six days. Installation issues like this can be a real pain, just like outages and slow internet speeds. If your internet is on the fritz, check out our guide on what to do if your CenturyLink internet isn’t working. Or, if you end up having to call, take a quick look at these customer service tips to make your experience at least a teensy bit better. Of course, no internet provider is perfect, and CenturyLink does come with a few hiccups:
If you live in a CenturyLink DSL internet area, your download speeds can range from 15 to 100 Mbps. We’d prefer a more definitive answer. Calling CenturyLink’s customer service “ho-hum” is a compliment. We’ve heard some horror stories—but keep 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, then yes. If you can connect to its Fiber Internet plan, even more yes. But if you prefer to save money over getting the fastest speeds available, CenturyLink is still an excellent choice thanks to its low monthly prices.
