CenturyLink Internet Review
If you want to lock in pricing on your internet service, avoid a contract, and use a lot of data, CenturyLink may be a good option. CenturyLink provides internet service without annual contracts, and they offer bundling options that allow you to combine internet and phone into a single package. Prices range from $50 to $105/month, and speeds go up to 940Mbps.
To help you determine if it’s the right internet service provider (ISP) for you, we researched plans, availability, reviews and other key considerations.
- Who is CenturyLink internet for?
- Key considerations
- What others say about CenturyLink internet
- How does CenturyLink internet compare to other providers?
Who is CenturyLink internet for?
CenturyLink is a good choice for individuals and families that want to stream content, connect multiple devices, or work from home. CenturyLink offers several plans so you can decide if one meets your needs.
CenturyLink Simply Unlimited Internet
CenturyLink’s entry-level Simply Unlimited plan offers users 100Mbps for $50/month. The Simply Unlimited plan is good for smaller families or individual users who only have to stream content on a few devices at a time. If you have several devices streaming in your home at once or multiple online gamers in the household, you may want to go with a plan with more bandwidth.
CenturyLink Fiber Internet
With CenturyLink’s fiber option, you get a quick connection that peaks out at 940Mbps for $65/month*. With this much bandwidth, you can expect a strong, reliable signal even if several users simultaneously stream high-definition content.
Online gamers can enjoy consistent performance at high resolutions without sound and video frequently going out of sync. People working from home can quickly upload and download large documents, images, music, and video without worrying about partial data transfers.
Key considerations
Before signing up with CenturyLink, there are a few things you may want to keep in mind. While their speeds are strong, you can only get the maximum advertised if you use a wired connection. This means your speed may fall short of what’s advertised if you’re using CenturyLink WiFi.
Also, to get the prices CenturyLink advertises, you need to either sign up for paperless billing or prepay for a year or more.
What others say about CenturyLink internet
CenturyLink has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as their “Best DSL Internet Provider.” However, the DSL service earned a much-lower sixth-place ranking from the same publication.
Other review sites also praise CenturyLink’s DSL performance. For example, ZD Net noted that their DSL plans “are more than enough for a family of users looking to surf the web, watch videos, and play games online without having to endure long load times or worry about going over a data cap.”
Even though CenturyLink’s DSL speeds are often more than adequate, a recent report by the FCC reveals that 90% of users only get 67.8% of the speeds advertised. On the other hand, their fiber optic service provided more consistent performance according to the FCC.
How does CenturyLink internet compare to other providers?
Even though CenturyLink gives you fast service for a reasonable price, you may be able to find a similar or better deal depending on where you live. For example, AT&T offers speeds as high as 300Mbps for $35/month. Verizon provides 200Mbps for just higher than that, at $39.99, and Xfinity offers 200Mbps for a modest $29.99/month.
*Pricing varies by location and availability. Speeds may vary. All prices subject to change; for current pricing and availability visit our internet service page. Prices as of 1/10/22.
Disclosure | Updater articles are based on our own data and research, independent from partner relationships. We are not compensated by partners for information and opinions presented here. Our Editorial Terms of Service can be found here.
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