CenturyLink Internet Review: Fast Internet for Everyday Use

At a Glance

CenturyLink is a long-established telecommunications company with a strong history in delivering connectivity services to homes and small businesses across the United States. As part of Lumen Technologies, they use deep industry experience to provide high-speed internet through fiber-optic and DSL networks, along with digital landline phone and TV services. Their mission centers on empowering people through technology, helping customers stay connected at home and at work while supporting growth, communication, and access to reliable digital tools. Beyond their services, CenturyLink emphasizes community commitment, contributing to local agencies, initiatives, and events in the areas they serve. They also maintain a clear focus on transparency and customer trust through dedicated legal resources and regulatory documentation. Today, the company is a trusted brand within Lumen Technologies, continuing to serve residential and small-business customers with dependable traditional and fiber-based connectivity solutions while contributing to broader community and technological progress.

Features & Solutions

• Fiber and DSL network options: CenturyLink delivers internet service over both fiber-optic and DSL networks, covering a wide range of households and small businesses, with fiber available in select areas for higher performance
• Symmetrical fiber speeds: Where fiber is available, customers benefit from symmetrical upload and download speeds that better support video conferencing, remote work, cloud storage, and real-time communication
• Unlimited data usage: The company offers unlimited data with their plans, allowing customers to browse, stream, game, and work online without worrying about data overage fees or throttling
• Wi-Fi equipment options: Customers can access Wi-Fi service through the provided gateway equipment to connect multiple devices throughout the home
• Flexible home networking: CenturyLink internet supports a wide range of connected devices, including smart TVs, laptops, gaming consoles, and smart home products, helping homes stay connected across daily online activities
• Trusted network environment: As part of a major telecommunications provider, CenturyLink aligns with Lumen Technologies’ broader commitment to network stability, customer trust, and responsible network practices
• Self-installation availability: Many service areas support a self-installation option, allowing eligible customers to get their internet up and running without waiting for a professional appointment
• Month-to-month flexibility: The company's internet plans are available without annual contracts, giving customers the freedom to stay or change service without long-term commitments
• Customer support resources: CenturyLink provides online support tools, account management resources, and access to service information to help customers manage their internet experience more easily

CenturyLink Internet Plans & Prices

Simply Unlimited Internet (DSL / Non-Fiber Areas)

Simply Unlimited Internet is designed for everyday browsing, streaming, remote work, and general household use, offering speeds up to 100 Mbps in many qualified areas. It runs on a 99.9% reliable network, includes unlimited data, requires no annual contract, and is typically priced around $55 per month, with taxes, fees, and paperless billing requirements applying. This plan is suited for families who want consistent internet without worrying about overage limits or surprise price hikes.

Fiber Internet

CenturyLink Fiber Internet delivers significantly faster performance in eligible areas, with symmetrical upload and download speeds that can reach up to 940 Mbps. Customers benefit from unlimited data, WiFi equipment often included at no extra monthly charge, no annual contracts, and free installation promotions in select locations. Fiber plans are generally offered for around $75 per month, providing a strong option for streaming, gaming, remote work, cloud backups, and homes with many connected devices.

Small Business Internet

CenturyLink also provides internet plans tailored to small businesses, helping support online operations, video meetings, point-of-sale systems, and connected workplaces. Business customers can choose Simply Unlimited Business Internet, commonly starting near $55 per month in qualifying areas, or select business fiber options around $75 per month where available, both offering unlimited data and month-to-month flexibility.

Advantages

Month-to-month flexibility with unlimited data

CenturyLink gives you the freedom to use the internet without being tied to long contracts. Most residential plans include truly unlimited data, so you don’t have to track usage or worry about slowdowns. That combination makes the service feel easier to live with, especially for busy or high-usage homes.

Simple, predictable pricing structure

CenturyLink’s pricing is designed to stay straightforward rather than relying on short-term discounts that later jump. You generally pay the same amount each month instead of dealing with sudden bill increases. That makes it easier to understand what you’re paying for and plan your budget confidently.

Included fiber equipment and installation perks

In qualifying fiber areas, CenturyLink often includes professional installation at no added cost. They also typically provide WiFi equipment without a monthly rental fee. Together, these perks help reduce both the upfront setup expense and ongoing internet costs.

Reliability backed by a large national network

CenturyLink promotes 99.9% network reliability and operates on a large nationwide backbone under Lumen Technologies. That scale supports stronger performance and stability than many smaller providers. For customers, that means a more dependable internet experience day to day.

Service options for both fiber and non-fiber locations

CenturyLink doesn’t only serve big cities with fiber. They also offer DSL service in areas where fiber isn’t available yet, giving more households access to internet service. This makes them an option for customers in both newer fiber markets and more underserved regions.

Disadvantages

Poor customer service responsiveness

CenturyLink customers consistently report lengthy wait times and automated menus just to reach a person, often requiring multiple calls or chats before connecting with an agent. Once connected, users describe support that can’t fix the issue on the first interaction, requires repeated follow-ups, or transfers them between departments.

Billing and refund issues that frustrate customers

Many CenturyLink customers report unexpected charges, delayed refunds, and billing confusion. Complaints include being charged after cancellation, having late fees applied despite on-time payments, and long waits for refund checks that never arrive on schedule. Multiple users describe calls with support just to resolve billing errors that should be straightforward, and difficulty getting clear explanations or corrections.

Customer Experience

Most customer feedback about CenturyLink leans negative across major review platforms. While the company holds an A- rating with the Better Business Bureau, the average customer score listed there is around 1.0 out of 5, and Trustpilot rates them at 1.1 out of 5.

Positive reviews

That said, there are a few positive experiences scattered among the complaints. Some long-time customers mention that when CenturyLink service works, it can be stable and reasonably priced for basic needs, and a handful of customers appreciated earlier years of dependable service before recent operational changes. Others have mentioned past satisfaction with older CenturyLink service before being migrated to newer platforms.

Critical reviews

However, the overwhelming majority of reviews describe serious issues, with many customers calling the service unreliable, difficult to cancel, and poorly supported. Common complaints include repeated technician no-shows, multi-week outages without updates, automated systems that make reaching a human nearly impossible, and inconsistent billing practices such as unexpected charges, refusal to prorate service upon cancellation, delayed or missing refunds, and price increases despite loyalty. Many reviewers describe long hold times, offshore support that cannot resolve issues, and situations where customers were charged for months without functional service.

How Can I Contact CenturyLink?

If you need help with CenturyLink services, you can reach support easily. Use live chat support (available 7 days a week) for billing, technical help, upgrades, and account questions. To order a new service, call 866-963-6665 Monday–Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM local time. For Small Business support, call 800-603-6000 or use the Small Business chat. You can also manage your account, pay your bill, or check appointments online anytime. For community help and updates, connect via Facebook or X / Twitter.

Conclusion

CenturyLink remains a viable option for households and small businesses seeking flexible month-to-month internet service, unlimited data, and fiber speeds, where available. Their fiber services deliver impressive performance and value, and their broader coverage helps connect areas that many providers overlook. At the same time, many customers experience challenges with support response, billing clarity, and service reliability, which are essential to consider before signing up. If you live in a fiber-enabled area and want predictable pricing with strong performance, CenturyLink may be an appealing option. If customer support and consistency are your top priorities, it may be worth comparing the company with other internet service providers in your area to see which one truly meets your needs.

If you’re still comparing options, start by browsing our top internet service providers to see strong alternatives. Then use our simple comparison tool to line up speeds, pricing, and features side by side. For more guidance and expert insights, check out our blog for helpful tips and in-depth reviews.