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CenturyLink vs. Verizon Internet Providers Compared
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Staff rating
3.3
Customers rating
3.8
Plans starting at: $50
Popular Package: CenturyLink internet - Up to 940Mbps.
Download speeds up to: 940 Mbps
Connection Types: Fiber & DSL
CenturyLink Staff Review
CenturyLink’s DSL internet has the limitations of an older technology
CenturyLink is a DSL internet provider owned by a parent company known as Lumen Technologies. Lumen is the seventh-largest ISP in the U.S., based on its combined internet service in both DSL and fiber. Lumen serves a total of about 3 million customers [1]. CenturyLink is the DSL brand owned by Lumen. The fiber brand of Lumen is now known as Quantum Fiber. This review will focus on the CenturyLink DSL half of the Lumen brand. We will cover Quantum Fiber in a separate review, because the two brands provide very different technologies. If your only available internet is CenturyLink, your DSL connection is likely to be slower than if you have cable or fiber. Customer satisfaction for CenturyLink is below average in many places. DSL speed can vary widely depending on your neighborhood and even on the wiring in your home. But CenturyLink, like most DSL companies, will charge you the same $50/month for a slow 10 Mbps download speed as for 100 Mbps download speed. It’s luck of the draw, with no price break for slower service. DSL customers just aren’t getting the same kind of value that fiber customers are getting. And that’s one probable reason that Lumen separated its two brands. Now, it should be easy to tell what you’re getting – mostly. CenturyLink is DSL, and Quantum Fiber is all-fiber. On websites that still mix the two names, though, the speeds of each plan will often be a giveaway. CenturyLink is available in 16 states since it sold half of its DSL network to Brightspeed in 2022. It has a very unusual coverage footprint: think of it as the Western half of the United States, minus California and plus Florida.PROS
- Consistent prices with no built-in price hikes
- No data caps for DSL plans
- DSL is sometimes faster than satellite or fixed wireless, depending on the location
CONS
- DSL offers little speed for the money compared to fiber or cable
- DSL speeds vary widely and are sometimes below broadband speed
- Customer service gets poor reviews from many customers
Top cities with availability
Verizon Staff Review
Verizon Fios delivers lightning-fast speeds and competitive, straightforward pricing
Verizon Fios is the premium all-fiber internet service that Verizon offers to its customers, in addition to its well-known mobile and fixed wireless networks. The all-fiber-optic network of Verizon Fios is popular in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Though Verizon is the 4th largest internet service provider in the nation, Verizon Fios is currently only available in 9 states and the Washington DC area [1]. It’s quite a claim to fame that Verizon took the #1 spot in customer satisfaction in the J.D. Power national survey for its region [2]. What’s more, Verizon beat the competition by a large margin. Verizon Fios offers superfast, symmetrical speeds up to 2 gigabits in select areas. Offering a choice of several plans and attractive, low prices, Verizon Fios is one of the best internet plans you’ll find on the market today.PROS
- Gigabit symmetrical speeds with all-fiber internet
- Top-ranked performance on customer satisfaction
- No data caps or contracts required
CONS
- All-fiber Fios network only available to 50% of wired internet customers
- Verizon’s DSL is pricier and much slower than all-fiber Verizon Fios
- Not available in some rural or remote areas
Top cities with availability
Verizon Pricing
Verizon Fios offers great prices for cutting-edge, all-fiber internet with no hidden fees
Verizon Fios offers three all-fiber internet plans in most of its service areas. The first-tier begins at $49.99/month for up to 300 Mbps. Those fiber speeds are symmetrical, which means that upload and download speeds are equal. No other internet technology offers equal speeds. So you will get a lot more speed for your money with fiber than with any other type of internet connection. 1 Gig is the top speed plan for most areas, and that blazing-fast speed will only cost you $89.99 per month. Most importantly, Verizon Fios gives you stable prices from the beginning, not introductory prices that will jump up much higher after a year. Here at CompareInternet.com, we give our best ratings to providers whose prices are not only low, but also clear and consistent for customers. Verizon Fios ranks at the top of the industry for its simplicity of pricing.Verizon Fios offers unlimited data without data caps
Another major plus of Verizon Fios is that their plans don’t impose data caps. Even with a large household of internet users streaming in HD or gaming, you won’t have to worry about your data usage. You will not face the surprise monthly overage charges that can happen under many plans with data caps.Bundle deals on cell phone and TV
In addition to the already competitive prices of the Fios fiber internet plans, Verizon will give you the option to bundle your cell phone service and your TV. You can get very low combined deals by bundling that can save you a lot of money compared to typical cell phone plan pricing. Many customers do choose to bundle because Verizon phone service is known for its high-quality signals.
CenturyLink Reliability and Performance
“But it was so fast in the ‘90s!” DSL shows its age in many locations
CenturyLink DSL uses one of the oldest internet technologies: copper cables originally designed as telephone wire. In some things, age is good. Age brings wisdom to people, depth to a wine, and richness to cheese. But in internet technology, age is usually a negative, and especially when it comes to internet speed. Only 65% of CenturyLink’s DSL achieves speeds over 25 Mbps, or what the FCC calls “high-speed” internet. 85% of the CenturyLink DSL network is above 10 Mbps. That means a good 15% of CenturyLink’s DSL customers have very, very slow connections below 10 Mbps [3]. If DSL gives you under 10 Mbps download speed and only 1 Mbps upload speed, you won’t be able to play real-time games online with any kind of reliability. You may also experience glitching if multiple people stream or videoconference at the same time. To be fair, some DSL connections will give you faster speeds such as the 28% of customers who will get 100 Mbps download, and that will considerably improve your performance. But if you are considering ordering CenturyLink DSL, make sure you know what your other options are. You can test your actual speed here to see what kind of performance your current internet connection is giving you.
Verizon Reliability and Performance
Verizon Fios performance is best-of-the-best with all-fiber speeds, but make sure you’re getting Fios
It’s really hard to beat all-fiber internet. If you’re getting a Verizon Fios plan, you’re going to have enough bandwidth for practically everything you need to do in your home. Fiber speeds are so fast that numerous people could be streaming or gaming at once in your home, and your connection would not slow down or glitch. Bandwidth is just not an issue for most households once you get internet speeds up past 200 Mbps. You will avoid ISP throttling and any of the other speed issues that happen with slower internet technologies. There’s just one issue to be aware of. Only 50% of Verizon’s wired network is Verizon Fios [3]. The rest is Verizon Internet, which is DSL-based. As you probably know, there is a vast difference between the speeds you get with all-fiber internet vs. DSL internet. Verizon also offers fixed wireless internet plans under LTE and 5G. And while all these plans can still give you high-speed internet, none of them will give you the premium performance of Verizon Fios. So when you’re signing up for Verizon Fios, make sure you look for the Fios all-fiber brand name. If only Verizon DSL or fixed wireless is available in your area, those can also be good options depending on what else is around. But you’ll want to check out your complete list of internet choices by entering your zip code here on our website.
CenturyLink Equipment, Installation and Bonus Features
Option to use your own modem/router or self-install your connection
With the CenturyLink DSL plan, there’s a $15 a month modem/router rental fee, which is on the high end of equipment fees. You can avoid the modem/router fee by buying your own. And that might not be a bad plan, given that you will make up the price of a typical modem/router in a year or less. You may have to pay for a professional installation, which is usually a one-time fee of $99. Fortunately, in many places you may also have the option to self-install for $15. It depends whether there is still a working CenturyLink DSL connection in your home.
Verizon Equipment, Installation and Bonus Features
Verizon Fios includes a free router with your monthly plan fee
Fios offers what we consider the best possible equipment option: no extra equipment fee. Your router is included with the basic charge for your plan [4]. You get a simpler, more predictable price because your equipment is included in your monthly fee. The other benefit of getting a router directly from your ISP is that their tech support will be better able to help you if you ever need troubleshooting. Verizon charges a $99 installation fee, but the fee may be waived with some promotions. You can also self-install Verizon Fios if there is already a Fios Optical Network Terminal in your home from previous Fios service.
CenturyLink Customer Experience & Support
CenturyLink runs below average in some satisfaction rankings
CenturyLink’s customer satisfaction rankings vary widely by region on the J.D. Power survey [3]. In the North Central region, CenturyLink ranks above average. In the West, CenturyLink ranks slightly below average, and in the South, CenturyLink is second from last in customer satisfaction. The North Central and West regions where CenturyLink/Quantum Fiber rank higher are also the regions in which Quantum Fiber provides most of its fiber access. The South only includes one state with fiber internet coverage, which means most of that low customer satisfaction rating is based on CenturyLink’s DSL. The American Customer Satisfaction Index confirms that split in results by dividing “CenturyLink” specifically into fiber and DSL. Fiber ranks 16 points higher than the DSL service [4]. For CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber, these customer satisfaction rankings tell the story clearly. CenturyLink’s DSL service is not as likely to please you. However, be aware that there is a certain amount of online cross-marketing between the two companies. So, if CenturyLink says they are able to sell you “fiber” as they seem to imply on their homepage, all that means is that they’re going to send you to a Quantum Fiber plan if your address has fiber availability.
Verizon Customer Experience & Support
Verizon Fios ranks first in customer satisfaction
In the Eastern region of the United States, Verizon tops the J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey for residential internet providers. Not only that, but Verizon has ranked first in that survey for nine years, far outscoring the competition [2]. This is especially impressive because that ranking includes Verizon’s DSL service as well as Fios. Usually, DSL providers rank much lower in customer satisfaction. Yet even with a network that is 50% DSL, Verizon is clearly doing customer service very well. Verizon has all the usual perks of customer service from a large internet provider: phone help, tech support, and a mobile app called My Fios to manage all aspects of your account. If you are lucky enough to be in the coverage area for Verizon Fios, you are going to be very happy with your hyperspeed internet connection, its low price, and with strong customer support from Verizon.
CenturyLink FAQ's
Where can I order CenturyLink Internet?
To order or learn more, call the number on this page or visit BuyCenturyLink.com.
What is CenturyLink internet?
CenturyLink internet is an affordable DSL home internet service that offers unlimited data. It allows you to work from home, shop online, connect multiple users and devices, and stream movies. There is no annual contract, and the service is available in various speed options.
Is CenturyLink available in my area?
Internet availability may vary depending on your location. To check if CenturyLink internet is available in your area, enter your zip code here at CompareInternet.com. We’ll give you a complete list of providers available in your area.
What is the installation process for CenturyLink internet?
CenturyLink offers either professional installation or self-installation for your internet service. Professional installation will carry a higher one-time fee but will be guaranteed to fix any issues as soon as possible. Self-installation will be less expensive and not too complicated with their self-install kit.
Can I connect multiple users and devices to CenturyLink DSL?
Yes, CenturyLink allows you to connect multiple users and devices simultaneously. Whether it's for work, school, or entertainment purposes, you can connect and use multiple devices on the same internet connection. Fiber will give you higher speeds than DSL that may work better for multiple devices.
Does CenturyLink offer Wi-Fi service?
Yes, CenturyLink provides Wi-Fi service. With Wi-Fi, you can enjoy wireless connectivity in your home, allowing you to connect your devices without the need for wired connections. The maximum internet speed available for Wi-Fi may vary depending on your location and your internet plan.
VerizonFAQ's
Where can I order Verizon Fios service?
To order or learn more, call the number on this page.
How can I manage my Verizon home internet account?
The My Fios App allows you to pay or manage your bill, check your plan details, and get self-help tools. You can even configure your Wi-Fi router and analyze its performance.
Is there a data cap or monthly limit with Verizon Fios?
No, Verizon Fios does not impose data caps or overage charges for exceeding data allowances. You will have unlimited data with your Verizon Fios plan.
What internet speed can I get with Fios?
You can get up to four speed tiers, depending on where you live. Your options will be 300 Mbps, 500 Mbps, and 1 Gig in most places. In selected areas, you can also get a 2 Gig plan.
How much does Fios internet cost?
Fios internet starts its prices on the low side of industry averages. Enter your zip code here at CompareInternet.com for a full list of providers, plans and pricing in your area.
CenturyLink Sources
[1] Dgtlinfra.com. "Top 125 Internet Providers in the U.S.'' [2] FCC Broadband Map [3] J.D. Power. "2022 U.S. Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study." [4] American Customer Satisfaction Index. "Internet Service Providers."
CenturyLink Accolades
Verizon Accolades
CenturyLink Internet Plans
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Plan
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Service Type
|
Download Speed
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Monthly Price
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Free Equipment! CenturyLink Internet - Up To 940Mbps.
|
Fiber | Up to 940 Mbps |
Only $75
/mo. /w No Annual Contract. *Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
|
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| CenturyLink Internet - Up To 500Mbps. | Fiber | Up to 500 Mbps |
Only $50
/mo. /w No Annual Contract. *Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
|
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| CenturyLink Internet - Up To 140Mbps. | DSL | Up to 140 Mbps |
Only $55
/mo. /w No Annual Contract. *Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
|
|
| CenturyLink Internet - Up To 100Mbps. | DSL | Up to 100 Mbps |
Only $55
/mo. /w No Annual Contract. *Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
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Verizon Internet Plans
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Plan
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Service Type
|
Download Speed
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Monthly Price
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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2 Gig
Get a $300 Target GiftCard on us |
Fiber | Up to 2,000 Mbps |
Only $109.99
/mo. for 60mos. w/ No Annual Contract. *Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
|
|
|
1 Gig
Get a $200 Target GiftCard on us |
Fiber | Up to 940 Mbps |
Only $89.99
/mo. for 60mos. w/ No Annual Contract. *Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
|
|
|
500 Mbps
Get a $100 Target GiftCard on us |
Fiber | Up to 500 Mbps |
Only $69.99
/mo. for 60mos. w/ No Annual Contract. *Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
|
|
|
300 Mbps
Get a $50 Target GiftCard on us |
Fiber | Up to 300 Mbps |
Only $49.99
/mo. for 60mos. w/ No Annual Contract. *Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
|
Customers Review
Love my internet
David Felts F from Bastian, VA
August 2023
Service so far has been great
Tami Shrewsbury S from Carlos, MN
August 2023
nnnn
E n from Labelle, FL
August 2023
None
Keri J from Des Moines, IA
August 2023
Service is sometimes slow.
Terry Conyers C from Shippensburg, PA
July 2023
Customers Review
ALREADY RESPODENDED WITH RATING
DARIO OSSA from Philadelphia, PA
August 2023
Service is good, if you have multiple gamers and streamers in the house it may not work for you
Lezlie M from Milpitas, CA
July 2023
Very good
Kristoffer M from Faulkner, MD
July 2023
Great service
Marsha W from Greeneville, TN
July 2023
Aubrey Estes from Elizabeth, PA
May 2023
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