CenturyLink Internet for Seniors Review
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October 29, 2024
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Offering both fiber and DSL internet, CenturyLink is one of the top providers for people who live west of the Mississippi. The company doesn’t offer a special plan or discount for seniors, but it offers free installation, free modem leasing, and referral bonuses on certain plans. The company also offers discounts for bundling its internet with phone and TV services.
FYI: CenturyLink is affordable, but it’s far from the most affordable internet provider. To find home internet from $30 per month, read our guide to this year’s best internet plans for seniors.
CenturyLink Pros and Cons
CenturyLink Pros
- Affordable pricing: CenturyLink internet plans start at $50 per month for fiber internet with speeds up to 500 Mbps. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen for internet of this speed.
- Fast speeds: CenturyLink’s Gigabit plan is not available everywhere, but it offers exceedingly fast download speeds of up to 940 Mbps.
- Bundling discounts: Despite the lack of a senior discount, CenturyLink will discount your service when you bundle internet with a phone plan, DIRECTV, or DISH service.
- No annual contracts: CenturyLink requires no annual contracts with its internet service.
CenturyLink Cons
- No senior discount: Not only does CenturyLink not offer a senior discount, but the provider also does not offer a specific plan for low-income individuals like Xfinity internet does.
Alternatives to CenturyLink
If CenturyLink is not available in your area, then we recommend checking out one of the following providers, each of which offers affordable home internet.
CenturyLink Internet Plans and Pricing
CenturyLink currently offers four internet plans — two DSL and two fiber. The availability of those plans, as well as their pricing, varies by location.
CenturyLink Home Internet Plans Compared
| CenturyLink plan | Internet type | Download speeds | Monthly price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simply Unlimited Internet Up to 80 Mbps | DSL | 40 to 80 Mbps | $55 |
| Simply Unlimited Internet 100 Mbps | DSL | 100 Mbps | $55 |
| Fiber Internet 500 Mbps | Fiber | 500 Mbps | $50 |
| Fiber Gigabit | Fiber | 940 Mbps | $75 |
FYI: CenturyLink’s plans are affordable, but if you want to find home internet for less than $50 per month, read our guide to the best cheap internet providers for seniors.
CenturyLink Internet, Phone, and TV Bundles
If you’re looking to save with CenturyLink internet, your best bet is to bundle the company’s internet with either TV service or home phone service.
For $114.99, for example, you can get DIRECTV’s Entertainment package with CenturyLink Simply Unlimited Internet. Since the Entertainment package normally costs $69.99 by itself, you’ll save $10 per month. For $95 per month, you can bundle CenturyLink internet with a CenturyLink landline plan.
CenturyLink Internet Senior Plan
As of this writing, CenturyLink doesn’t offer a specific internet plan or discount for seniors. That said, we think any of the company’s basic plans would be ideal for older adults. The 500 Mbps plan for $50 per month is a particularly great deal, considering how fast its speeds are. With 500 Mbps, you’ll have more than enough bandwidth for multiple devices.
CenturyLink Internet vs. Cox
| CenturyLink | Cox Go Fast | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $50 per month | $50 per month |
| Price hikes | N/A | $20 after two years |
| Overage fees | None | Yes, after reaching monthly allowance of 1.25 TB |
| Long-term contracts | Not required | Not required |
| Fastest download speeds | 500 Mbps | 250 Mbps |
| Cost of equipment | $15 per month | $13 per month |
Depending on where you live, Cox internet may be a viable alternative to CenturyLink. We have found, however, that CenturyLink will most likely be the more affordable option with faster speeds. The main exception is that Cox offers a plan for low-income individuals, while CenturyLink does not.
Cox also charges overage fees, while CenturyLink does not. Once you exceed 1.25 TB of data in a given month, Cox will charge $10 for every additional 50 GB. Cox, however, offers phone, TV, and internet packages, so it’s able to offer deeper discounts for bundling.
Bottom Line
CenturyLink may not be the most affordable internet provider for older adults, and its plans don’t reach the high speeds of some other major providers. If you’re fine with 500 Mbps speeds, though, $50 a month is one of the best deals around.
If, however, you’re looking for something a bit more affordable, we’d recommend checking out our guides to AT&T internet for seniors and Xfinity internet for seniors.
CenturyLink Internet Frequently Asked Questions
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How much does CenturyLink internet cost?
CenturyLink home internet costs $50 per month for the 500 Mbps plan. Faster plans will cost more.
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Does CenturyLink have an internet plan for seniors?
CenturyLink doesn’t have a plan or discount for seniors, and it also doesn’t have a plan for low-income individuals.
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How much does it cost to rent a CenturyLink modem?
CenturyLink router rentals cost $15 per month, but the monthly charge will be waived if you sign up for a premium Gigabit plan.
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How much does it cost to cancel CenturyLink internet?
CenturyLink doesn’t require long-term contracts, and you can cancel at any time without incurring additional fees.