CenturyLink Internet for Seniors, Tested and Reviewed

CenturyLink Internet Plans, Pricing, and Features

Let’s take a closer look at CenturyLink’s available internet plans. Remember that different speeds and plans depend on the provider’s coverage availability, so not all the offerings below will be an option. In addition, these rates will likely require opting into paperless billing to receive some hidden discounts.

*CenturyLink notes service may switch to nonfiber connection if necessary. Modem lease fee of $15 will apply unless you supply your own.

To gauge typical plan availability, we tested entering many different addresses on CenturyLink’s website. In most instances, CenturyLink offered just one suggested plan, noting it’s the fastest available in the area. Because there’s little price differentiation among plans (with most of the monthly base rate before taxes and fees being $50 or $55), the lack of plan choices may not matter to most people. That said, paying the same monthly rates for much slower speeds than other users reduces the value in some areas.

Expert Insights

From Taylor Shuman, Senior Tech Expert

CenturyLink’s monthly rates are very competitive, and all plans come with unlimited data, no data overage fees, and no long-term contracts. Many providers still have data limits or require long-term contracts to get the best deal, so CenturyLink has a leg up here.

If you’re not sure what internet speed would be sufficient for your needs, here’s a quick breakdown:

• 15 to 40 Mbps: Best for light internet users who need to connect only one or two devices. If you just want to send emails to your friends and family, check out pictures of the grandkids on Facebook, and shop online from time to time, this plan will be sufficient. You’ll need faster speeds if you want to do more advanced things, such as play online games or stream movies in HD.
• 80 to 100 Mbps: For those who want to stream movies with friends or video chat with the kids, or for older adults who have several devices (such as a phone, TV, laptop, and speaker) connected to the internet at once, these download speeds will be more than sufficient. The speeds are also great for households of two or three light internet users.
• 940 Mbps: Older adults who want as much speed as possible and an ultrareliable fiber connection should opt for the 940 Mbps plan if it’s available in your area. It’s far more speed than the average senior will need, but you’ll never have to worry about buffering, a frozen screen, or your connection slowing down when lots of people are online at once. If you love having family members over and they are all big internet users, this plan may be for you. You’ll be set whether your grandkids like to game, upload videos to YouTube, watch shows on Netflix for hours, or do schoolwork online.

When we tested CenturyLink, we had the 100 Mbps plan. We ran several speed tests and experienced average download speeds of about 85 Mbps. It wasn’t as fast as our advertised speeds, but we had consistent, fast speeds throughout our multistory house. We could easily play games, stream movies, and make video calls on multiple devices at one time.

Running a speed test with CenturyLink

If we ever experienced slow speeds, we could easily restart our equipment or run a speed test using the online portal or mobile app. We found the online portal was easy to use.

Viewing our CenturyLink account

CenturyLink Discounts for Seniors

CenturyLink doesn’t currently offer a senior discount, but many older adults may meet the qualifications for Lifeline. Lifeline is a federal phone and internet assistance program for low-income customers.1 The FCC’s Lifeline program provides discounts of up to $9.25 per month for broadband service with speeds of 25 Mbps to those who qualify. Tribal Lifeline offers discounts up to $34.25 per month on internet, plus installation assistance, to qualifying people who live on federally recognized tribal lands.

For comparison, AT&T offers discounted internet plans to low-income subscribers through their Access From AT&T program. If your income is at or below federal poverty guidelines, you may be eligible for internet with speeds up to 100 Mbps for $30 a month or fiber internet with faster speeds for $20 per month.

Xfinity has a similar low-income connectivity program called Internet Essentials. Available in select areas, recipients of government benefits programs such as the National School Lunch Program, housing assistance, Medicaid, or SNAP may be eligible for internet service starting at $15 a month.

Note that these programs are available only to very low-income households. Because CenturyLink offers high-speed internet at very competitive prices, it’s a great choice for most customers if they are the main internet provider in your area.

Bundle for a Better Deal With CenturyLink

The CenturyLink bundle options offer perks to their internet plans. For $90 per month, you can get speeds up to 100 Mbps and unlimited home phone use. Or, for $105 monthly, you can bundle the Gigabit Fiber Internet plan with home phone services.

This package is ideal for older adults who want to stay connected. It’s all the better if you prefer a home phone to a cell phone. To qualify, you must opt for paperless billing, meaning less tech-savvy customers could miss out. The total speed is also dependent on where you live. That said, you can enter your ZIP code beforehand to get a speed estimate and decide whether the bundle is worth it.

In some areas, you can sign up for DIRECTV through CenturyLink. (Note: It is not available in all areas and requires the purchase of a streaming device.) You can get 160 channels for $74.99 a month for two years and $89.99 a month afterward, or opt for the Ultimate plan with 250 channels for $119.99 a month for two years and $152.98 a month afterward. Auto pay and paperless billing are required for these rates. If you’re interested in the bundles, check out our DIRECTV review.

How Does CenturyLink Stack Up to the Competition?

CenturyLink doesn’t rank very highly in terms of speed compared to other internet providers, but the company boasts transparent, competitive pricing and reliability. Here’s more about how CenturyLink holds up against their competitors.

CenturyLink vs. AT&T

AT&T

• Discounts for low-income households
• Sign-up perks such as $150 in reward cards when you sign up for select fiber internet plans
• Comparable starting prices

AT&T has several internet plans with prices starting at $55 per month for slower speeds (300 Mbps), which is similar to what CenturyLink offers. One area in which CenturyLink has a leg up on AT&T, however, is plan simplicity.

Like CenturyLink, AT&T offers DSL, 4G, and fiber options in many states, but not in all areas. There are no specific discounts on internet service for older adults either, even though AT&T offers discounts with their cellular plans. AT&T does, however, offer discounts for low-income households.

CenturyLink vs. Verizon

Verizon

• More sign-up perks
• Slightly cheaper starting rates
• More fiber internet package options
• Complicated sign-up process

Frontier Internet (now part of Verizon) can be faster than CenturyLink, since Frontier offers 5,000 Mbps speeds in select areas, and plans can be cheaper than CenturyLink, starting at $29.99 a month. Frontier is also more widely available, with service in 27 states. Like CenturyLink, there are no contracts or data caps with Frontier internet service.

Verizon also offers Lifeline discounts for qualifying customers, as well as more options for fiber internet, starting at $50 per month for up to 300 Mbps. Customers can add the Disney bundle and get Hulu, ESPN, and Disney+ for just $10 a month, or you can opt for the Netflix bundle and get Netflix and Max (both with ads) for an additional $10 per month.

At a residence in Los Angeles, for example, we could choose a 5G home internet plan with speeds up to 100 Mbps for $50 or opt for the 5G Plus plan with speeds up to 300 Mbps for $70 per month. Each plan includes a free router, a five-year price lock, and the bundling options described above. Read our Verizon internet review for more details.

CenturyLink vs. Xfinity

Xfinity has widespread availability in 41 states and offers high-speed internet starting at $35 per month for one year. Unlike CenturyLink, Xfinity imposes data caps and charges customers $10 for every 50 GB of data over your monthly limit. Choosing a plan can be complicated, particularly when you add bundles.

The $35-per-month promotion is also contingent on signing up for auto pay and paperless billing. If your household is considered low income, you may be eligible for the Xfinity Internet Essentials plan, which provides service starting as low as $15 a month.

CenturyLink is known for offering affordable DSL service in rural areas with less connectivity. If CenturyLink is available in your area, you have a reliable internet option that keeps plan choice simple. The company doesn’t offer as fast of a connection or as many perks as AT&T and Verizon, but their prices are competitive and their speeds are likely fast enough to power the internet needs for the average older adult (who is likely not a gamer or streamer with super-fast internet needs).

About CenturyLink

CenturyLink has a company history that spans almost 100 years. The business began as Oak Ridge Telephone Company in 1930. Known for their widespread availability in rural areas, CenturyLink offers broadband services in 16 states, with the most coverage in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, and Washington.

The Bottom Line

Despite not offering senior-specific internet plans, CenturyLink is a solid internet option for older adults. CenturyLink offers most packages for $55 per month for DSL or fiber speeds, ranging anywhere from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps, depending on your location and availability. The prices may seem high compared to budget internet providers, but CenturyLink is reasonably priced.

Most Americans 65 and older spend 10 hours a day interacting with computers or tablets, so it’s clear that seniors need to find an internet package that offers reliable service and fantastic value to meet their needs. With their affordable plans, high-speed internet options, and Lifeline participation, we believe CenturyLink fits the bill!