Century Link

What Century Link does

CenturyLink is the residential and small business internet, voice, and bundled-services brand of Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN), operating across the United States including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. The company delivers connectivity through a hybrid fiber and DSL broadband network, with symmetrical Fiber Gigabit service offering speeds up to 940 Mbps download and upload via wired connection, and G.Fast fiber-to-the-curb technology for areas where end-to-end fiber deployment is infeasible. Pay TV is not proprietary; CenturyLink functions as an authorized reseller of DISH and DIRECTV and refers customers to streaming options such as Sling TV and DIRECTV STREAM via the Mybundle.TV recommendation tool.

Name

Century Link

Legal name

CenturyLink

Website

https://centurylinkindia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CenturyLink is the US residential and small business internet, voice, and bundled-services brand of Lumen Technologies, delivering fiber and DSL broadband, VoIP, and TV partnerships across the United States including Alaska, Hawaii, and Caribbean territories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential and Small Business Telecommunications Services (Broadband Internet)

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711), Telecommunications (517)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers) (HDAIADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP/FTTH) Broadband Providers (HDAIABAC), DSL/Copper-Based ISPs (xDSL Retail Providers) (HDAIADAG)

Keywords

• Residential internet service
• Fiber broadband internet
• Business VoIP phone
• Telecommunications services
• Home phone service

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Residential Internet Service: Monthly subscription fees for home internet service across DSL and fiber tiers ranging from 30 Mbps to 940 Mbps speeds. Revenue generated through paperless billing with month-to-month pricing.
2. Voice Services: Standalone and bundled phone services including Simply Unlimited Phone with unlimited nationwide calling, VoIP solutions, and Connected Voice business packages.
3. Equipment Leasing: Monthly equipment rental fees for WiFi routers and modems up to $17/mo, ATA adapters, and IP phones. Includes secure WiFi and Premium WiFi equipment bundled with fiber plans.
4. Installation and Construction Services: One-time fees for standard installation up to $25, technician installation up to $149, and construction charges for new internet installations where applicable.
5. Business Solutions: Business Solution Pack including Vivial one-page website, Cloud Fax with 20 pages/month included, static IP address service with $75 activation fee, and MTU fiber business services.
6. Affiliate and Referral Programs: Commission through referral programs (Aklamio) and affiliate partnerships (Commission Junction) driving customer acquisition with reward payouts up to $100 per referral.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CenturyLink provides residential and small business telecommunications services across the United States, primarily broadband internet (Simply Unlimited Internet up to 140 Mbps over DSL/copper and Fiber Internet up to 940 Mbps with symmetric upload/download), unlimited home phone service, business VoIP, dedicated/MTU fiber for business customers, and resold/referred third-party TV services (DISH, DIRECTV, Sling TV, DIRECTV STREAM). Services are sold on a month-to-month basis without annual contracts and distributed through direct online, phone, retailer, and enterprise sales channels under the Lumen Technologies umbrella.

Product overview

CenturyLink is primarily an Internet Service Provider offering residential and business telecommunications services across multiple tiers. The core residential product is Simply Unlimited Internet (speeds up to 140 Mbps over traditional infrastructure) and Fiber Internet (speeds up to 940 Mbps with symmetric upload/download over fiber-optic network). These internet services can be bundled with Simply Unlimited Phone for unlimited nationwide calling. CenturyLink resells or recommends third-party TV services including DISH, DIRECTV, Sling TV, and DIRECTV STREAM through a partnership model rather than proprietary TV infrastructure. Premium WiFi and Secure WiFi are add-on features providing enhanced home network coverage and cybersecurity. For business customers, CenturyLink offers MTU Business Fiber Internet, MTU Fiber+, Dedicated Internet Access, and VoIP solutions (Connected Voice Basic and Professional). The My CenturyLink app provides customer self-service for network management. Additional add-on services include Static IP addressing for business needs and bundled solutions like Business Solution Pack with website and fax capabilities. The company operates on a month-to-month no-contract model for most residential services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Simply Unlimited Internet Residential high-speed internet service offering speeds up to 140 Mbps with unlimited data on a 99.9% reliable network. Includes in-home WiFi for multiple devices with no annual contract required. Pricing starts at $55/mo.
• Fiber Internet Fiber-optic internet service offering speeds up to 940 Mbps with symmetric upload/download speeds. Includes free professional installation ($129 value) and WiFi equipment at no additional monthly charge. Limited availability in select locations. Pricing starts at $75/mo.
• Simply Unlimited Phone Unlimited nationwide landline phone service available as standalone or bundled with internet plans. Includes local and long-distance calling to Alaska, Puerto Rico, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands. Excludes commercial use; paperless billing required.
• Connected Voice (VoIP) Business VoIP phone service available in Basic and Professional tiers. Basic requires an ATA adapter with self-installation and includes unlimited local/long-distance calling plus 500 international minutes to Canada, Mexico, UK, Ireland, and Germany; Professional supports up to 3 phone numbers with an IP Phone ($179 one-time charge).
• TV Services (DISH, DIRECTV, Sling TV, DIRECTV STREAM) Third-party TV service partnerships offering satellite TV (DISH, DIRECTV) and streaming TV options (Sling TV, DIRECTV STREAM). CenturyLink is an authorized retailer/referral partner, providing bundled offers with qualifying internet plans.
• Static IP Address Static IP address service for business customers requiring fixed IP allocation. Requires qualifying CenturyLink Internet subscription with one-time $75 activation fee per block of IP addresses and prepay.
• Business Solution Pack Business internet add-on bundle including a Vivial one-page website with business contact information, picture, industry and email, plus Cloud Fax service with 20 pages/month included (additional pages at $0.10/page).
• MTU Business Fiber Internet Fiber internet service for multi-tenant unit (MTU) business customers offering high-speed connectivity with speeds varying by location and availability.
• MTU Fiber+ Business fiber internet tier offering enhanced speeds and service features for multi-tenant unit locations; speed and service availability varies by area.
• MTU Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) Lumen Dedicated internet access service for business customers providing dedicated bandwidth with guaranteed service levels. Service availability varies by location. Delivered through the Lumen enterprise division.
• MTU Fiber Internet and G.hn Hybrid fiber/wireless business internet using G.hn technology for MTU locations where full fiber deployment is not feasible. Combines fiber infrastructure with copper/wireless last-mile connectivity.
• Cyber Shield Cybersecurity protection service provided through partnership with Aura. Offers online threat protection for individual account holders with monthly subscription.
• Personal Tech Pro by Assurant Technical support service provided through partnership with Assurant. Offers personalized tech assistance for setup, troubleshooting, and device configuration, with the Pocket Geek Home app.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.9% network reliability based on uptime/availability
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DISH NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCenturyLink is an authorized retailer of DISH Network L.L.C. offering DISH TV services to customers. DISH TV packages include America's Top 120 programming, local channels, and Hopper 3 Smart DVR with 2-year commitment and up to $89.99/mo pricing.
• DIRECTVcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for DIRECTV and DIRECTV STREAM services. DIRECTV packages range from ENTERTAINMENT at $99.99/mo to PREMIER at $203.98/mo for 2 years. DIRECTV STREAM offers streaming with CHOICE and above packages.
• Sling TVminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLimited time promotional offer for new CenturyLink fiber internet customers (940M service) to receive Sling TV promotional credits up to $35/mo for 6 months. Valid for SLING Blue and SLING Orange packages.
• AklamiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerThird-party referral platform for CenturyLink's Refer & Earn Program. Referrers can earn $50-$100 cash rewards for qualifying referrals depending on internet speed tier, with $10 donation to charity per referral.
• Commission Junction (CJ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate marketing partnership offering $100 Mastercard card to new prepaid residential customers who sign up through participating CJ affiliate partner websites.
• International ResourcesminorOthersThird-party provider offering international products and services to CenturyLink customers. IR handles equipment descriptions, pricing, taxes, shipping, and handling fees.
• Assurant (Personal TechPro)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThird-party tech support service provided by Assurant through Personal TechPro program. Includes remote support and Pocket Geek Home app for personal use.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Spectrum (Charter Communications): Major US cable ISP offering broadband, voice, and TV bundles with broad geographic coverage. Competes head-to-head with CenturyLink for residential broadband share and increasingly for SMB and fiber markets.
• Xfinity (Comcast): Largest US cable ISP offering broadband, voice, and TV bundles with extensive HFC footprint. Directly competes with CenturyLink in residential broadband and is the principal incumbent CenturyLink's fiber must overbuild against.
• Windstream (Kinetic): US ILEC offering DSL, fiber (Kinetic), and voice services to residential and SMB customers in rural and suburban markets. Comparable peer given shared ILEC heritage and similar DSL-to-fiber migration trajectory.
• Frontier Communications: US ILEC providing DSL and expanding fiber internet to residential and business customers across overlapping rural and suburban markets. Closest pure-play peer given shared ILEC heritage, DSL-to-fiber transition, and similar SMB offerings.
• Cox Communications: Major US cable ISP offering broadband, voice, and TV services to residential and business customers. Competitor in overlapping markets with comparable bundle and pricing strategies.
• AT&T Internet: Major US ILEC offering DSL, fiber (AT&T Fiber), and bundled phone/TV services to residential and small business customers across overlapping geographies. Directly competes with CenturyLink in fiber gigabit, DSL, and bundled voice offerings.
• Verizon Fios: Fiber-to-the-home ISP offering symmetric gigabit service, voice, and TV bundles in the Northeast US. Direct competitor to CenturyLink's fiber product on symmetric speed and bundled service positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Lumen Technologies (Enterprise Division): Parent company of CenturyLink, serving enterprise and wholesale customers with dedicated internet access, wavelength, and managed network services. Adjacent peer given shared infrastructure and overlapping enterprise/SMB product portfolios.

Emerging players

• Google Fiber: Fiber-to-the-home ISP offering gigabit and multi-gigabit service in select US cities. Emerging overbuilder competing with CenturyLink fiber in markets where Google Fiber has launched.
• T-Mobile Home Internet: Fixed wireless 5G home internet service competing with CenturyLink DSL and lower-tier fiber. Represents the principal fixed wireless threat to legacy broadband ARPU.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CenturyLinkHome
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CenturyLink
• Facebookfacebook.com/CenturyLink
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/century-link

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Century Link