Is CenturyLink home phone service good?
CenturyLink isn’t trying to reinvent home phone service. The phones work the same. The features (call waiting, caller ID, etc.) are so standard that they don’t feel like features. The long-distance charges aren’t a joke. The bills can have puzzling and dubious fees.
So, yeah—CenturyLink home phone service is just like you remember from the days before smartphones. Minus the nostalgia.
Okay, maybe it’s not fair to say that landlines have no upsides. Ambulance drivers will know your exact location. You won’t have to charge your phone (as much). The phones don’t have tons of apps, games, and messages to distract you from real life. And retro-tech like this will totally boost your hipster cred.
Are we reaching for reasons to have a landline? Yeah, kinda. But that doesn’t mean your reasons aren’t important.
Pros
- Unlimited nationwide calling
- Increased personal security
Cons
- No Candy Crush support
- Per-user pricing for Connected Voice
Jump to:
CenturyLink phone plans
Package | Price | Features | |
---|---|---|---|
Simply Unlimited Home Phone | $50.00/mo. |
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View Plans for CenturyLink |
Data is as of time of post. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
CenturyLink’s Simply Unlimited Home Phone plan comes with unlimited nationwide calling and up to 10 calling features. If you add it to your CenturyLink internet plan (you can’t purchase standalone phone service), you’ll save $10 monthly off the combined costs of the services.
Now let’s talk long-distance rates (remember those?).
CenturyLink long-distance calling plans and rates
Data is as of time of post. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Long-distance calling with Home Phone Unlimited
Home Phone Unlimited includes unlimited long-distance calling throughout most of North America (50 states, Canada, and U.S. territories). But what if you have family in Japan or Australia?
If you need to call other countries, CenturyLink charges extra for long-distance calls, just like back in the old days. You’ll pay higher rates during peak hours (Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.) and slightly lower rates on nights and weekends.
Of course, those rates are straight outta SayWhat-town. Calling Japan during peak hours with CenturyLink will cost $1.62 a minute. On nights and weekends, the same call will set you back $1.17 a minute.
Obviously, those prices aren’t ideal, but there is an alternative.
For an additional $6 a month, the CenturyLink Choice International add-on slashes your long-distance rate. That call to Japan, for instance, drops by 86–96% ($0.08–$0.22 a minute) with Choice International. And there are no restrictions on the time of day you can call.
See CenturyLink Choice International rates by country.
If you pick the Home Phone Unlimited plan, CenturyLink Choice International will bring your bill up to $66 a month (plus fees and taxes).
But do you really wanna spend 66 bucks a month on a landline? That feels like a lot of dough to blow on a service that’s almost obsolete.
CenturyLink Connected Voice plans
Data is as of time of post. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
CenturyLink Fiber Internet customers who want landline phone service will have to settle for the provider’s Connected Voice service. Connected Voice comes in two tiers: Basic Plan offers standard features like voicemail and caller ID, while Professional Plan includes business features like video conferencing and emailed copies of faxes.
But the service will likely be a nonstarter for most households because of its pricing setup. Unlike most ISP phone plans (which come with flat-rate pricing), Connected Voice charges per user. If you wanted Basic Plan for a five-person household, you’d be paying an additional $150 just for landline phone service.
CenturyLink bundles (add-ons) and pricing
Package | Price‡ | Download/upload speeds | Phone plan features | |
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CenturyLink Fiber Internet with Unlimited Nationwide Calling Best fiber package with add-on |
$110.00/mo.* | Up to 940 Mbps both ways |
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View Plan |
CenturyLink Simply Unlimited Internet with Unlimited Nationwide Calling Best DSL package with add-on |
$90.00/mo.† |
Download: up to 100 Mbps Upload: up to 10 Mbps (Actual speeds depend on location) |
|
View Plan |
Data is as of time of post. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
* Speed may not be available in your area. Maximum download/upload speed of up to 940 Mbps via a wired connection. Paperless billing required. Taxes and fees apply. Offer details. Offer includes professional installation at customer’s eligible location.
† Paperless billing or prepaid required. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges apply. Get the fastest Internet speed available at your location (max speed is up to 100 Mbps.)
CenturyLink deals
CenturyLink has no active deals or promotions at the time of this writing.
Final take
Not everyone needs a landline. Many of us don’t even want one. But they can be handy in emergencies.
If you’d like that extra protection in your life, CenturyLink provides it at a decent price. Otherwise, you’re better off with that high-tech, life-stealing smartphone.
CenturyLink phone service FAQ
Do I need a phone line for CenturyLink Internet?
You don’t need a phone line for CenturyLink Internet, but you will need a working phone jack.
Does CenturyLink have cell phone service?
CenturyLink does not currently offer mobile phone service.
Can I get CenturyLink at my house?
You probably can get CenturyLink internet or phone service at your house. Enter your zip code below to see if CenturyLink is in your area.
What services does CenturyLink offer?
CenturyLink offers internet and phone service. You can also package DISH or DIRECTV with your CenturyLink plan during the checkout process.