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Plans starting at: $50
Popular Package: CenturyLink internet - Up to 940Mbps.
Download speeds up to: 940 Mbps
Connection Types: Fiber & DSL
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Plans starting at: $30
Popular Package: Cox Internet Gigablast
Download speeds up to: 1 Gbps
Connection Types: Cable
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1-833-864-0259CenturyLink Staff rating
CenturyLink’s DSL internet has wide coverage but slower speeds
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. 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 price 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 sold half of its DSL network to Brightspeed in 2022. CenturyLink now has a very unusual coverage footprint: think of it as the Western half of the United States, minus California, 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
Cities with CenturyLink availability
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1-833-943-6858COX Staff rating
Cox offers gigabit download speeds, but at higher prices than competitors
Cox offers fast, reliable cable internet service and in a few select areas, all-fiber internet. But mostly, when you order Cox service, you’re going to get very fast cable internet up to about 2 Gigs. In fact, 99% of Cox’s customer base gets gigabit download speeds [1]. The lowest-priced plan will remain constant in price after the promotional period and has no monthly contract. All other plans go up by steep price increases of $25-$50 after the promotional rate ends. Overall, you are likely to pay more with Cox than with its cable or fiber competitors. That said, Cox may still be your best option if you happen to live in an area with no stronger fiber or cable internet providers who will give you more speed for your dollar. Beyond its service offerings and pricing structure, Cox has also been at the center of several major industry developments. Recently, Cox has been in the news for jointly defending its proposed $34.5 billion merger with Charter before the FCC, arguing that the two companies do not compete directly and are struggling with declining subscriber numbers [2]. They contend that critics’ claims of the firms becoming dominant “gatekeepers” are outdated and that the merger is necessary to keep their services competitive in today’s broadband market.Additionally, the Supreme Court has recently signaled sympathy toward internet providers in a high-stakes copyright dispute with major record labels, raising concerns that a ruling for the music industry could force ISPs to police users or disconnect entire households, campuses, or towns [3]. The justices appeared wary of the sweeping consequences proposed by the labels, even as they pressed Cox Communications on the limits of its legal theory.
The developments ultimately highlight how Cox’s role in broadband extends beyond day-to-day internet service and into broader regulatory and industry-wide challenges.PROS
Wide availability of gigabit download speeds Data caps are high at 1.2 TB, decreasing likelihood of overages Reliability of cable connection
Cons
Big price hikes after promotional rates Data caps may result in overage charges Below-average customer satisfaction ratings
Cities with Cox availability
Call today & find the best COX internet deals
1-833-864-0259CenturyLink Pricing
CenturyLink DSL charges high prices for widely varying speeds
DSL is not one of the faster internet technologies on the market. Usually, DSL customers sign up for their plans because there is no cable or fiber internet in their areas. And that can be a valid choice if DSL will give you better performance than satellite internet, though you have to evaluate that on a case-by-case basis. Many times, DSL plans are good options for customers in rural areas. CenturyLink plans are no exception to the general qualities of DSL. You will generally pay around $50 for your DSL package, whether you get 10 Mbps download speed or whether you are lucky enough to get 100 Mbps download speed (very unusual for DSL and true for only 28% of CenturyLink DSL customers) [2]. In better news, CenturyLink’s DSL plans are free of data caps. So, despite the fact that CenturyLink’s DSL prices are high for the speeds, at least you won’t have unexpected data overage charges.Call today & find the best CenturyLink internet deals
1-833-943-6858Cox Pricing
Be aware of price hikes and data overage for heavy-streaming households
Cox offers a first-tier plan at $55/month for up to 300 Mbps download speeds. That's about $.18 per Mbps, which is on the higher end of the pricing scale. The good news is that Cox's first-tier price is the standard price, so it won’t go up automatically after a promotional period. Unfortunately, the higher speed plans do have steep price hikes after the first year’s promotional rate. And when those price increases kick in, you’ll be paying more per month, on average, than you would for the same speeds through Xfinity or Spectrum. In addition, there’s a monthly rental fee for the Cox modem/router of $13, though you are allowed to buy your own compatible router if you wish. Another big question about Cox pricing will be how much data you use. Cox does have a data cap. The cap is high at 1.25 TB [4], so many households will never exceed it. It's worth noting, though, that the share of U.S. broadband subscribers using at least 1 TB of data per month has risen to nearly 25% in Q4 2024 [5]... up from 14% in 2022 [6]. And if you do exceed your cap, you will face overage charges [7]. In other words, if you are a heavy data user, you may end up with a higher monthly bill. So be aware of these data caps as a factor in your pricing if you live in a household with multiple people who stream 4K or play real-time games online every day. If your internet activities don’t include lots of HD streaming, gaming, or large file uploads, or you only have one or two household members, you are unlikely to exceed your monthly data cap.Call today & find the best COX internet deals
1-833-864-0259CenturyLink 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. About 47% of CenturyLink customers achieve speeds up to 30 Mbps. On the flip side, a lucky 27% are able to achieve 80 Mbps or more, delivering a much better experience [5]. 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. However, if you are considering ordering CenturyLink DSL, be sure to research your other options. You can test your actual speed here to see what kind of performance your current internet connection is giving you.Call today & find the best CenturyLink internet deals
1-833-943-6858Cox Reliability and Performance
Years of solid operations equip Cox with reliable infrastructure
Cox has a thirty-year record of delivering internet access to customers. This means that when you order internet service, it will work as it should the vast majority of the time. Cox home internet serves metro areas in 18 states. Cox Communications remains a major U.S. broadband provider with around 6–6.5 million residential and commercial customers under its own brand. With its 2025 proposed merger with Charter Communications, the combined company would serve roughly 35.9 million broadband subscribers — making it, if approved, the largest cable/broadband operator in the United States [8]. Cox uses hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) technology, like its major competitors Xfinity and Spectrum. Ordinarily, your internet service will be carried by fiber-optic lines along the main arteries until it gets within about a mile of your house. Somewhere near that point, the network will switch to copper coaxial cable. This structure is called Fiber-to-the-Node (FTTN). It is faster than an all-copper network, but not as fast as all-fiber, which is also known as Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH). Cox does offer a small percentage of all-fiber connections and is building out more, but for the moment, you are most likely to get HFC, i.e., cable internet service [9]. Download speeds with Cox’s cable internet will go as high as 2,000 Mbps in some areas, and upload speeds will top out around 200 Mbps. Though this upload speed is far below the symmetrical high speeds of an all-fiber connection, Cox cable internet still provides plenty of speed for most households. Cox uses data caps of 1.25 TB/month on its plans. This allowance will provide plenty of data for most households. But if you have a large household and you all do unusually heavy streaming or gaming to go over 1 TB, you may incur up to a maximum of $100 in overage charges. You can get Cox plans with unlimited data, but only by paying more each month for an unlimited plan.Call today & find the best COX internet deals
1-833-864-0259CenturyLink 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.Call today & find the best CenturyLink internet deals
1-833-943-6858Cox Equipment, Installation and Bonus Features
Cox offers optional self-installation, charges equipment rental fee
When you order Cox internet service, you will be able to select either professional installation or self-installation. Self-installation will save you about $100, as long as you’re willing to deal with instructions for connection and activation. If you want to use a Cox-supplied modem/router, you will get their Panoramic Wi-Fi gateway [10]. Higher-tier plans will receive a Wi-Fi 6 gateway, while the lower tier of plans will have a more typical Wi-Fi 5 compatible device. All customers will pay a $13/month rental fee for the equipment in addition to their monthly plan fee. However, Cox will forego the fee if you use your own compatible modem/router, which may make it cheaper in the long run for you to buy one rather than renting.Call today & find the best COX internet deals
1-833-864-0259CenturyLink 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. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, CenturyLink's DSL service scored 62 out of 100 in 2025, which was the same score they received the previous year. 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.Call today & find the best CenturyLink internet deals
1-833-943-6858Cox Experience & Support
Cox customer service ranks below average on national surveys
Cox gets a resounding "meh" for customer service on recognized national surveys of customer satisfaction such as the J.D. Power survey [11]. Cox ranks below average in each region where it provides service. In 2025, Cox scored 68 out of 100 on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), which places it just below the 70/100 average for non-fiber internet providers [12].
In an industry not known for good customer service, it's hard to split hairs about exactly what the rankings mean. Even some of the best ISPs occasionally get their share of negativity when you look up review compilation maps [13]. But despite TrustPilot's 1-star rating (based on over 1,400 reviews) [14], because J.D. Power and ACSI are widely regarded as among the more objective rating systems, we're going to give Cox 2 stars for customer service.
Call today & find the best COX internet deals
1-833-864-0259CenturyLink FAQ's
To order or learn more, call the number on this page or visit BuyCenturyLink.com.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Call today & find the best CenturyLink internet deals
1-833-943-6858Cox FAQ's
Cox provides a convenient self-installation option called Easy Connect. With Easy Connect, you can use a self-installation kit to set up your new internet or phone modem or TV receiver. The process is simple and involves following a few easy steps outlined in the self-installation guides provided by Cox.
Panoramic Wi-Fi from Cox is an innovative high-speed internet experience designed to meet your needs. It offers fast and reliable speeds throughout your home, along with support tools to manage your home network effectively. With Panoramic Wi-Fi, you can enjoy wall-to-wall Wi-Fi coverage and faster speeds for all your internet activities.
Cox Hotspots are a network of Wi-Fi hotspots available nationwide. They are accessible to Cox Internet Preferred and higher plans. When you're near a hotspot, you can connect to them by searching for available networks using your smart devices. By using Cox Hotspots with your Cox login credentials, you can save on cellular data usage while enjoying internet connectivity on the go.
Yes, Cox allows you to change your home internet speed whenever your needs change. If you require faster or slower internet speeds, you have the flexibility to adjust your plan accordingly. Cox offers a range of internet plans to cater to different speed requirements. You can explore the available options and select the plan that best suits your needs. You can test your internet speed here.
All of Cox’s internet plans come with 1.2 GB of data per month. Cox offers two additional data plans beyond the monthly plan that is included in your service. These additional data plans provide you with more internet data to meet your usage needs if you are a heavy data user.
Yes, you can set up a new Cox email address. Cox provides email services to its customers, allowing them to create personalized email accounts.
Call today & find the best COX internet deals
1-833-864-0259CenturyLink 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." [5] Fairinternetreport.com. "CenturyLink"
Call today & find the best CenturyLink internet deals
1-833-943-6858Cox Sources
[1] Cox. "Cox Communications Fact Sheet."
[2] BroadbandBreakfast. "Charter, Cox Defend Merger to FCC." [3] CNN. "Supreme Court leans toward internet service providers in copyright battle with nation’s music industry" [4] Cox. "Free unlimited data, ready when you are." [5] CSI Magazine. "Average monthly broadband consumption nears 700 GB."[6] Benton Institute. "Broadband Usage Still Robust First Quarter 2022."
[7] Cox. "Learn About Cox Internet Data Usage."
[8] International Center for Law & Economics. "The Competitive Effects of the Proposed Charter/Cox Transaction."[9] Cox. "Cox Begins to Offer 2 Gig Symmetrical Speeds."
[10] Cox. "Panoramic Wifi for wall-to-wall coverage."[11] J.D. Power. "2023 U.S. Residential Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study."
[12] ACSI. "Access competitive benchmarking for the largest ISPs."[13] Fairshake.com. "The Most Hated Internet Service Providers in Every U.S. State."
[14] TrustPilot. "Cox Internet Reviews."Call today & find the best COX internet deals
1-833-864-0259CenturyLink Internet Plans
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1-833-943-6858Cox Internet Plans
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1-833-864-0259CenturyLink Customers Review
Pricing
3.5
Reliability & Performance
3.0
Equipment, Installation & Features
3.5
Customer Experience & Support
3.0
Overall Rating
3.3
Elizabeth Wunsch
from Glendale, AZ on October 2025
They are canceling all broadband dsl internet in my neighborhood, no more landline or internet. There are no other fiber, dsl or broadband opportunities in my neighborhood.
Craig B
from Arcadia, FL on September 2025
We've had CenturyLink Internet and Phone at our school for 11 years now, with a max download speed of 20mbps (10mbps x2, dual-band....). We have two land-lines; one for our main business number and a dedicated line for fire monitoring. We have no other cabling/wiring in our area; cellular is ok for the most part and satellite is nearly cost prohibitive for our non-profit. However, we're now faced with making some tough choices for our Internet, phones and fire monitoring. CenturyLink has not paid much attention to their phone and DSL lines (in this part of SW Florida, at least), pretty much since their acquisition by Lumen years ago. We routinely get error messages on our fire monitoring line and our Internet is ok at best. Fortunately, we do not require a lot of download speed or bandwidth at our preschool, but the lack of line maintenance and the delays in getting tech support to come and fix the lines is getting ridiculous.
Veronica Perkins
from Gordo, AL on September 2025
So slow we can’t stream anything
Lisa S
from Casco, WI on August 2025
Absolutely crap. Slow, doesn’t want to work. Not reliable.
Sharon Tillman
from Loveland, CO on August 2025
They are saying we have to switch to Quantum Fiber which cost more and we aren't happy about that.
Call today & find the best CenturyLink internet deals
1-833-943-6858Cox Customers Review
Pricing
3.0
Reliability & Performance
4.0
Equipment, Installation & Features
4.0
Customer Experience & Support
2.0
Overall Rating
3.5
James Heaton
from Crestview, FL on September 2025
Cox is to expensive
Jason Merrifield
from Tucson, AZ on September 2025
Just read the other reviews. This is crap. IF there was ANY other real choice I would dump Cox in a second. I am paying for a GIG connections and am getting 30 mgb. I spent an hour arguing with chat to get a phone number so I could talk to a person. Then when I asked for compensation they transferred me to a dead line. Yep this is worth the 110 a month. There is no proactive maintenance on their infrastructure. The online tech said the in home amp needed to be disconnected........I dont have an in home amp. So now here I get to sit for the rest of Saturday and hope a Tech can help and if not today I have to be home tomorrow so they can maybe show up. Find a different service provider.
H Meyers
from Omaha, NE on September 2025
I've had Cox since 1987. Years ago, it was moderately priced and customer service was excellent. It has progressively got worse and worse to the point that it has taken 3 months and endless hours to fix my current problem. The phone customer service staff don't know what they are doing - and won's ask for help. Cox doesn't check on their end to make sure they've done what they need to. For example, I recently had to upgrade equipment twice (their error) and they managed to disconnect my landline for almost three weeks because they didn't flip a switch. Then, a two-hour (and twice disconnected on their end) argument about obtaining credit for the time I didn't have phone service. This particular problem has happened at least three times in the past. The pricing is a shell game, as every time I call I get different explanations - and some differ. Be sure if you talk to them to threaten to leave and behold! you can get the new subscriber deals, and some others they seem to pull out of a hat. Service in my neighborhood (Benson) is unreliable, to the point that we neighbors call each other to see if *we* can identify the issue. Cox's first response is always that it is our personal equipment - and nothing on their end. It is ALWAYS on their end. Techs and customer service seldom completely know what they are doing. Now they are obviously contracting overseas so the people on the phone, while speaking English, have such heavy accents that neither of us can understand each other. Which adds to the confusion. If you are in Omaha and your area has access to fiber - go for it. In older parts of Omaha, like mine, where Cox was the only game in town for decades, their equipment and the cable is old and not upgraded unless it fails completely. It is above ground and subject to weather (rain, snow, cold, wind, fallen trees). We pay the same as West Omaha for questionable service. Do not rely on Cox for landline service. I finally had to get a cell phone so I can call Cox at least once a month when service is interrupted or fails. Their prices keep going up as they add services with fancy names but no real advantage to the customer, especially as they can't provide steady service. Most of us are okay with the speeds we have if only we could count on it! To add to the insult, they have now trained staff in some happy clappy reassuring customer service language to praise the customer for things like "being so smart to figure that out" and "you are being so patient." We are not dogs; we know they are desperately trying to salvage their ratings. It is insulting and patronizing. They give a one-minute thank you at the end of the call - wasting even more time after two hours mostly on hold with them. Really - just fix the service. Fast. Or cut the prices and be honest.
dennis cuccarese
from El Cajon, CA on September 2025
cost is too high
Maria Brown
from Las Vegas, NV on August 2025
The service was spotty at times. No internet service for hours sometimes.
Call today & find the best COX internet deals
1-833-864-0259