How to Make CenturyLink Internet Plan Cost Less?
As the inflation rate in the U.S. keeps increasing and has accelerated to 7.9% as of February 2022, it is natural for everyone to have only one thing on their mind and that is saving up or cutting costs, wherever they can manage. So, it is only natural to think that internet services, which can be pretty pricey, are a concern. Internet is something that we cannot live and function without anymore, so cutting it out completely is definitely not an option. Rather, there are other ways you can cut costs and make your internet plan cheaper.
As the title indicates the focus of this blog, we are assuming that you are either already a user of CenturyLink Internet or you are considering switching to it, if it is meeting your requirements. Either way, the reason you must be reading this blog is to find out how you can save money with CenturyLink and still enjoy a good internet speed and plan. Then let’s see how you can do that!
Ways to lower your internet bill
1. Downgrade your plan
If you are subscribed to an expensive plan with high-speed internet, try downgrading to a cheaper plan. There could be the possibility that you are paying for too much speed while you don’t even need that much. In this case, you are overspending on your internet plan and it is a waste of money. In the case that you do need greater speeds of the internet, probably because of more devices in use, you should try to reduce the number of devices connected at any particular time with your downgraded plan. For example, if you are using your phone, but not your laptop at any particular moment, there is no need for the laptop to be connected to the internet.
If you want a guide on how much internet you actually need, then take a look at the table below to determine the level of data usage needed for common activities.
| Internet Speed | Perfect for | Devices |
| 0-5 Mbps | EmailingWeb browsing/surfingSocial mediaStreaming musicSearching | 1-2 |
| 5-10 Mbps | EmailingWeb browsing/surfingSocial mediaVideo callsHD video streamingStreaming music | 1-3 |
| 10-20 Mbps | Social mediaVideo callsHD 4K video streaming for one person at a timeOnline gaming for one person at a time | 1-2 |
| 20-40 Mbps | Video callsHD 4K video streamingOnline gaming for one person at a timeStreaming music | 4-7 |
| 40-100 Mbps | HD 4K video streamingDownloading large filesMultiplayer online gamingLight work from homeHome security devices | 4-7 |
| 100-500 Mbps | Ultra HD video streamingMultiplayer online gamingDownloading large filesHome officeHome security devicesSmart devices | 5+ |
| 500-1000+ Mbps | Home officeHD 4K video streamingOnline multiplayer gamingHome security devicesSmart devices | 5+ |
2. Buy and use your own equipment
When you purchase or subscribe to an internet plan, you usually get an option for renting a modem and router from the ISP. Some ISPs give you the option of using your own equipment as well so you won’t have to rent. If you already have a modem and router, then hurray! If you don’t, we recommend you get one. Why? Because in the long run, you are saving up on the cost of renting. When you are renting a device, you will have to pay for it every month. Whereas, if you have your own device, you pay once and get to use it whenever you want. One thing you will need to be careful about is to confirm from your ISP if the modem is compatible with their network.
3. Check bundles
Some ISPs offer money-saving bundles that help you balance out your costs for internet and other paired services. However, this is not the case for every ISP and so, you shouldn’t assume this every time. While some ISPs may not offer money-saving bundles, these bundles are still full of benefits and can really help you in one way or another. Maybe there is free anti-virus software, free modem, or something along those lines offered in the bundle.
4. Negotiate your monthly charges
If you have stayed with your internet provider for quite a while, then you can give this option a shot. Negotiating your internet bill with your ISP, especially if you’ve been a loyal customer, might just get you a discount. If your provider trusts you and recognizes that you are going through a hard time, they can offer you a little discount for a limited time. Again, this depends on ISP to ISP.
5. Keep an eye out for discounts and promotions
Monthly discounts and special promotions are still a thing and you might be surprised to find that your ISP occasionally does that as well. Some of you might think these are only for new users and subscribers, but that’s not always the case. While most ISPs do offer promotional pricing in the beginning, there can also be special discounts and promotions afterward as well. Keep an eye out for these and also ask your ISP for any that you might have missed. You will most likely find them during the holiday season like Christmas, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, etc.
CenturyLink InternetPlans
Now, that we’ve talked about the ways to lower your internet bill and save up, let’s look at the CenturyLink internet plans. You can also find the pricing, conditions, and data allowance in the table.
| Internet Plan | Internet Speeds | Data Allowance | Pricing | Conditions | Great for |
| CenturyLink Internet | 15 – 20 Mbps | Unlimited | $50/mo. | Paperless billing or prepay is requiredSpeed availability subject to locationAdditional taxes, fees, and surcharges will apply | Downloading files, videos, and musicWork from home Online schooling/learningStreamingBrowsing/surfingOnline shoppingPlaying games |
| CenturyLink Internet | 40 – 100 Mbps | Unlimited | $50/mo. | Paperless billing or prepay is requiredSpeed availability subject to locationAdditional taxes, fees, and surcharges will apply | Connecting multiple devicesWork from homeOnline schooling/learningOnline shoppingPaying bills onlineAccess to news, entertainment, etc.Browsing/surfingDownloading files, videos, and music |
| CenturyLink Fiber Gigabit | Up to 940 Mbps | Unlimited | $65/mo. | Paperless billing or prepay is requiredSpeed availability subject to locationAdditional taxes, fees, and surcharges will apply | Streaming HD and 4K content on multiple devicesPlaying online multiplayer gamesBacking up the entire hard drive to the cloudDownloading and uploading heavy files Work from homeOnline schooling/learning |
CenturyLink Bundles
Here, we have also attached a table with the details of CenturyLink internet + home phone bundles so you can see if you want to get this, instead of one service only.
| Bundle | Price | Internet speed | Benefits | Conditions |
| Simply Unlimited Internet and Simply Unlimited Phone | $90/mo. | Up to 100 Mbps | Unlimited nationwide calling | Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges will applyRate excluding CTL fees not to exceed $3/mo./line |
| Fiber Gigabit and Simply Unlimited Phone | $105/mo. | Up to 940 Mbps | Unlimited nationwide calling | Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges will applyRate excluding CTL fees not to exceed $3/mo./line |
Key Takeaway
That wraps up our topic of saving money on CenturyLink internet. We have talked about how you can lower your bill and also discussed the internet speeds you will need to perform some activities. Moving forward, we have also attached the plans and bundles offered by CenturyLink so you can decide whether you want to get a plan or bundle if you are not a user. If you are a user, however, you can decide which plan to downgrade, upgrade or change to, according to your preferences. If you want to know more details about the plans, bundles, and more, go onto BuyTVInternetPhone and choose the provider and the plan you want!