Internet speed is an issue that we all face in our day-to-day lives. It doesn’t matter which internet connection type you have or who your provider is, you are going to have to get used to the fact that sometimes, you will face slow internet and there is not much you can do about it. While slow internet sometimes is not a problem, you don’t want to have slow internet all the time. After all, you might have important projects, deadlines and so many other things to do. Depending on the number of people that live in your house, all of you might have different responsibilities and different deadlines to meet.
So, why CenturyLink? If there’s one thing we know, it’s that CenturyLink internet has a reputation for being reliable and speedy for many people leading it to be among the top 5 ISPs in the U.S. Its availability spans 36 states and it provides services to residential neighborhoods and businesses. This is probably also the reason you have ended up on this page as well. Maybe you are considering subscribing to CenturyLink services or you are already a user and you are looking to know more about the speeds. Whatever your reason, let’s move on to the plans and the speeds of CenturyLink.
CenturyLink internet plans, pricing, and speeds
CenturyLink offers very attractive plans at reasonable rates to customers with the best benefits. The plans are designed in a way that they are great for different users with different reasons and requirements. Take a look at the table below to know more about these plans.
| Internet Plan | Internet Speeds | Data Allowance | Pricing | Conditions | Great for |
| CenturyLink Internet | 15 – 20 Mbps | Unlimited | $50/mo. | Paperless billing or prepay requiredAdditional taxes, fees, and surcharges appliedSpeed availability subject to location | 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 requiredAdditional taxes, fees, and surcharges appliedSpeed availability subject to location | 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 requiredAdditional taxes, fees, and surcharges applySpeed availability subject to location | 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 |
What is bandwidth?
So, before we talk about anything else, let’s talk about bandwidth. Bandwidth can be described as a highway and the internet data is the number of cars passing through each second. The more lanes on the highway, the faster the cars get from point A to point B. So, bandwidth is the maximum rate at which you can download data from the internet to your computer. It is measured in bits and is often written as Mbps, which stands for Megabyte per second.
The higher the bandwidth, the faster the internet speed. It should be stated that bandwidth and speed are not the same things, although they can sometimes be interchangeably used by some people. If you have lower bandwidth, you will face slow internet and slow downloads for songs, videos, etc. However, if you have more bandwidth, you will have speedy internet and you can easily download songs, videos, and much more.
Download and upload speed
Now that we are done talking about bandwidth, let’s clarify download and upload speeds and what they mean. When we say download speeds, you probably think it means the download speed for videos, music, and anything else. While you are right, it’s not completely right. Download speed also refers to when we are browsing on the web and search something. The time it takes for the page to load and open is also using download speed. Upload speed refers to when we are uploading files, documents, or any other media to any website.
Both of these are important and need to be discussed when you are getting an internet plan. Upload speed provided by the ISP is usually less than the download speed as there is more downloading needed than uploading. Sometimes, the provider offers equal download and upload speeds and it is referred to as symmetrical bandwidth.
What internet speed do you need?
Knowing all this information, you are probably thinking about how to know what speed is the right speed for you. Well, we have the answer to that and it’s in this table below so let’s take a look.
| Internet Speed | Perfect for |
| 0-5 Mbps | EmailingWeb browsing/surfingSocial mediaStreaming musicSearching |
| 5-10 Mbps | EmailingWeb browsing/surfingSocial mediaVideo callsHD video streamingStreaming music |
| 10-20 Mbps | Social mediaVideo callsHD 4K video streaming for one personOnline gaming for one person |
| 20-40 Mbps | Video callsHD 4K video streaming for one personOnline gaming for one personStreaming music |
| 40-100 Mbps | HD 4K video streaming on a few devicesDownloading large filesMultiplayer online gamingLight work from homeHome security devices |
| 100-500 Mbps | Ultra HD video streaming on multiple screensMultiplayer online gamingDownloading large filesHome officeHome security devicesSmart devices |
| 500-1000+ Mbps | Home officeHD 4K video streamingOnline multiplayer gamingHome security devicesSmart devices |
So, there we have it! These are the speeds needed to do the everyday tasks and even things like working from home, heavy gaming, and online schooling. Now you know which internet speed to get for your activities. Keep in mind the number of people in your home using the internet and also, for what reason.
Troubleshooting slow internet speed
Lastly, we would like to remind you that getting a fast internet service does not mean you will not experience lag or slow internet at times. Sometimes, despite ISPs’ best efforts, some things cannot be controlled, or faulty technology affects your internet connectivity and speed. So, instead of being stressed and contacting your ISP right away when you face an issue, here is what you can try to troubleshoot your slow internet connection:
Restart the modem and router: Sometimes, the culprit behind slow internet is faulty technology. Restarting your modem and router is the easiest way to refresh both devices in case there was some blockage or connection issue.
Move the router to an open area: Internet signals can be blocked by walls, ceilings, objects, etc., so, you should place your router in an open room, or at least somewhere like a common room/living room, so everyone can get an equal share of Wi-Fi signals.
Upgrade your devices: If your router and modem are old and outdated, they will surely cause you problems. In that case, the only solution is upgrading your router and modem so the internet data is not blocked by old technology or incompatibility with the devices.
Upgrade speed: If you have repeatedly felt like your internet speed is slow, it is not an issue with your devices, and rather it could be an issue with your internet usage level. Maybe you are using more internet data than you originally thought. So, you will need to upgrade your internet speed and plan.
Conclusion
Have you ever experienced problems with your internet speed? If so, how often? And did you find a solution? We hope you found a solution and made your decision by reading through this blog. If you are interested in switching from your old service provider to another one like CenturyLink, go on to BuyTVInternetPhone and get yourself the right speed and the right plan for you!
