Are you searching for an internet service that can live up to your tech-intensive lifestyle? CenturyLink and Mediacom are incredible options for pulling long hours at work, e-learning, competitive gaming, or binge streaming. They both offer a variety of speeds to meet different requirements.
But where CenturyLink offers both DSL and fiber internet solutions, Mediacom is the country’s fifth-largest cable operator. Both providers cover a decent part of the country and overlap in many areas.
If they are also available at your location, do your proper homework. Instead of solely relying on word of mouth, read this blog to learn everything about Mediacom and CenturyLink to make an informed choice.
- CenturyLink
- Mediacom
- Internet Service Comparison – CenturyLink vs Mediacom
- Plans & Pricing Details – CenturyLink vs Mediacom Internet
- Additional Costs – CenturyLink vs Mediacom Internet
- Data Caps & Overage Fees
- Perks – Mediacom vs CenturyLink Internet
- TV & Internet Bundles – Mediacom vs CenturyLink
- Better Option for Gaming – CenturyLink or Mediacom?
- Wider Coverage Area – CenturyLink or Mediacom?
- Better Customer Service – CenturyLink or Mediacom?
- CenturyLink vs Mediacom Internet – Winner: CenturyLink
CenturyLink
CenturyLink (now officially known as Lumen Technologies) delivers a diverse set of networking, connectivity, and security solutions. The provider offers secure and reliable internet connectivity to over 2.76 million people in 16 states. Unlike Mediacom, CenturyLink uses a dual network, DSL and fiber, to reach more residential and business customers.
Depending on their location, CenturyLink’s customers can get DSL speeds of up to 140 Mbps for just $55 per month or up to 940 Mbps of fiber internet connection for just $75 a month. The provider also offers home phone service besides the internet. It also provides incredible internet and TV packages by partnering with leading satellite, live TV, and streaming providers
Pros
- Impressive coverage in rural areas
- Unlimited data
- Free installation with fiber internet
- No contracts
- Affordable and reliable internet service
Cons
- Limited speed options
- Slow DSL internet service
- Network performance depends on your location
Mediacom
Mediacom Communications Corporation, or simply Xtream powered by Mediacom, is the fifth-largest cable service provider in the country. Unlike other cable internet providers, Mediacom primarily focuses on smaller towns and cities through its coaxial cable network. The provider offers advanced TV, internet, and home phone services to over 1,500 communities in 22 states.
Mediacom mainly serves the Midwest and Southeast markets, offering high-speed internet plans of up to 1,000 Mbps to over 1.4 million residential and business customers. It has also introduced a multi-gig internet plan, but this 2,000 Mbps speed tier is only available in selected areas.
Pros
- Impressive coverage in smaller cities and towns
- High internet speeds of up to 2,000 Mbps
- Low promotional rates
- Contract-free internet plans
Cons
- Significant price hike after the promotional period
- Data caps on some plans
- Poor ratings for customer service
Internet Service Comparison – CenturyLink vs Mediacom
| Features | CenturyLink | Mediacom |
|---|---|---|
| Price Range | $55.00/mo. – $75.00/mo. | $19.99/mo. – $159.99/mo. |
| Speed Range | 20 Mbps – 940 Mbps | 250 Mbps – 2,000 Mbps |
| Internet Type | DSL, Fiber | Cable |
| Data Caps | None | 400 – 2,000 GB (on the first two plans) |
| Unlimited (on 1 Gig & 2 Gig plans) | ||
| Bundle Deals | Yes | Yes |
| Contracts | None | None |
| Coverage Area | 16 states | 22 states |
| Equipment Fee | $15.00/mo. (with DSL internet service) | $14.00/mo. |
| Installation Fee | Up to $149.00 (free installation with fiber internet) | $109.99 |
| Overage Fee | None | $10 for each 50 GB of additional data |
Plans & Pricing Details – CenturyLink vs Mediacom Internet
CenturyLink offers simple DSL and fiber internet plans starting from $55 a month. Its DSL internet’s speeds range from 20 to 140 Mbps, but its fiber internet is much faster, delivering symmetrical speeds of up to 940 Mbps. Both services, however, are contract-free and provide unlimited data.
In contrast, Mediacom offers three internet plans to most of its customers. Only a handful of subscribers can access its 2-gigabit internet. Its promotional rates start from $20 a month, but after a year the price increases significantly. Xtreme plans are also contract-free. However, the first two options have data caps, from 400 to 2,000 GB/ month.
CenturyLink Internet Plans
| Plans | Starting Price | Max Speed | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simply Unlimited Internet | $55.00/mo.** | Up to 100 Mbps* | DSL |
| Fiber Internet | $75.00/mo.** | Up to 940 Mbps | Fiber |
**Prices are with a paperless billing discount. Taxes, fees & surcharges apply.
Xtreme (Mediacom) Internet Plans
| Plans | Starting Price | Max Speed | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet 250 | $19.99/mo. | Up to 250 Mbps | Cable |
| Internet 500 | $44.99/mo. | Up to 500 Mbps | Cable |
| Internet 1 Gig Unlimited | $64.99/mo. | Up to 1,000 Mbps | Cable |
| Internet 2 Gig Unlimited | $159.99/mo. | Up to 2,000 Mbps | Cable |
Internet 250 and 500 plans have data caps.
Exceeding the 1 TB upstream limit on any wired internet plan may result in a 50% reduced upload speed.
Additional Costs – CenturyLink vs Mediacom Internet
You can expect the following one-time and recurring additional costs from CenturyLink and Mediacom.
| Additional Fees | CenturyLink | Mediacom | |
| DSL | Fiber | ||
| Equipment Fee | $15.00/mo. | None | $14.00/mo. |
| Professional Installation | $149.00 | None | $109.99 or more |
| Standard Installation | $25.00 | N/A* | N/A |
| Self-Installation | None | N/A* | None |
| Activation Fee | None | None | $10.00 |
Data Caps & Overage Fees
Since CenturyLink offers unlimited data with its DSL and fiber internet services, you don’t have to worry about overage charges. In contrast, Mediacom enforces 400 and 2,000 GB data caps on its 250 and 500 Internet plans, respectively. While the data allowance for the entry-level plan is not impressive, it is quite generous for the 500 Mbps internet option.
However, exceeding the limits on any of these plans results in an overage fee of $10 for each additional 50 GB of data usage. The good news is that Xtreme’s 1 Gig and 2 Gig plans include unlimited data.
| Data Overage Fee | |
|---|---|
| CenturyLink | Mediacom |
| None | $10 for each 50 GB of additional data |
Perks – Mediacom vs CenturyLink Internet
So, what exactly makes CenturyLink or Mediacom an attractive choice for home internet connectivity? Both providers include a variety of sweet deals and benefits to advertise their services to new customers.
CenturyLink has excellent coverage in rural areas, offering them a 99.9% reliable DSL service with straightforward pricing. Similarly, its fiber internet service includes free expert installation and WiFi equipment with advanced security.
On the other hand, Mediacom’s year-long promotional rates, WiFi360pro routers, free internet security internet security, and access to hundreds of hotspots within its coverage area, are a clear deal-maker.
TV & Internet Bundles – Mediacom vs CenturyLink
Mediacom offers better bundling deals than CenturyLink. The provider allows you to combine your internet plan with any of its three cable TV packages, giving you access to over 170 channels with a smart guide and a voice-activated remote control. Mediacom’s bundles, starting from $39.99/month, are significantly cheaper than CenturyLink due to the provider’s excellent promotional rates.
In contrast, CenturyLink only offers a VoIP phone service as an add-on. However, you can pair its internet service with DirecTV or DISH TV. CenturyLink’s bundles, starting at $124.99/month are expensive, but they provide top-notch entertainment by giving you access to over 185 channels.
Better Option for Gaming – CenturyLink or Mediacom?
As a gamer, there is nothing more important than investing in a top-tier internet service for a smooth gaming experience. You might have the moves, but your opponent can easily win if he has a better internet connection.
Mediacom gives you a variety of speeds, but CenturyLink’s fiber internet is the best choice for playing demanding games. Its ultra-low latency makes it perfect for simultaneously handling your gaming requirements and the connectivity demands of your family. But if your address is beyond CenturyLink’s fiber network, opt for Mediacom, as cable internet is more suitable for gamers than a slow and choppy DSL service.
Wider Coverage Area – CenturyLink or Mediacom?
CenturyLink’s availability is wider and mostly encompasses suburban and rural areas across 16 states. However, it also has a smaller presence in large cities via its limited fiber network.
Mediacom is quite similar to CenturyLink in this regard. It serves 1,500 communities (mainly in smaller towns and cities) in 22 states, offering them faster cable internet speeds.
However, unlike CenturyLink, Mediacom is not very upfront about its coverage. Therefore, you should check Mediacom’s availability to see if it also covers your address. The following table highlights their overlapping coverage areas in 5 states.
| Overlapping Coverage Areas (by states) | |
|---|---|
| Arizona | Florida |
| Iowa | Minnesota |
| South Dakota | |
Better Customer Service – CenturyLink or Mediacom?
While both providers receive many terrible reviews, CenturyLink has a slightly better reputation for its customer service than Mediacom due to its fiber internet. Its DSL service receives complaints about slow speeds, varying latency, and unresponsive customer representatives.
The recent rankings on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) reflect these negative reviews. With a score of 62/100, the provider ranks fourth from the bottom in ACSI’s ‘non-fiber internet providers’ category. Meanwhile, CenturyLink’s fiber internet service has an excellent reputation, ranking third in the fiber internet category with a score of 76/100.
On the other hand, Mediacom has a poor customer satisfaction record. This cable internet provider receives negative reviews due to high price hikes and numerous additional charges. Hence, with a score of 61/100, Mediacom ranks third from the bottom in ACSI’s non-fiber internet providers category.
| ACSI Report 2024 | CenturyLink | Mediacom | Industry Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber Internet Providers Category | 76 | – | 76 |
| Non-Fiber Internet Providers Category | 62 | 61 | 68 |
CenturyLink vs Mediacom Internet – Winner: CenturyLink
While Mediacom offers a decent online experience with excellent speeds, low introductory prices, and bundles, CenturyLink is the overall best internet provider. Its straightforward plans with no contracts, data caps, or promotional rates make it a reliable option. Although it has a decent DSL service, its fiber internet takes the crown for its consistent performance and ultra-low latency.
We have provided a detailed comparison of CenturyLink and Mediacom so you can make your own choice. Evaluate their plans, pricing, and more, and choose the right option for your home.
