The titans are clashing in the southeast and midwest of the USA. The race for the best internet service provider in town is down to the final two contenders, CenturyLink vs. Mediacom. Now, it is up to you to decide, which internet carrier will make it to your humble abode. Confused? Don’t be because we have done the bulk load of work for you.
Our carefully dissected analysis on ‘CenturyLink vs. Mediacom – Which one is better?’ will help you decide which of the two is the most suited internet service provider for you.
So, let’s get started.
CenturyLink
The origin of CenturyLink dates back to 1930 in a small village in Louisiana. The Oak Ridge Telephone Company had 75 paid subscribers and serviced the area through its switchboard located at the front of a family parlor. By 1967, Oak Ridge Telephone had 10,000 access lines and was offering its services in three states. In 1971, the company was renamed Century Telephone Enterprises Inc. and it started trading on the New York Stock Exchange with this name.
Today, CenturyLink is a brand name for Lumen Technologies and offers copper-based internet services to its residential and small business customers. CenturyLink’s footprint now only covers 16 states of the USA after selling its network assets in the 20 states to Apollo Global Management in 2021. Meanwhile, Lumen uses a new brand called Quantum Fiber to sell fiber internet services in large urban centers.
Currently, CenturyLink has over 4.6 million internet customers, most of whom are also subscribed to CenturyLink’s home phone, VoIP, and live TV streaming services. The carrier is especially popular for offering low-cost DSL internet service in the forgotten parts of the country. Hence, USNEWS recognizes CenturyLink as the 8th best internet provider in 2023.
Pros
- Reliable DSL internet service for rural areas
- Unlimited data
- No price hikes
- No-contract service
Cons
- The speeds are inconsistent for their DSL internet plans
- In some areas, on-ground technical staff is not available
- Expensive as compared to Mediacom
Mediacom
Mediacom Communications Corporation is a leading cable operator in the United States. The company was founded in 1995 as a cable TV service distributor in the midwest and southeast regions. Over the years Mediacom has expanded into the internet market and offers broadband internet access via its coaxial cable network.
Mediacom’s coverage area includes 22 states of the USA. It is the fifth largest cable internet provider in the country and has the biggest chunk of broadband market share in the state of Iowa. Currently, Mediacom is offering its cable TV, cable internet, and home phone service to 1.44 million customers across its footprint.
Mediacom’s fiber-rich, gigabit internet for residential customers is available under the brand name Xtream. Customers of Xtream Internet receive ultrafast and reliable 2 GIG internet speeds over a hybrid fiber-coaxial cable network.
Although Mediacom internet plans are initially cheaper than other internet providers in the same regions, in the long run, the service becomes twice as expensive due to unexpected price hikes and data overage charges.
Xtream powered by Mediacom is widely available in the urban, suburban, and rural communities of the Midwest and the Gulf Coast.
Pros
- High-speed cable internet
- Covers the southern and central western state
- No-contract service
- Cheaper than CenturyLink internet
Cons
- Price hikes after the expiry of the promo period
- Data cap restrictions and extra charges for using more data in the same billing cycle
- Poor customer service
- Speed throttling during peak hours
Internet Service Comparison – CenturyLink vs. Mediacom Internet
On the surface level, there are not many similarities between CenturyLink and Mediacom Internet. For example, both use different networks to provide broadband services to their customers. Both internet carriers have different maximum speeds, and both have distinct policies for data usage. An in-depth analysis of CenturyLink and Mediacom’s internet service will further highlight these stark contrasts. It is our job to point out those differences and tell you why there can be only one winner for the CenturyLink vs. Mediacom discourse.
In the table below, we have listed some of the key differences between CenturyLink and Mediacom’s internet service.
| Comparison | CenturyLink | Mediacom |
|---|---|---|
| Type of Internet | DSL | Fiber & Coaxial cable |
| Price Range | $55.00/mo. | $24.99 to $54.99 per month |
| Internet Plans | 1 | 4 |
| Download Speeed | Up to 100 Mbps | Up to 2,000 Mbps |
| Upload Speed | Up to 12 Mbps | Up to 1,000 Mbps |
| Bundle Deals | Available | Available |
| Additional Costs | $15 per month for gateway | $14 per month for modem |
| $129 for professional installation | $109.99 for standard installation | |
| $15 for standard installation | $10 fee for internet activation | |
| $3.99/mo. for internet cost recovery fee | $10 data overage charge per 50 GB of extra data | |
| Customer Service | 4.1 stars out of 5 | 3.7 stars out of 5 |
| Coverage Area | 16 states of the USA | 22 states of the USA |
| Contract Required | No | No |
| Data Caps | No | Yes |
| Internet for Gaming | Casual | Professional |
Internet Plans
Compared to CenturyLink’s copper-based internet service, Mediacom offers both fiber and cable internet service options, allowing users to select the type of service they prefer for their homes. There is a separate plan for each type of service.
CenturyLink’s DSL internet plan starts at $55 per month with speeds up to 100 Mbps. However, the service is available in only 16 states. In contrast, Mediacom’s internet plans have cheaper introductory rates, starting from $24.99 per month, but have high standard prices.
Internet Plans for CenturyLink Internet
The best part about purchasing CenturyLink’s internet service is that it comes with an exclusive promise of “price-for-life”. CenturyLink is one of the few internet providers in the USA that locks your internet bill for some years. It can be a real relief during times of inflation when the cost of living goes up and people struggle to survive.
The CenturyLink DSL internet plan is available in the rural and suburban areas across its footprint. At a flat rate of $55 per month, you can enjoy up to 100 Mbps of download speed. Moreover, unlike Xtream’s internet service, CenturyLink offers unlimited data. So, you can download unlimited songs, videos, and movies without the fear of hitting a data cap and paying overage charges at the end of the month.
| Plan | Price | Speed | Data Caps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simply Unlimited Internet | $55.00/ mo. | Up to 100 Mbps | None |
**Speed varies per location and some areas can get up to 140 Mbps.
***Paperless billing is required. Additional taxes, fees & surcharges apply.
Note: CenturyLink is offering free professional installation for a limited time in some parts of the country. You can order a self-installation kit for $15 and set up your internet in less than 10 minutes.
Internet Plans for Mediacom Xtream Internet
Xtream offers three residential internet plans via a hybrid fiber-coaxial network, starting at $24.99 per month. Its multi-gigabit plan, on the other hand, is only available in 10G and FTTH markets. Xtream’s Internet plans come with added benefits, such as no contracts and free Wi-Fi routers, but include additional charges for installation, activation, and modem rental. Each plan also has a different data cap.
For the first year of service, new customers can benefit from low promotional rates. However, the prices increase significantly after the promotional period. Additionally, if users exceed their monthly data allowance, they will be charged an overage fee of $10 for every 50 GB of additional data usage.
| Plans | Starting Price | Speed | Data Caps |
| Internet 100 | $24.99/mo. | 100 Mbps | 350 GB |
| Internet 300 | $44.99/mo. | 300 Mbps | 1500 GB |
| Internet 1 Gig | $54.99/mo. | 1000 Mbps | 3000 GB |
| Internet 2 GIG | N/A | 2000 Mbps | 8500 GB |
**Price with $10/mo. Auto Pay and Paperless Billing discount
***Internet 2 GIG is only available in 10G & FTTH markets
Xtream by Mediacom may seem like the cheapest internet provider out of the two, but this is a clever advertising gimmick. The same Internet 1 GIG plan which would have initially cost you just $54.99 per month becomes $114.99 per month as soon as the promo period ends.
This high standard rate could become problematic in the long run, but here is a neat idea. You can enjoy Xtream’s affordable broadband service for a year, and before the end of the promo period, you can cancel the service and escape! Since Xtream is contract-free, there is no need to worry about paying an early termination fee. It is worth noting that Xtream also offers 1 GIG and 2 GIG internet plans with unlimited data, but they come at a higher price point. Additionally, the price of its 1 GIG internet plan via fiber network varies.
Internet Speed
Since CenturyLink and Mediacom use different internet technologies, their customers receive varying internet speeds. However, Mediacom outperforms CenturyLink in delivering high-speed internet over long distances. This is due to the hybrid fiber-coaxial cable network used by Mediacom for internet distribution. This system maintains the gigabit speeds of fiber internet within high-frequency coaxial cables. As a result, Mediacom customers continue to receive the speeds they pay for, even if the fiber-optic cable network is limited in a particular city or town.
Mediacom offers download speeds of up to 1000 Mbps to most customers. Upload speeds, on the other hand, vary depending on the type of internet service. Cable customers receive asymmetrical speeds of up to 50 Mbps, while fiber internet users get symmetrical speeds of up to 1000 Mbps. The provider has also introduced a 2-gigabit internet plan, but it is only available in 10G and FTTH markets.
In contrast, CenturyLink Internet uses copper-based telephone lines to provide its DSL broadband service, which results in a lower download speed of up to 100 Mbps (with some lucky users receiving up to 140 Mbps). The upload speed is even lower, limited to 12 Mbps. However, despite these limitations, CenturyLink provides a much better service than other traditional DSL internet options, particularly in rural areas where it connects many communities to the online world.
Bundle Deals
Costo may have popularized bulk buying but it is the internet carriers in the USA that are leveraging this concept. CenturyLink and Mediacom are selling multiple services under their portfolio by combining them in one cost-effective bundle deal.
Bundling CenturyLink Internet and Home Phone Service
Customers can save up to $10 per month by combining their internet and home phone in one plan.
| Deal | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Simply Unlimited Internet + Home Phone | $95.00/mo. | – 100 Mbps Internet- Unlimited calls nationwide |
**Paperless billing is required. Additional taxes, fees & surcharges apply.
Bundling CenturyLink DSL Internet and Pay-TV Service
CenturyLink offers uninterrupted satellite TV service to its customers through its partnerships with DirecTV and DISH TV. Unlike its cable TV counterpart, Mediacom, CenturyLink has acknowledged the fact that cable TV service is limited in rural areas across the country.
That’s why CenturyLink’s DSL internet and satellite pay-TV bundle deals are specially targeted to rural communities where terrestrial internet and on-screen entertainment options are limited.
| Deal | Starting Price | Internet | TV Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simply Unlimited Internet + DirecTV | $119.99/mo. | Up to 100 Mbps | More than 150 channels |
| Simply Unlimited Internet + DirecTV Stream | $119.99/mo. | Up to 100 Mbps of | More than 150 channels |
| Simply Unlimited Internet + DISH | $134.99/mo. | Up to 100 Mbps | More than 190 TV channels |
Bundle Deals for Xtream Internet and TV Service
Combining your Xtream internet plan with Variety TV gives you a better home entertainment experience with all your favorite channels and high-speed internet under one bill.
| Deal | Price | Internet | Pay-TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet 100+ Variety TV | $94.99/mo. | 100 Mbps | 170+ channels |
| Internet 300+ Variety TV | $114.99/mo. | 300 Mbps | 170+ channels |
| Internet 1000+ Variety TV | $124.99/mo. | 1000 Mbps | 170+ channels |
Bundle Deals for Xtream Internet, TV, and Home Phone
You can also combine all three services in one value-added bundle plan to get all the services under one bill. These packages give you an opportunity to enjoy your favorite shows and keep up with the latest news and your loved ones at an incredible price for 1 year.
| Deal | Price | Internet | Variety TV | Home Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet 100, TV & Phone | $112.99/mo. | 100 Mbps | 170+ channels | Unlimited nationwide calling |
| Internet 300, TV & Phone | $132.99/mo. | 300 Mbps | 170+ channels | Unlimited nationwide calling |
| Internet 1000, TV & Phone | $142.99/mo. | 1000 Mbps | 170+ channels | Unlimited nationwide calling |
Additional Costs
Before you set aside a fixed budget for your monthly internet bills, you must bear in mind that your internet fee is exclusive of additional costs such as the equipment installation fee, activation charges, and monthly taxes. At the end of the billing cycle, you will be asked to pay these extra charges which will significantly increase the overall cost of your internet connection.
So, let’s look at the additional costs associated with each service provider.
Additional Costs Associated with CenturyLink Internet Service
| Service | Additional Costs |
|---|---|
| Standard Installation | One-time $15.00 |
| Professional Internet Installation | Up to $129.00 (Free on some locations) |
| Internet Modem + Wi-Fi Router Gateway | $15 per month |
| Internet Cost Recovery Fee | $3.99 per month |
| Late Payment Fee | $5 per month |
Additional Costs Associated with Mediacom Internet Service
| Service | Additional Costs |
|---|---|
| Professional Installation | $109.99 |
| Internet Modem Rental | $14 per month |
| Wi-Fi Router | Included |
| Data Overage Charge | $10 for every 50 GB of excess usage |
| Price Hike After Promo Period | Varies ($15 to $60) |
| Internet Activation Fee | One-time $10 charge |
Type of Internet
In the end, it is the type of internet that determines the maximum speed and reliability of a broadband connection. Generally, DSL internet is the slowest available wired internet option and usually maxes out at 100 Mbps speed. Coaxial cable internet is faster than DSL connections and usually distributes speeds up to 1000 Mbps. However, with the latest technology, few cable internet providers have also introduced multi-gigabit options. Whereas, fiber-optic internet delivers data signals at the speed of light. Fiber optic cables can easily carry data at multi-gigabit speeds. In some parts of the USA, users of fiber internet are getting 100 Gbps download speeds.
CenturyLink and Mediacom offer different maximum speeds since they use distinct networks. As a DSL internet provider, CenturyLink can only reach up to 100 Mbps (in some cases up to 140 Mbps). However, its network is 99.9% more reliable than other options. On the other hand, Mediacom uses a hybrid distribution system that combines its fiber and coaxial cable networks to deliver up to 2000 Mbps speeds.
Let us explain: The data signals leave the data centers and travel inside fiber-optic cables. At the end of these cables, fiber nodes convert light photons into electronic signals. These electronic signals pass through the coaxial cables until they reach the customers’ modems. So, unlike CenturyLink Internet, Mediacom delivers high-speed internet through a unified pathway. That is why Mediacom is much faster than CenturyLink.
Customer Service
According to Forbes Home, CenturyLink’s 4.1-star customer service rating surpasses Xtream’s 3.7-star ranking. However, both providers score below the industry average in the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) report. But if we compare their ranking, Mediacom performs slightly better, ranking 7th in the Non-fiber Internet Service Providers list with a score of 65, five points higher than the previous year. ACSI, on the other hand, ranks CenturyLink as the third-to-last ISP in the Non-fiber Internet Service Providers category, with a score of 62.
Both providers also showed below-average results in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Residential Internet Provider Satisfaction Study. While this study tracks customer satisfaction in four regions, both Xtream powered by Mediacom and CenturyLink were evaluated in one and two regions each. Xtream ranked last in the North Central region with a score of 662 – which is 39 points below the industry average. On the other hand, CenturyLink was evaluated in the West and also ranked last with a score of 687 on a 1000-point scale, 23 points below the industry average for that region. But, it ranked second in the North Central region with a score of 79.
| ACSI Rankings | CenturyLink | Xtream | Industry Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 62 | 65 | 68 |
| 2022 | 60 | 60 | 64 |
Coverage Area
CenturyLink and Mediacom offer their services in more than 50 percent of the country. While CenturyLink has a direct presence on the west coast, Mediacom is dominating the eastern side of the USA.
The CenturyLink internet network is available in the following 16 states:
| Arizona | Minnesota | North Dakota |
| Colorado | Montana | Oregon |
| Florida | Nebraska | South Dakota |
| Idaho | Nevada | Utah |
| Iowa | New Mexico | Washington |
| Wyoming | ||
Xtream Internet by Mediacom is available in the following 22 states:
| Alabama | Georgia | Kentucky | Missouri |
| Arizona | Illinois | Maryland | North Carolina |
| California | Indiana | Michigan | Ohio |
| Delaware | Iowa | Minnesota | South Dakota |
| Florida | Kansas | Mississippi | Tennessee |
| Virginia | Wisconsin | ||
Internet for Gaming
There are three factors that all professional gamers consider before selecting an internet service provider.
- Latency: It is the amount of time that data signals take to be transmitted from your gaming device to the internet service provider’s server, and back to your device. Simply put, it is the time that data signals take to complete a journey. The latency is measured in milliseconds (ms).
Generally, for online gaming, a latency time that is below 100 ms is considered to be good. It denotes that your internet quality is good enough to offer you a lag-free gaming experience. However, professional gamers look for internet service providers that can promise a latency rate of 20 ms or lower. This allows them to live-stream their gameplay to a global audience.
- Ping: Refers to the actual signal that is sent out to the server and the server sends the signal back to your device. Quite often ping and latency are used interchangeably but they are not the same. While latency refers to the reaction speed of a broadband connection, ping is the network utility that is used to measure latency.
Gamers need a low ping rate of less than 50 ms to have a smooth online gaming experience.
- Lagging: It is the delay that the gamers notice from the time they enter a command on their device and the online game responds. For example, we will say that there is a lag when the player hits the key ‘W’ to make his/her character move in the game, but the character on the screen moves only after a few seconds. Usually, a high ping rate and a slow internet connection will cause an increased lagging. Sometimes, the lagging can be so bad that the screen freezes for a few seconds, and the gamer is forced to refresh the page to resume gameplay.
For reduced lagging, gamers look for high-speed internet providers with a minimum of 100 Mbps download speed and 20 Mbps upload speed.
CenturyLink and Mediacom rely on different networks to provide broadband services. CenturyLink offers a download speed of up to 100 Mbps and 35 Mbps upload speed, making it a more suitable option for casual gamers. Meanwhile, Mediacom provides download speeds of up to 2000 Mbps, upload speeds of up to 1000 Mbps, and lower latency rates, making it a better choice for professional gaming.
Final Verdict
The jury has spoken. Our in-depth analysis of the CenturyLink vs. Mediacom discussion leads us to the conclusion that if you live in a rural or suburban area and are looking for lifetime price guarantees, unlimited internet usage, and straightforward pricing, then CenturyLink is your best option. Its reliable network and decent latency rate also make it a suitable choice for casual gaming.
But if your online adventures also need high-speed internet and you are more concerned with 99.9 percent network reliability, then Mediacom should be on the top of your list. Mediacom’s hybrid fiber-coaxial cable system allows it to maintain internet speeds throughout its coverage area, making it an ideal option for professional gamers and anyone who needs a fast and stable internet connection for their daily activities.
