CenturyLink vs. Astound Broadband: Which Internet Provider Is Best for You?

We compare two major internet providers on price, contracts, and extra perks.

HighSpeedteck.com uses our proprietary data and expert insights to compare these internet service titans.

Best for variety

affordable connectivity program centurylink CenturyLink internet plans Get internet, TV and home phone lines from CenturyLink. Bundle packages and save! CenturyLink Plans and Packages | HighSpeedteck.com
3.5/5
Type of serviceDSL, Fiber
Download speeds12–100 Mbps (DSL), 1,000 Mbps (Fiber)
Price$50.00–$65.00 per month
Equipment fees$9.99 per month
Installation fee$15.00–$99.00
Data capsNone
Customer satisfaction3.5/5

Best for inexpensive fiber

Verizon vs. Astound Broadband: Which Internet Provider Is Best for You?
3.7/5
Type of serviceCable
Download speeds
100–1,000 Mbps
Price
$14.99–$49.99 per month
Equipment fees
$4.95–$19.95 per month
Installation feeVaries
Data capsNone
Customer satisfaction3.7/5

*Pricing and speeds are current as of 9/19/17. Pricing and speeds are subject to change. Not all offers are available in all areas

Choose CenturyLink 1-Gig for the fastest internet speed. Get the 1-Gig plan if it’s available in your area. Cable and DSL just can’t beat the speed that fiber-based internet can provide.

Choose CenturyLink High-Speed Internet for easy installation and setup. CenturyLink High-Speed Internet may not offer the highest internet speed, but it does provide a quality installation and setup experience. Select this service if you want to set up your internet and Wi-Fi quickly and easily.

Choose Astound Broadband for reliability. Astound Broadband’s cable internet provides fast, reliable speed. Like all other cable internet providers, Astound Broadband uses fiber for its network backbone, but your home connection relies on the same lines used for cable TV. Astound Broadband is ideal if you can’t get fiber but you want speeds faster than DSL.

Find and compare CenturyLink and Astound Broadband plans in your area:

affordable connectivity program centurylink CenturyLink internet plans Get internet, TV and home phone lines from CenturyLink. Bundle packages and save! CenturyLink Plans and Packages | HighSpeedteck.com

 Pros:

  • No data caps
  • Fiber Gigabit plan
  • No contracts

 Cons:

  • Inconsistent DSL speeds for same price
  • Limited fiber availability
Xfinity Internet plans

 Pros:

  • Excellent speeds
  • Wide availability
  • Cheap deals

 Cons:

  • Annual contracts
  • Limited availability on fastest plans

Coverage area

CenturyLink serves many states, far eclipsing Astound Broadband’s coverage. To see which ISPs offer service in your local community, visit each provider’s availability map.

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Bundling options

Most ISPs provide bundling options, and CenturyLink and Astound Broadband are no exceptions. Both providers offer bundles that include internet, telephone, and television.

Equipment

CenturyLink

CenturyLink offers customers a couple of modem-routers, with the product choice ultimately determined by service plan. CenturyLink generally relies on four brands: Actiontec, ZyXEL, Technicolor, and Westell. Customers can use their own modems and routers, too, as long as they’re compatible with CenturyLink’s network.

Learn to install your CenturyLink equipment here.

 

Astound Broadband

Astound Broadband provides four products, each featuring a monthly rental fee. The product customers receive depends upon the plan purchased. For example, its higher-speed plans require either a DOCSIS 3.0 or DOCSIS 3.1 modem and Wi-Fi router, and those devices can come in at $14.95 per month and higher.

Learn to install your Astound Broadband equipment here.