CenturyLink controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2020
CenturyLink agrees to amended antitrust judgment
Settlement
The U.S. Department of Justice announced that CenturyLink agreed to settle allegations that it violated a court-ordered judgment related to its acquisition of Level 3. Under the agreement, the non-solicitation period is extended, an independent monitoring trustee is appointed, and investigation costs are paid. CenturyLink did not deny the allegations. The settlement resolves the government's claims concerning compliance with the existing judgment tied to the Level 3 acquisition.
Source excerpt
The Department of Justice announced today that CenturyLink, Inc. has agreed to settle allegations that CenturyLink violated the court-ordered Final Judgment designed to prevent anticompetitive effects arising from its acquisition of Level 3 Communications, Inc.
As part of the settlement, CenturyLink has agreed to: extend the non-solicitation period by two years for the Boise MSA; the appointment of an independent monitoring trustee; and pay the United States to defray the costs of the department's investigation of CenturyLink's violations of the court order.
Despite provisions in the Final Judgment barring CenturyLink from soliciting customers that switched to the buyer of the divestiture assets, CenturyLink failed to comply, initiating contact on over 70 occasions over more than a year with former Level 3 customers who elected to switch to the divestiture buyer in the Boise City-Nampa, Idaho MSA (Boise MSA).
2019
CenturyLink discloses customer information leak
Issue disclosure
CenturyLink disclosed that a third-party vendor had publicized customers' names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses. The company stated that it did not believe financial information had been released. CenturyLink also said it was launching an investigation to address security concerns related to the incident.
CenturyLink said a third-party vendor publicized customers' names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses; the company said it did not believe financial information had been released. CenturyLink said it was launching an investigation to address security concerns.
Company response
Investigation — CenturyLink
The company is launching an investigation to address security concerns.
Source excerpt
The company is launching an investigation to address security concerns.
Centurylink says a third party vendor publicized information including names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses. No financial information is believed to be released.
Centurylink is apologizing for leaking customers’ information.
2019
CenturyLink settles Oregon consumer lawsuit
Settlement
CenturyLink agreed to a $4 million settlement in Oregon over allegations involving deceptive advertising, billing practices, undisclosed fees and failure to apply promised discounts. The settlement also provides for refunds to affected consumers and requires changes to certain fees and disclosures.
Company response
Refund or compensation — CenturyLink
As part of the settlement, CenturyLink also will refund $672,000 to 8,212 Oregonians who were overcharged for their services, or did not receive the promised discount.
Source excerpt
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum Tuesday announced a for engaging in deceptive advertising by door-to-door salespeople, deceptive billing practices, undisclosed fees, and failing to apply promised discounts to customer accounts. Since 2014, Oregon DOJ has received more than 1,200 consumer complaints about CenturyLink.$4 million settlement with the global telecommunications company CenturyLink
As part of the settlement, CenturyLink also will refund $672,000 to 8,212 Oregonians who were overcharged for their services, or did not receive the promised discount.
Under the settlement, which was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court, CenturyLink must: • Stop charging new customers the “Internet Cost Recovery Fee”, a fee that was not always previously disclosed to consumers until they received their first bill. • Stop charging a “Broadband Cost Recovery Fee”.