CenturyLink expands high-speed Internet service to customers in the Roanoke Valley

WAKE FOREST, N.C. – As part of its ongoing commitment to its customers in Halifax and Northampton Counties, CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE:CTL, news, filings) is expanding its high-speed Internet (HSI) service to unserved residences and businesses, offering connection speeds up to 40 Mbps.

CenturyLink is working with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and its Connect America Fund (CAF) to help expand broadband availability to:

• Hollister community
• Big John Store Road area north of Garysburg
• Community around intersection of Heathsville and Ringwood Road in Enfield
• Community near Highway 481 and Green Star Road in Enfield

The company accepted approximately $888,000 in CAF funds last year to bring broadband to high-cost, rural areas in North Carolina and is also investing significant amounts of its own capital to fund this broadband expansion. Approximately $275,000 in CAF funds are being used for projects in the Roanoke Valley, and additional expansions will be announced this summer.

“We’re excited to be able to bring broadband to more than 250 local homes and businesses, where high-speed Internet service would not be economically feasible without public-private programs like the FCC’s Connect America Fund,” said Rondi Furgason, CenturyLink vice president and general manager for central and eastern North Carolina. “CenturyLink is focused on expanding our local broadband service because we recognize it will help bring more essential educational and economic opportunities to local residents and businesses.”

“We now live in an information age. It is so important for all communities in our county to have access to broadband technology to ensure that no one is left behind,” said Tony Brown, Halifax county manager. “It is imperative that people be connected globally.”

“I am very excited about Century Link’s expansion and commitment to Halifax County and rural North Carolina. This expansion should help create new and exciting economic opportunities for the Roanoke Valley,” Brown added.

CenturyLink’s HSI service gives customers a private, direct connection to the company’s national network and is designed for consistent broadband speeds that enable customers to watch movies, stream videos, play online games and send large files.

CenturyLink HSI prices start at $19.95 per month when bundled with the company’s voice services. Depending on where customers live, a variety of speeds may be available. Customers can order service or check service availability in their area by calling CenturyLink at (252) 535-1177, visiting the CenturyLink Store open every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., or by visiting www.centurylink.com.

About CenturyLink

CenturyLink is the third largest telecommunications company in the United States and is recognized as a leader in the network services market by technology industry analyst firms. The company is a global leader in cloud infrastructure and hosted IT solutions for enterprise customers. CenturyLink provides data, voice and managed services in local, national and select international markets through its high-quality advanced fiber optic network and multiple data centers for businesses and consumers. The company also offers advanced entertainment services under the CenturyLink® Prism™ TV and DIRECTV brands. Headquartered in Monroe, La., CenturyLink is an S&P 500 company and is included among the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest corporations. For more information, visit www.centurylink.com.

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