To cancel CenturyLink, call 800-244-1111 or start a live chat at centurylink.com/contact and tell the representative you want to end service.1CenturyLink. Contact Us Residential internet plans are month-to-month with no early termination fee, so the call itself is straightforward. The parts that trip people up come afterward: returning leased equipment on time, dealing with a final bill that isn’t prorated, and making sure autopay doesn’t keep charging you.
Reach a Representative
There is no self-service cancellation button in your online account. You have to speak with someone, either by phone at 800-244-1111 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time) or through live chat on the contact page.1CenturyLink. Contact Us
Have these ready before you start:
- Your account number, from a recent bill or your online dashboard.
- The account holder’s name and billing address.
- The security PIN on the account, or the last four digits of the account holder’s Social Security number, for identity verification.
What to Expect on the Call
You’ll be routed to a retention specialist whose job is to keep you as a customer. Expect discount offers, service upgrades, or temporary credits. If you’ve already decided to leave, the shortest path is to stay polite and repeat that you want to proceed with the cancellation. Getting into a pricing negotiation just extends the call.
Once the rep processes the cancellation, ask for a confirmation number and the exact date your service ends. Write both down. That record is what you’ll fall back on if a final bill or equipment charge looks wrong later.
Early Termination Fees
CenturyLink’s residential internet is sold month-to-month with no term commitment, so you can cancel at any time without an early termination fee.2CenturyLink. Internet If you signed up in the last several years, you almost certainly have no contract to break.
Two exceptions to ask about on the call. Older legacy plans that predate the shift to month-to-month billing may carry different terms, and business services still come with term commitments and early termination charges. The rep can tell you whether your specific account has any remaining obligation.
Return Leased Equipment Within 30 Days
If you lease your modem or router, you have 30 days from your cancellation date to send it back. Miss that window and CenturyLink will bill you the full retail cost of the equipment, up to $200, which can be sent to collections if it goes unpaid.3CenturyLink. How to Cancel Your CenturyLink Service
Returns go through UPS only. CenturyLink does not accept equipment at any physical location of its own.4CenturyLink. How to Return CenturyLink Equipment The steps:
- Go to the CenturyLink equipment return page and follow the link to the UPS returns site. You can get a prepaid shipping label emailed as a PDF, or a QR code that a UPS Store clerk will scan and print for you.
- Pack the modem, router, and all CenturyLink-supplied cables in a sturdy box with padding. Seal it and cover any old shipping labels.
- Drop the package at any authorized UPS location and keep the receipt until your account shows a zero balance. That receipt is your proof of return.
If you bought your modem outright rather than leasing it, you don’t need to send anything back.4CenturyLink. How to Return CenturyLink Equipment If you’re not sure which applies, check your original order confirmation email or ask the rep during the cancellation call.
Your Final Bill Is Not Prorated
CenturyLink does not prorate the final month of service. Cancel on day five of a billing cycle and you still pay for the full month.5CenturyLink. What to Expect on Your Closing CenturyLink Bill The practical takeaway: cancel near the end of your billing cycle so you get full use of the month you’re paying for.
You may also receive more than one final bill. The initial closing bill arrives on your next regular billing date and covers your last month of service. A revised final bill can follow on the next billing date if additional charges surface, such as unreturned equipment fees, outstanding long-distance charges, or combined billing with services like DIRECTV.5CenturyLink. What to Expect on Your Closing CenturyLink Bill In rare cases a second revised bill can appear after that. Keep checking your mail or online account until the balance reads zero.
Autopay Keeps Running
Autopay stays active through your closing bills. CenturyLink will automatically charge your payment method for each final bill as it’s issued, including any equipment charges that land on a revised bill weeks later.6CenturyLink. Does Canceling Service Stop AutoPay Too?
If you’d rather review each final bill before paying, ask the rep to remove autopay during the same call. Disabling autopay can take one to two billing cycles to fully process, so a scheduled payment might still go through if the current cycle is already underway.7CenturyLink. How to Remove AutoPay From Your Account
Your CenturyLink Email Address
If you use a @centurylink.net or @q.com email, plan to lose it. CenturyLink does not publish a clear policy guaranteeing continued email access for former customers. Some people report keeping access for months or years after canceling; others lose it quickly.
Before you cancel, forward anything you want to save, and update any accounts that use your CenturyLink email as a login or a password-recovery address. Moving to a provider-independent service like Gmail or Outlook ahead of time avoids losing access to verification emails tied to an address you no longer control.