Are you concerned about paying your bill on time? We know that life happens, and sometimes it is tough to pay all your bills when they are due.
If you are struggling to pay your bill on time, there are a few options to consider.
We realize there are a lot of reasons people have trouble paying their bills. Rather than not pay your bill at all and risk having your services turned off, it is better to explore payment arrangements. You can use payment arrangements to split your payments up into multiple installments, and you can set up these payment arrangements online, through CenturyLink's automated phone system, or with one of our customer service representatives. We'll work with you and try to figure out something that fits your unique situation.
If you're in a rush, there are ways to pay your bill quickly. For instance, paying your bill online or by phone gets your payment to us immediately. If you have time to drive somewhere, paying in person is also fast.
When you pay online, in person or by phone, your payment is considered "accepted pending settlement", and your account is in good standing on that same day. There is one exception to this rule; if you pay in person or on the phone with the assistance of a CenturyLink agent on a weekend or federal holiday, it will be considered accepted the next business day.
If you miss your due date, what happens next largely depends on how late you get your payment to us. There may be late fees, an outreach from CenturyLink, and eventually the risk that your services will be disconnected.
At a minimum, if your bill is past due, we'll mail you a notice, and if your bill continues to go unpaid, we'll try to reach you by phone.
If you have CenturyLink internet service, you may also receive a "past due" message on your computer screen when you try to use your service.
Each state has a Public Utility Commission (PUC) that regulates these kinds of things. As a result, the laws governing when we disconnect services varies from state to state.
Generally, accounts that go unpaid are first suspended and then disconnected. Once the bill has been paid in full, suspended accounts can usually be turned back on within 24 hours. Disconnected accounts take longer to re-activate and may cost more, because they may require that we send someone out to physically turn the service back on. Plus, a deposit may be required to get service re-installed.
If you would like specifics, contact us, and we'll answer your questions.