Both Time Warner and CenturyLink, formerly known as Embarq, may offer broadband Internet service in your area. If both companies do offer service, then you can compare them to see which might offer you better service. After checking exact service availability in your area, you should move on to different criteria, such as available plans, their speed and their prices.
CenturyLink DSL Service
CenturyLink DSL service, formerly called Embarq DSL, offers potential subscribers several Internet connection plans. The slowest of its four available plans is its 768 Kbps download speed plan, offered at $24.95 per month. The second plan provides download speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps for $29.95 per month. Its third plan offers download speeds of up to 3 Mbps for $34.95 per month. Its last and fastest plan provides download speeds of up to 10 Mbps for $39.95 per month. Prices are as of the time of publication.
Time Warner Internet
Time Warner offers Internet connections through its own wideband service, its Road Runner cable Internet and EarthLink Internet. Wideband connections vary in price and speed plans depending on your area, and offer up to 50 Mbps download speeds as of the time of publication. EarthLink offers several plans using cable, DSL and satellite connections. Cable with EarthLink starts at $29.95, DSL at $14.95 and satellite varies by area and speed as of the time of publication. Road Runner cable offers speeds of up to 15 Mbps, with price varying by availability and area.
In Comparison
Time Warner, with its own service as well as those offered by its subsidiaries, provides the most connection variety. Because of the company's size, it offers Internet service in many areas. Depending on the level of service you want, and if the service is available, CenturyLink may still offer you better value for your money. Time Warner's exact speed and price levels will vary by area, while CenturyLink provides set prices and speeds for their services.
Considerations
As far as DSL-only service is concerned, Time Warner's EarthLink division appears to offer the better price point. As of the time of publication, EarthLink's DSL service begins at $14.95 per month, where CenturyLink's lowest price point is $24.95, a difference of $10. This makes CenturyLink's slowest service nearly 67 percent more expensive. If the EarthLink division is not available in your area, however, CenturyLink's service may appear more attractive to you than the cable Internet-based offerings of Time Warner itself and Road Runner.
References
- CenturyLink: Residential Products and Services: Internet: High Speed Internet
- Time Warner Cable: Wideband Internet
- Time Warner Cable: Learn: Internet: Speed Levels
- EarthLink: Internet Services