Is the CenturyLink Wisconsin internet settlement real
Quick Answer
- Is it real: Yes. Wisconsin regulators settled with CenturyLink for $450,000 in June 2025 over internet price misrepresentation.
- How much you could get: $0 directly from this settlement. The money goes to the state, not a consumer payout fund.
- Most important deadline: None applies here. A separate, older 2020 consumer class action already closed its claim window on June 23, 2020.
If you searched “CenturyLink internet Wisconsin settlement,” you likely found news about a real state settlement, but it doesn’t put cash in your pocket directly.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection settled with CenturyLink’s current parent entities, Lumen Technologies Service Group LLC and CenturyLink Communications LLC, in June 2025. The company agreed to pay $450,000 in civil forfeitures, surcharges, and investigative costs. That money went to the state treasury, not to affected customers.
This article separates that 2025 state settlement from an older, unrelated 2020 nationwide class action that did pay Wisconsin consumers directly, and from a still-active securities case that has nothing to do with your internet bill. One detail most coverage skipped: over 315,000 Wisconsin customers were already notified of a separate payout back in 2020, and that claim window closed years ago.
The Facts
| Category | Verified Detail |
|---|---|
| Case | Wisconsin DATCP v. Lumen Technologies Service Group LLC and CenturyLink Communications LLC |
| Status | Settled, announced June 19, 2025 |
| Fund Size | $450,000, paid to the State of Wisconsin |
| Est. Per Person | $0. Not a consumer payout fund |
| Claim Deadline | Not applicable. No consumer claims process exists for this settlement |
| Administrator | Not applicable. Payment goes directly to the state, not through a claims administrator |
| Proof Needed | Not applicable. Consumers cannot file a claim under this settlement |
Is the CenturyLink Wisconsin internet settlement real
Yes. Wisconsin’s DATCP announced a $450,000 settlement with CenturyLink on June 19, 2025, over allegations the company misrepresented internet pricing.
The settlement resolved claims that between April 1, 2015, and December 31, 2017, CenturyLink advertised “price lock” subscriptions promising a fixed monthly rate, then charged additional monthly fees on top of the advertised price. DATCP alleged this happened 240 times, violating a Wisconsin law against misrepresenting internet subscription terms.
CenturyLink did not admit wrongdoing as part of the deal. The company agreed to pay $270,000 in civil forfeiture and $180,000 in surcharges, fees, and investigative costs, split between the two obligations.
This is a confirmed, government-verified settlement between a state agency and a company, not a scam text or a fake claims site.
Can Wisconsin consumers get money from this settlement
No. This particular $450,000 settlement does not create any fund that individual Wisconsin customers can claim from.
The payment structure breaks down entirely between the state and the company:
| Payment Type | Amount | Goes To |
|---|---|---|
| Civil forfeiture | $270,000 | State of Wisconsin |
| Surcharges, fees, investigative costs | $180,000 | State of Wisconsin |
| Consumer payout fund | $0 | Not created under this settlement |
Not yet determined and, based on the settlement’s actual terms, unlikely to change: there is no mechanism here for individual reimbursement checks. The settlement instead forces CenturyLink to stop the disputed billing practice going forward and to follow Wisconsin’s disclosure laws.
Reality Check: No text, email, or phone call telling you to “claim your CenturyLink Wisconsin settlement money” is connected to this 2025 case, because no consumer fund exists to claim from. Treat any message asking for personal information or a processing fee tied to this specific settlement as a scam.
How much did the 2020 CenturyLink class action pay Wisconsin customers
A separate, earlier class action did pay Wisconsin customers, and that payout already happened.
CenturyLink agreed to settle a nationwide consumer class action covering billing practices between January 1, 2014, and January 24, 2020. Court filings confirm the company set aside $15.5 million to compensate class members and up to $3.5 million for administrative costs.
DATCP’s own release confirms CenturyLink sent notices to 315,635 Wisconsin customers who were eligible to file a claim starting in March 2020.
Key Takeaway: The only CenturyLink settlement that ever paid Wisconsin consumers directly closed its claim window in 2020, years before the 2025 state settlement most people are searching for now.
How to check if you are owed money from a CenturyLink settlement
You are very unlikely to still be owed anything, since the only consumer payout window closed in 2020.
- Confirm which settlement you are asking about: the 2025 state settlement pays no consumers directly
- Check if you filed a claim in the 2020 nationwide class action before its June 23, 2020 deadline
- Search your email for a CenturyLink class settlement notice mailed or emailed around March 2020
- If you never filed by that 2020 deadline, you are not eligible for that fund now
- Do not respond to any unsolicited message claiming you can still file for this settlement
- Contact CenturyLink directly, not a third-party “claims” site, if you have current billing questions
If you believe you are currently being overcharged, that is a new, separate complaint, not a claim under either past settlement.
How to file a complaint about CenturyLink billing in Wisconsin
You can file a new billing complaint directly with Wisconsin’s consumer protection agency, separate from either past settlement.
DATCP’s settlement press release directs consumers with pricing or advertising complaints to the agency’s consumer protection webpage or its consumer protection hotline.
- Gather your CenturyLink bills showing the disputed charges
- Note the dates any “price lock” or fixed-rate promotion was advertised to you
- Visit DATCP’s Consumer Protection webpage to file a new complaint
- Call the Wisconsin Consumer Protection Hotline for guidance on next steps
- Keep copies of any response from CenturyLink or DATCP
- Consider small claims court if your individual overcharge is documented and unresolved
Key Takeaway: A new individual complaint through DATCP is the only realistic path to a resolution for current CenturyLink billing disputes in Wisconsin.
Is the CenturyLink Wisconsin settlement claim deadline still open
No claim deadline applies to the 2025 state settlement, because it never created a consumer claims process to begin with.
The only claim deadline that ever existed for a CenturyLink billing settlement affecting Wisconsin customers was June 23, 2020, tied to the nationwide class action. That date has long passed.
If a website or message references an open “CenturyLink Wisconsin settlement claim deadline” in 2026, that claim is not yet confirmed by any official source and should be verified directly with DATCP before you provide any information.
What is the status of the CenturyLink securities litigation in 2026
The CenturyLink securities litigation is a separate, ongoing case for investors, not internet customers, and it is still distributing money as of late 2025.
This case, formally titled In Re: CenturyLink Sales Practices and Securities Litigation, covers people who bought CenturyLink stock during a defined class period, not people who paid for internet service. The official settlement site confirms a fourth distribution occurred on December 24, 2025, with further distributions on a rolling basis.
If you never owned CenturyLink or Lumen stock, this case does not apply to you, regardless of how similar the case name sounds to the consumer billing disputes.
Did CenturyLink admit wrongdoing in the Wisconsin settlement
No. CenturyLink explicitly did not admit to violating any laws as part of the 2025 Wisconsin settlement.
DATCP’s release states the company agreed to the payment and future compliance terms without admitting that it violated any laws. This is standard in most regulatory settlements and does not mean the underlying allegations were disproven.
Key Takeaway: A company settling without admitting wrongdoing is normal, and it does not change whether the settlement created a consumer payout, which in this case it did not.
Why did Wisconsin sue CenturyLink
Wisconsin regulators alleged CenturyLink advertised a fixed-rate internet promotion, then quietly added fees on top of that promised price.
DATCP’s investigation focused on a “price lock” promotion running from April 2015 through December 2017. The agency alleged CenturyLink charged customers a monthly broadband cost recovery fee that started at $1.99 and climbed to $3.99 by October 2016, despite the fixed-price promise.
That pattern, a locked-in price that quietly grows anyway, works a bit like a gym membership ad promising a flat rate that later adds a “facility fee” nobody mentioned at signup.
What are broadband cost recovery fees
A broadband cost recovery fee is an extra monthly charge CenturyLink added on top of advertised internet pricing, separate from the base subscription rate.
DATCP’s investigation found these fees were labeled as broadband or internet cost recovery charges and increased over time without matching what customers were promised. As part of the 2025 settlement, CenturyLink agreed to stop charging internet cost recovery or broadband cost recovery fees to Wisconsin consumers going forward.
That means Wisconsin customers signing up for CenturyLink service now should not see this specific fee on new bills, though this article cannot confirm current billing practices beyond what the settlement requires.
What happened in the original 2020 CenturyLink billing lawsuit
The original lawsuit alleged CenturyLink charged customers for products and services they never authorized, based on claims from a former employee.
That case, known as McLeod v. CenturyLink, was filed in June 2017 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and later consolidated with related cases in the District of Minnesota. Minnesota’s Attorney General separately reached its own $8.9 million settlement in January 2020, which required $844,655 in direct refunds to 12,094 Minnesota consumers, plus further refund funds.
The nationwide class settlement that followed is the one that eventually reached Wisconsin’s 315,635 notified customers, with claims due by June 23, 2020.
Who is Lumen Technologies
Lumen Technologies is the current corporate name for the company that operated as CenturyLink, following a rebrand completed in 2020.
CenturyLink, Inc. changed its public branding to Lumen Technologies in 2020, though the CenturyLink name remains in use for specific subsidiary entities and consumer-facing service brands. The 2025 Wisconsin settlement names both Lumen Technologies Service Group LLC and CenturyLink Communications LLC as the settling parties, reflecting this corporate structure.
Key Takeaway: Lumen and CenturyLink refer to the same overall corporate family, so settlement notices naming either name likely concern the same company.
What happens next
June 19, 2025: DATCP announced the $450,000 Wisconsin settlement. This has already happened.
December 24, 2025: The most recent confirmed distribution in the unrelated securities litigation occurred.
Ongoing: Rolling distributions in the securities case continue as funds become available, with no fixed end date confirmed.
Not yet confirmed: Any new consumer-facing settlement or claims process tied to CenturyLink’s Wisconsin billing practices beyond what is covered here.
Expected: Continued CenturyLink compliance with the 2025 settlement’s pricing and disclosure requirements, though ongoing compliance has not been independently verified by this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the CenturyLink Wisconsin settlement a scam?
No, the settlement itself is a real, government-confirmed action by Wisconsin’s DATCP.
However, any message claiming you can currently file a claim for cash from this specific settlement is not accurate, since no consumer fund exists under it.
Verify anything you receive directly with DATCP before responding.
How much money can I get from the CenturyLink Wisconsin settlement?
You cannot get money directly from the 2025 settlement, since it pays the state, not consumers.
An earlier 2020 class action did pay Wisconsin consumers who filed by June 23, 2020.
If you missed that deadline, no current claims process replaces it.
Is there still time to file a claim?
No confirmed claims process is currently open for Wisconsin CenturyLink customers.
The only deadline that ever existed for a consumer payout was June 23, 2020.
Check directly with DATCP if you believe a new process has opened since this update.
What did CenturyLink actually do wrong?
Wisconsin alleged CenturyLink advertised fixed “price lock” internet rates, then added broadband cost recovery fees on top.
DATCP counted 240 separate violations of state law between 2015 and 2017.
CenturyLink settled without admitting the allegations were true.
Is CenturyLink the same company as Lumen Technologies?
Yes, Lumen Technologies is CenturyLink’s current parent brand following a 2020 rebrand.
The 2025 settlement names both Lumen Technologies Service Group LLC and CenturyLink Communications LLC.
Notices from either name likely relate to the same company.
Does the CenturyLink securities lawsuit apply to internet customers?
No, that case applies only to people who purchased CenturyLink or Lumen stock during a specific period.
It has nothing to do with internet billing complaints.
Distributions in that case are ongoing as of December 2025, separate from any consumer settlement.
Can I still sue CenturyLink over old overcharges?
That depends on your specific situation and applicable statutes of limitations, which this article cannot assess for you.
A new complaint through DATCP’s consumer protection process is a reasonable first step.
Consult a licensed attorney for advice on your individual claim.
If you have current CenturyLink billing questions, file directly with Wisconsin’s Consumer Protection Hotline rather than waiting on either past settlement. The 2020 consumer claim deadline of June 23, 2020, has already passed, and the 2025 settlement does not reopen it.
