Ohio

We are excited to announce that CenturyTel and EMBARQ have joined forces to become CenturyLink, one premier broadband, entertainment and voice leader connecting the nation to what matters most - your life and your work. Combining CenturyTel and EMBARQ creates a stronger, more efficient and competitive company that will enable us to maintain the high quality of service you have come to expect and provide the new services you will want in the future.

As a result of this merger, CenturyLink will be migrating to a new billing platform in order to create bills that are easier to read and understand and create greater efficiencies overall. Please note that the Frequently Asked Questions below apply only to your local services bill and do not impact bills for customer premise equipment or Embarq Long Distance services.

Billing Statement Presentation & Format

Will there be any changes in the way the local billing statement looks or from whom it will be sent?

Yes, once the system migration has been completed, your current billing statement format will change. The Biller information will be from CenturyLink, and the remit address will change as well. To view an example of the new billing format, click here.

Will my billing account number change?

Yes. Previously, as a customer, you were assigned a 13 digit account number directly tied to the account Billing Telephone Number (BTN). Going forward, each billing account will be assigned a 9-digit Billing Account Number (BAN). Please be sure to make note of your new Account Number upon receipt of the CenturyLink invoice. You can also look up your new BAN when you manage your account online.

If I currently receive one bill for all my business locations within my state, will I continue to receive one bill?

Yes, if you have multiple locations within one state and you have requested to receive one bill for all locations, you will continue to receive only one bill.

If I have business locations both within and outside the state of Ohio, will all my accounts be migrated to new platform at the same time?

Unfortunately, we are only able to migrate our customer accounts on a state-by-state basis. Site locations within Ohio will receive their billing on the new format while accounts outside of Ohio will continue to receive the existing billing format until the entire migration is complete.

Will I be able to continue to group charges associated with specific telephone numbers together in order to create subtotals on the invoice?

Yes, you will be able to continue to group telephone numbers together to create subtotals on your bill. There will be a change in the appearance of the subtotals as well as the maximum number of levels that can be used to create said subtotals. Initially, only two levels of subtotaling will be supported. If you are currently using three levels, please review the new presentation of subtotals. For additional information, please consult with your service representative if you have questions.

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Billing Processes

Will there be any changes in the way I currently pay my bill via credit card or bank draft?

If your business account is currently paid via automatic, scheduled credit card or bank draft payments, please note that your corresponding statement will reflect "CenturyLink" once the billing migration has been completed. Additionally, if you previously selected a specific payment date, we unfortunately will not be able to maintain that same date going forward.

What if I would like to begin paying my monthly bills via credit card or bank draft after the billing conversion has taken place? Or if I need to change the financial institution from where I currently pay my monthly bill?

Once the billing conversion has taken place, if you would like to sign up for auto pay or bank draft you will need to complete the "Monthly Autopay Authorization" section on the remittance portion of your monthly invoice. For auto pay via bank draft from a checking account, you will need to include a voided check if you are not paying that month's invoice via check. For auto pay via bank draft from a savings account, you will need to include a voided deposit slip with your statement. If paying your monthly invoice via credit or debit card, please login to your account online for more information.

Will the bill remittance address change?

Yes, once the billing migration is completed, you will begin receiving a new bill with the CenturyLink name. The new remit address will be on your CenturyLink bill. To avoid your payment being delayed, please use the new remittance address.

If my company has business locations both within and outside the State of Ohio, how will that impact my billing?

Any business location, including all corresponding Business Telephone Numbers (BTNs), within the State of Ohio will appear on one bill. All other business locations outside the State of Ohio will appear on a completely separate bill(s).

What if I currently use SpeedPay to pay my bill?

Following the system migration, you will continue to be able to pay by phone or online. However you will lose your stored payment information, therefore, each time you make a payment, you will need to provide the information for method of payment (e.g., ATM, Credit Card, Checking Account, etc). In addition, you will no longer be able to pay multiple accounts with one payment.

What if I use a PreCash outlet to pay my bill?

With the bill migration, our PreCash retail outlets (e.g. check cashing firms, grocery stores, convenience stores, etc.) will no longer be able to take your payment. Going forward you will need to mail your bill, pay in person at one of our retail locations, make a payment by phone or online. In addition, you will no longer be able to pay multiple accounts with one payment.

What if I use CheckFree to view and pay my bill?

Once the bill migration has occurred, you will no longer receive your monthly E-mail bill notification via CheckFree. You will start receiving your monthly E-mail bill notification directly from CenturyLink. However, you will still be able to pay your bill through CheckFree. In order to view your bill, you will need to log into your account online. Upon the initial site visit, you will be required to establish a new user ID and password. You will need to know your new Billing Account Number (BAN) when your register. You can obtain your new BAN by contacting your customer service representative.

Will EMBARQ multi-line business customers see any changes on their bills once converted to the CenturyTel billing system?

The amount charged will not change. However, once converted, EMBARQ customers are likely to see the presubscribed line charge (PLC) for each line listed individually rather than seeing only one PLC like they do today. The PLCs will continue to appear in the long distance section of the bill.

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Online Bill Pay

Will there be any changes to the way I access my online billing online?

When you attempt to access your Ohio accounts, you will receive additional online instructions regarding how to view your bills going forward. Beginning in late October, your online billing capabilities for all accounts (both inside and outside Ohio) will transfer to CenturyLink.com.

Will my online billing capabilities change once the system migration has occurred?

While some online billing functionality will remain the same, some 'My Account' billing features will not be available in the short term. You will continue to be able to view a PDF version of your bill as well as pay online.

What if I have site locations both within and outside of the state of Ohio?

If your business has an account within Ohio, you will be notified as outlined above. For any accounts that bill outside of Ohio, those invoices will be managed as they are today using your Embarq username and password until the system-wide billing migration has been completed for all states.

What if I would like to reference previous billing information once the system migration has been completed?

You will be able to access up to 18 months of historical Embarq account and billing information online.

If I currently receive paperless billing from EMBARQ, is there anything I need to do for that to continue once the migration has occurred?

If you are currently receiving paperless billing from Embarq you will continue to receive paperless billing from CenturyLink and will receive an email notification that your bill is ready to view. However, in order to view and or pay your Ohio bill, you need to re-register your new CenturyLink account information. You will receive additional online instructions regarding how to view your Ohio bills going forward.

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Billing Discounts, Promotions & Credits

What if I am expecting a billing credit or discount to my account after the billing migration has taken place?

Any pending credits or discounts that you are owed will be processed at the time of conversion rather than at the date previously indicated.

If I have multiple types of credits or discounts reflected on my monthly bill, how will they be reflected in the new billing platform?

While your current credits will transfer to the new billing platform, they may be presented differently than in the past. Specific types of credits that typically appear as a line item format will instead be reflected as an aggregate amount.

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Account Information

Will there be any changes to the way I submit my trouble tickets?

Depending on the type of service or product you currently receive, trouble tickets will be handled in two different ways. If you are a customer who currently receives a separate bill for customer premise equipment purchases, installation and repair work on equipment, and/or maintenance agreements, you will continue to be able to access the on-line trouble reporting portal for those services.

If you are a customer with only local and/or long distance services, you will no longer have online access to moves/adds/changes; order status; or trouble ticket entry, status and history. You will need to contact customer service to submit a trouble ticket, check order or trouble tickets status and history. These will now be handled by your assigned service representative. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this change, please contact your Account Manager.

Are there any changes to the credit policy of the new combined company?

Yes, if you are existing customer purchasing new or upgrading existing equipment, you will be required to adhere to the new credit policy. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this change, please contact your customer service representative.

Will I be able to continue to find support materials online for my Embarq products?

Product manuals and some supporting information will continue to be available online. However, for Ohio migrated accounts, you will no longer be able to determine specific pricing or product availability online. Please contact your Account Manager for this information.

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