Centurylink internet outages affect thousands in US
A widespread internet outage disrupted telecommunications across the United States on June 19, with more than 45,000 users losing access to broadband services.
The disruption was particularly severe in Colorado, where local users of Quantum Fiber and other providers experienced major connectivity issues.
The outage affected several major providers, including CenturyLink, Quantum Fiber and Brightspeed, and lasted for over two and a half hours, making it one of the most significant broadband failures in recent months.
Outage tracking data from platforms such as Down Detector indicated that over 35,000 CenturyLink customers were impacted nationwide.
@CenturyLink hey not sure if you're aware but this is literally a nationwide problem and this isn't something that a DM can fix pic.twitter.com/8cCsRMPAgm
Quantum Fiber, a fibre-based broadband service widely used in Colorado, saw more than 17,000 reports. Brightspeed, a smaller regional operator, also reported in excess of 3,000 service issues during the same period.
Reports of outages came from multiple states, suggesting the issue was not confined to one region.
Users described full connectivity loss, sluggish browsing speeds, and intermittent service drops throughout the day. Colorado residents, especially in the Denver metropolitan area, appeared to be among the hardest hit.
As of Thursday evening, none of the affected companies had issued detailed statements clarifying the underlying cause of the outage.
@CenturyLink takes Juneteenth very seriously, shutting down both their own website and all of their customers’ Internet access nationwide. pic.twitter.com/nvig3NSY2w
The silence has prompted further frustration among customers, many of whom took to social media and internet forums to seek explanations and workarounds.
CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber are both operated under Lumen Technologies, which manages legacy copper networks and newer fibre infrastructure.
Brightspeed, once part of Lumen’s coverage area, now operates independently across 20 US states.
@Centurylink is down nationwide and they refuse to make a post about it. A simple “we are experiencing a nationwide outage and currently resolving it” would be nice, but they’re not saying anything about it.
Though service was largely restored by mid-afternoon, the incident sparked concern about the stability of national broadband infrastructure. With more businesses, schools and essential services relying on uninterrupted internet access, such outages have significant implications.
The disruption also reignited discussion around ownership transitions and service delivery models within the US telecommunications sector. Industry analysts say infrastructure consolidation — such as the recent Quantum Fiber acquisition — often brings both investment and operational complexities.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the outage was caused by technical failure, maintenance error, or an external threat. Customers affected are advised to check directly with providers for any potential compensation or follow-up support.