Tuesday,

October 31, 2017 at 9:38:39 AM Central Daylight Time

Subject: RE: Media inquiry CenturyLink order

Date: Tuesday, October 31, 2017 at 9:37:43 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Wogsland, Benjamin
To: Melissa TurKnen
AGachments: ~WRD000.jpg, image001.jpg

For Immediate Release Contact: Ben Wogsland (651) 296-2069

Monday, October 30, 2017

CENTURYLINK MUST REFORM TELEVISION AND INTERNET
SALES AND BILLING PRACTICES UNDER NEW COURT ORDER
Order Includes CenturyLinks Sale of DirectTV Services in Minnesota

Minnesota ATorney General Lori Swanson announced that CenturyLinkthe Louisiana phone,
television, and internet companymust beTer disclose its prices and fees under a court order publicly
led today in her ongoing lawsuit against the company.

Consumers deserve clear and accurate pricing informaKon so they can eecKvely shop for
internet and TV service at the lowest price, said ATorney General Swanson.

Swanson led a lawsuit against the company in July in Anoka County District Court, alleging
that it billed higher amounts than its sales agents quoted customers for internet and television
services and then frequently refused to honor the prices quoted to consumers who caught the
discrepancies on their bills.

Under the court order, CenturyLinkwhether selling its own internet or television services or
selling products for DirectTVis prohibited from making false statements to Minnesota residents
about the prices and terms of those products. It is also prohibited from charging Minnesota customers
a greater amount than that disclosed at the Kme of sale. Among other things, CenturyLink must
clearly disclose at the Kme of sale:

The monthly base price of the services being purchased;

The amount of each recurring monthly fee on top of the monthly base price;

The amount of any one-Kme fee, such as acKvaKon and installaKon fees;

The amount of the rst invoice and future invoices;

The Kme period for which the quoted prices apply; and

Any restricKons on a consumers ability to receive the quoted price.

As noted above, CenturyLink sells its own television services and also sells products and
services provided by DirecTV. Swanson obtained a Consent Judgement with DirecTV in 2011 that
prohibited the company from misrepresenKng its prices and required the company to clearly disclose
any condiKons or limitaKons that may alter the price quoted to the consumer.

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The lawsuit cites many examples of consumers who were quoted one price but charged
another. For example, a man from Blaine was quoted a base monthly rate of $39.97 for television
service, but was charged a base rate of $71.97 per month instead. A man from Columbia Heights was
quoted a base monthly rate of $14.95 for internet service, but was charged a base rate of $29.95 per
month instead.

--30--


From: Melissa Turtinen [mailto:mturtinen@gomn.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2017 7:05 AM
To: Wogsland, Benjamin
Subject: Media inquiry CenturyLink order

Good morning,

Im seeing reports that a judge has issued an order regarding Lori Swansons lawsuit against CenturyLink. Is
there a news release available on this?

Thank you!

Melissa Turtinen
Senior Producer, GoMN
420 North Fifth Street, Suite 150
Minneapolis, MN, 55401
Direct: 612-810-4012

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