CenturyLink 2006 Annual Report Download - page 16

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14 CE N T U R Y TE L 2 0 0 6 A N N U A L R E V I E W
Driving Shareholder Returns
Even as the communications
industry continues to evolve, we
are taking steps to ensure we are
well positioned to deliver on our
commitments to our shareholders.
Here are five reasons we believe
CenturyTel is in a strong position
to continue to drive shareholder
value in the coming years.
1Our solutions provide the
service our customers need
at the best possible value.
2Our broadband position
is strong.
We offer proven technologies in tailored
solutions that meet the specific requirements
of each customer segment – wholesale,
enterprise, business and residential. In many
cases, our solutions – in terms of transmission
speed or bandwidth – outperform competi-
tive offerings of similar cost. In every case, we
strive to deliver a more personal and positive
experience to our customers. Going forward,
we will continue to focus on meeting cus-
tomer needs with advanced technologies;
delivering value-based solutions that work; and
providing service with a consistently caring
and personal touch. Bottom line, we believe
this differentiates us from our competitors and
enables us to consistently meet our commit-
ments to our shareholders.
We have consistently invested in our infra-
structure – shortening loops, deploying fiber
deeper into our networks and implementing
the most advanced, proven technologies. Over
the last five years, we’ve invested approxi-
mately $1.9 billion in our networks and back
office systems. As a result, our network infra-
structure is high quality and our broadband
position is strong. Nearly 79 percent of our
local exchange access lines are broadband-
enabled. We can leverage our fiber assets
including LightCore and our metro fiber net-
works to expand our broadband services and
extend our reach to new customers in new
markets. Becoming the broadband provider
of choice to each of our customers is impor-
tant to our future success. We believe our
high-quality network assets and focus on out-
standing customer care help position us as the
broadband provider of choice in the small-to-
mid-size cities we serve.