By Stephen Montemayor
CenturyLink, the nation's third-largest telecom company, has agreed to pay $8.9 million to tens of thousands of customers in Minnesota who were allegedly overcharged, state Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Wednesday.
The settlement also requires the company to reform its billing practices by disclosing its true prices, honoring all promised prices and discounts, and banning what officials deemed "sham internet fees." Under the terms of the agreement, CenturyLink also is required to submit audits to the Attorney General's Office for the next three years.