CenturyLink is in the news. It’s in the news for its upcoming merger with Level 3…

CenturyLink expects to complete its acquisition of Level 3 by Wednesday this week, as the Federal Communications Commission has given the merger its final approval.

Here are some details on the companies…

CenturyLink has nearly six million Internet customers in the US, but most of its $4.1 billion in quarterly revenue comes from selling network services to businesses. The company’s revenue has been declining, and it faces several lawsuits alleging that CenturyLink customers were charged for services they didn’t order.

Level 3 sells network services to businesses only. About 76 percent of the combined company’s revenue is expected to come from business customers.

And CenturyLink is required to be more transparent and stick to pricing offered to customers…

An Anoka County judge has ordered CenturyLink to be more transparent about its prices and fees — including sticking to the prices it initially quotes to customers buying phone, internet and cable packages.

The court order on Friday from Anoka County Chief Judge Chief Judge Douglas Meslow was prompted by a lawsuit filed in July by Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson.

The judge’s order, written with input from both Swanson and CenturyLink attorneys, does not amount to a judgment on whether or not CenturyLink did engage in unlawful business practices.

The lawsuit by the DFL attorney general compiled 37 stories from some of the “hundreds” of people Swanson said contacted her office with stories of CenturyLink’s attempts to bill them for charges they hadn’t agreed to, or refusal to honor deals offered by the company’s salespeople.

Swanson’s case, which also seeks civil penalties for CenturyLink and restitution for customers who were misled by the company, is still moving forward in court.

If you have any questions about your service with CenturyLInk you might want to keep it on your radar…

If a judge eventually orders CenturyLink to pay back people who said they were unfairly billed by the company, it’s unclear how many people might share in that restitution.

The attorney general said her office received a “tsunami” of additional complaints after the July announcement about the lawsuit.