Exhibit 99.2


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE               FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
February 11, 2005                   Media: Patricia Cameron 318.388.9674
                                    patricia.cameron@centurytel.com
                                    Investors: Tony Davis 318.388.9525
                                    tony.davis@centurytel.com

CenturyTel announces remarketing of its senior notes due 2007

MONROE, La. . . CenturyTel, Inc. (NYSE Symbol: CTL) announced today that it has
remarketed, at a price of 101.153%, approximately $460 million of its
outstanding $500 million of Senior Notes, Series J, due 2007, which previously
formed a part of the equity units sold by CenturyTel in May 2002. Banc of
America Securities LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Wachovia Capital
Markets, LLC are acting as joint remarketing agents.

CenturyTel has agreed to purchase and retire approximately $400 million of the
Series J Notes in connection with the remarketing. The remaining $100 million of
Series J Notes (approximately $40 million of which will be retained by the
current note holders who elected not to participate in the remarketing) will
have their annual interest rate reset to 4.628%, which will be effective
February 15, 2005.

The remarketing was required under the original terms of CenturyTel's equity
units, and is scheduled to close on February 15, 2005. The net proceeds from the
remarketed notes will be used to purchase a portfolio of treasury securities
that will serve as substitute collateral to secure settlement in May 2005 of the
forward stock purchase contracts component of the equity units.

CenturyTel intends to finance its purchase of remarketed notes with the net
proceeds from its recently announced offering of $350 million of Senior Notes,
Series M, due 2015, together with cash on hand.

In connection with the retirement of the repurchased notes, the Company expects
to incur a one-time pre-tax debt extinguishment charge of approximately $6.1
million. Upon closing of the offering and remarketing on the terms proposed,
CenturyTel's total indebtedness is expected to decrease by approximately $50
million.

CenturyTel's long-term debt is rated BBB+ (stable outlook) by Standard & Poor's,
Baa2 (stable outlook) by Moody's Investor Services and BBB+ (negative outlook)
by Fitch Ratings.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an
offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of the securities
described herein in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer,
solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The remarketing may be made only by
means of CenturyTel's pricing supplement and accompanying prospectus supplement
and prospectus, which may be obtained when available from Banc of America
Securities LLC, NC1-027-15-01, 214 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28255,
Attn: Liability Management, (704)-387-1004; J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., 270
Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attn: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk,
(212)-834-4533 and Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, 301 South College Street, NC
28288, Attn: High Grade Syndicate Desk, (704) 383-7727.

This press release includes certain estimates and forward-looking statements.
Actual results may differ materially from those in the estimates and
forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect actual results include but
are not limited to the possibility of unforeseen near-term cash requirements or
changes in interest rates or general market conditions. You should not place
undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the
date of this press release.

CenturyTel, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) provides a full range of local, long distance,
Internet and broadband services to consumers in 22 states. Included in the S&P
500 Index, CenturyTel is a leading provider of integrated communications
services to rural areas and smaller cities in the United States. Visit
CenturyTel at www.centurytel.com.