Exhibit 32

                                CenturyTel, Inc.

                                 March 16, 2005



Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20549

      Re:  CenturyTel, Inc.
           Certification of Contents of Form 10-K for the year
           ending December 31, 2004 pursuant to Section 906 of the
           Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Ladies and Gentlemen:

      The undersigned, acting in their capacities as the Chief Executive
Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of CenturyTel, Inc. (the "Company"),
certify that the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 of the Company
fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, and that the information contained in the Form 10-K fairly
presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of
operations of the Company as of the dates and for the periods covered by such
report.


      A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 has
been provided to the Company and will be retained by the Company and furnished
to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Glen F. Post, III                           /s/ R. Stewart Ewing, Jr.
________________________                        ____________________________
Glen F. Post, III                               R. Stewart Ewing, Jr.
Chairman of the Board and                       Executive Vice President and
 Chief Executive Officer                        Chief Financial Officer