Exhibit 32

                                CenturyTel, Inc.

                                August 9, 2004



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

      Re:  CenturyTel, Inc.
           Certification of Contents of Form 10-Q for the quarter
           ending June 30, 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-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004 of the Company
fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, and that the information contained in the Form 10-Q fairly
presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of
operations of the Company for the period covered by such report.

      This certification is being furnished as an exhibit to the Form 10-Q
solely to comply with the requirements of Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-204, and should not be deemed to be filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, either as a part of the Form 10-Q or
otherwise.

      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