ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says CenturyLink has agreed to pay nearly $9 million to settle allegations the company overbilled Minnesota customers.

Ellison says the settlement requires CenturyLink to pay more than $844,000 in refunds to more than 12,000 Minnesota customers who were promised a discount they did not receive.

The settlement also requires the Louisiana-based company to change its billing practices and to disclose the true price of its services at time of sale and in its advertisements. CenturyLink says it settled to ``avoid the distraction and costs of litigation.''

The Minnesota attorney general's office sued CenturyLink in 2017.

More From AM 1240 WJON