FOLEY, Ala. — CenturyLink, a local telephone/Internet/cable provider has merging with Qwest. According to reports, the merger is going to cost CenturyLink more than $10.6 billion in a “stock swap.”

What does that mean to local customers? Very little, says Carmen Butler, a spokesperson for CenturyLink.

“CenturyLink will continue to provide the same excellent level of service customers have come to expect from us, and nothing will change in the way customers contact us or conduct business with us,” said Butler in an e-mail.

This is not the first expansion for CenturyLink. In 2008, the company purchased Embarq, a part of the SprintNextel communications empire.

Locally, Madison River Communications purchased Gulf Telephone Co. (GulfTel) in 2000. CenturyLink (then CenturyTel) later acquired Madison River.

The Qwest merger would bring customers in the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa to the CenturyLink fold. CenturyLink has customers in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The deal isn’t final yet, Butler cautions.

“While we announced the acquisition on April 22, it is important to note that it remains subject to regulatory approvals, approval by CenturyLink and Qwest shareholders and other customary closing conditions. The companies anticipate closing this transaction in the first half of 2011, subject to receipt of the necessary approvals. In the interim, both companies will continue to operate independently and it will be business as usual at CenturyLink. If there are any future changes for customers they would be notified well in advance,” said Butler.