Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
May 25, 1999                         Media - CenturyTel, Patricia Cameron
                                     (318) 388-9674
                                     patricia.cameron@centurytel.com
                                     Investors - CenturyTel, Jeffrey S. Glover
                                     (318) 388-9648
                                     jeff.glover@centurytel.com


                   CenturyTel Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend
                   -------------------------------------------

MONROE, La... May 25,1999.. CenturyTel,Inc.(NYSE: CTL) today announced that the
Board of Directors voted to declare a  quarterly  cash  dividend  of $.045 per
share, payable on June 18, 1999, to shareholders of record on June 4, 1999.

The Board also  approved an amendment to the Company's  shareholder  rights plan
that  increases the exercise  price of each right issued  thereunder to $135 per
1/225  of a  preference  share.  This  increase  is  intended  to  preserve  the
effectiveness  of the plan in light of the  appreciation  of the Company's stock
price since the plan was adopted in late 1996.

CenturyTel,  Inc. provides  integrated  communications  services including local
exchange,  wireless,  long  distance,  Internet  access and security  monitoring
services  to  more  than  two  million  customers  in 21  states.  The  company,
headquartered  in Monroe,  Louisiana,  is publicly  traded on the New York Stock
Exchange  under the symbol CTL.  CenturyTel  is the 9th largest  local  exchange
telephone company, based on access lines, and the 10th largest cellular company,
based on population equivalents owned, in the United States.