FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * GOFF STACEY W   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CENTURYTEL INC [CTL] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Sr. VP, Gen. Counsel (Last) (First) (Middle) 100 CENTURYTEL DRIVE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/01/2005 (Street) MONROE, LA 71203 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 03/01/2005   M   5,000 A $ 26.18 29,000 D   Common Stock 03/01/2005   M   9,667 A $ 26.95 38,667 D   Common Stock 03/01/2005   S   14,667 D $ 34 24,000 D   Common Stock               724.37 I By 401(k) Common Stock               824.04 I By ESOP (1) Common Stock               355.19 I By Stock Bonus Plan (2)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 26.18

03/01/2005

M

5,000

03/21/2002

03/21/2011

Common Stock

5,000

$ 0

0

D

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 26.95

03/01/2005

M

9,667

03/14/2004

03/14/2013

Common Stock

9,667

$ 0

19,333

D

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 34.63

02/21/2001(3)

02/21/2010

Common Stock

9,400

9,400

D

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 28.03

05/21/2002(4)

05/21/2011

Common Stock

8,000

8,000

D

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 32.99

02/25/2003(5)

02/25/2012

Common Stock

18,000

18,000

D

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 34.2

08/26/2004

08/26/2013

Common Stock

50,000

50,000

D

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 28.34

02/25/2004(6)

02/25/2014

Common Stock

40,500

40,500

D

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 33.4

02/17/2005(7)

02/17/2015

Common Stock

40,500

40,500

D

Phantom Stock Units

$ 0 (8)

(9)

(9)

Common Stock

100

100

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
GOFF STACEY W 100 CENTURYTEL DRIVE MONROE, LA 71203			Sr. VP, Gen. Counsel

Signatures

By: Kay Buchart, Attorney-In-Fact		03/01/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	As of December 31, 2003, the most recent statement available.
(2)	As of December 31, 2003, the most recent statement available.
(3)	One-third of the Stock Options are exercisable 2/21/2001, one-third are exercisable on 2/21/2002, and one-third are exercisable on 2/21/2003.
(4)	One-third of the Stock Options are exercisable 5/21/02, one-third are exercisable 5/21/03, and one-third are exercisable 5/21/04.
(5)	One-third of the Stock Options are exercisable 2/25/03, one-third are exercisable 2/25/04, and one-third are exercisable 2/25/05.
(6)	One-third of the options are exercisable immediately, one-third are exercisable 2/25/05, and one-third are exercisable 2/25/06.
(7)	One-third of the options are exercisable immediately, one-third are exercisable 2/17/06, and one-third are exercisable 2/17/07.
(8)	Security converts on a 1-to-1 basis.
(9)	The reported phantom stock units were acquired under CTE's excess benefit plan and will be settled upon the reporting person's termination of service.

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