United States

                       Securities and Exchange Commission

                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    Form 11-K



[X]   ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
      ACT OF 1934


                   For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002


                                       OR


[ ]   TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
      ACT OF 1934


                          Commission file number 1-7784


 A.   Full title of the plan and the address of the plan, if different from
      that of the issuer named below:


                        CENTURYTEL SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.
                             401 (k) PLAN AND TRUST


 B.   Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and the
      address of its principal executive office:


                                CENTURYTEL, INC.
                              100 CENTURYTEL DRIVE
                                MONROE, LA 71203





                          Independent Auditors' Report



The Board of Directors
CenturyTel, Inc.:

We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits
of CenturyTel Security Systems, Inc. 401 (k) Plan and Trust as of December 31,
2002 and 2001, and the related statement of changes in net assets available for
benefits for the year ended December 31, 2002. These financial statements are
the responsibility of the Plan's management. Our responsibility is to express an
opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted
in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and
perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial
statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a
test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and
significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the net assets available for benefits of CenturyTel
Security Systems, Inc. 401(k) Plan and Trust as of December 31, 2002 and 2001,
and the changes in net assets available for benefits for the year ended December
31, 2002, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States of America.

Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic
financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental schedule of assets (held
at end of year) is presented for the purpose of additional analysis and is not a
required part of the basic financial statements but is supplementary information
required by the Department of Labor's Rules and Regulations for Reporting and
Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. This
supplemental schedule is the responsibility of the Plan's management. The
supplemental schedule has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in
the audit of the basic financial statements and, in our opinion, is fairly
stated in all material respects in relation to the basic financial statements
taken as a whole.

KPMG LLP

/s/ KPMG LLP


Shreveport, Louisiana
June 6, 2003




                        CENTURYTEL SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.
                             401 (k) PLAN AND TRUST
                 Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits
                           December 31, 2002 and 2001



                                                          2002           2001
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  
PLAN ASSETS
   Investments, at fair value                     $     103,976         97,582
   Contribution receivable - participants                    69            860
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS                 $     104,045         98,442
==============================================================================

See accompanying notes to financial statements.




                        CENTURYTEL SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.
                             401 (k) PLAN AND TRUST
            Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits
                      For the year ended December 31, 2002



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    
Additions to net assets:
Investment income (loss):
   Net depreciation in fair value of investments                    $  (19,689)
   Dividends and interest                                                2,287
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Net investment income (loss)                                     (17,402)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contributions:
   Participants                                                         25,581
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Total additions                                                    8,179
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Deductions from net assets:
   Participant withdrawals                                               2,576
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Net increase                                                             5,603

Net assets available for benefits:
   Beginning of period                                                  98,442
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   End of period                                                    $  104,045
===============================================================================

See accompanying notes to financial statements.



                        CENTURYTEL SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.
                             401 (k) PLAN AND TRUST
                          Notes to Financial Statements
                           December 31, 2002 and 2001


(1)   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND PROVISIONS OF THE PLAN

      Basis of Presentation

      The CenturyTel Security Systems Inc., 401(k) Plan and Trust (the Plan) was
      established on June 1, 1997. The accompanying financial statements of the
      Plan have been prepared on the accrual basis of accounting and present the
      net assets available for benefits and changes in net assets available for
      benefits. The Plan has made estimates in preparing the accompanying
      financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally
      accepted in the United States of America. Actual results could differ from
      those estimates.

      The assets of the Plan are invested by the Trustee in various investment
      programs (funds) which are described in Note 2.

      The following description of the Plan provides only general information.
      Participants should refer to the Plan Document for a more complete
      description of the Plan's provisions.

      Participation

      Participation in the Plan is available to each employee of CenturyTel
      Security Systems, Inc. (the Company), other than those who are classified
      as temporary employees or employees covered under a collective bargaining
      agreement.

      In order to participate in the Plan, an employee must execute a Salary
      Deferral Agreement with the Company. In the Salary Deferral Agreement,
      which is executed on-line or by telephone, an employee agrees to a
      deferral of between one percent and twenty-five percent of compensation;
      however, the total amount contributed to the Plan cannot exceed $11,000
      for 2002 (as adjusted from year to year in accordance with Federal Law).
      The percentage of compensation a participant elects to defer applies to
      the participant's W-2 earnings not in excess of $200,000 for 2002 (as
      adjusted in accordance with Federal Law) excluding severance pay,
      disability pay, reimbursements or other expense allowances, fringe
      benefits, moving expenses, deferred compensation, and welfare benefits.
      The amount of compensation deferred by each participant is credited to an
      account (Elective Deferral Account) maintained for each participant by the
      Trustee. The Elective Deferral Account is self-directed.

      Effective June 3, 2002, participants age 50 years or older are allowed to
      make an additional contribution to the Plan each year in excess of the
      otherwise prescribed limits. The amount of the allowable additional
      contribution for a participant in 2002 was $1,000; this amount will
      increase by $1,000 each year to a maximum of $5,000 in 2006 (which will
      thereafter be adjusted annually).

      An employee is permitted to transfer to the Plan as a contribution his
      interest in another plan qualified under the Internal Revenue Code, as
      amended (the Code). Such contribution must qualify as a "rollover"
      contribution described in Section 402(c) or 408 (d)(3) of the Code. Such a
      rollover will be credited to a rollover account on behalf of the
      participant (the Rollover/Transfer Account).

      The interest of a participant in his Elective Deferral Account and his
      Rollover/Transfer Account is fully vested and non-forfeitable at all
      times.



      Reports to Participants

      All participants are furnished with quarterly statements which set forth
      the status of their accounts in the Plan.

      Distributions

      If the employment of a participant with the employer ceases because of
      death, retirement, disability, termination of employment or for any other
      reason, the participant's entire interest in the Plan may be distributed
      to him or to his beneficiary in a lump sum or in periodic installments. If
      the participant dies without designating a beneficiary, his beneficiary
      shall be, in the order listed, (i) his spouse, (ii) his children, or (iii)
      his estate.

      Withdrawals

      A participant who is an employee and over age 59 1/2 may make withdrawals
      from his vested accounts prior to meeting normal distribution
      requirements. A participant may make withdrawals from his
      Rollover/Transfer Account at any time. In addition, a hardship withdrawal
      may be made from an Elective Deferral Account or a Rollover/Transfer
      Account only as a result of financial hardship related to unreimbursable
      educational expenses, medical expenses which are not reimbursable by
      insurance, the need to pay for the funeral expenses of a family member,
      the purchase of a principal residence of the Participant, or the
      prevention of eviction or foreclosure from the Participant's principal
      residence. The determination of the existence of a financial hardship and
      the amount required to be distributed to meet the need created by the
      hardship shall be made uniformly and without discrimination at the sole
      discretion of the Plan Administrator.

      Plan Termination

      Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Company has the
      right under the Plan to discontinue its contributions at any time and to
      change, suspend or terminate the Plan subject to the provisions of the
      Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

      Loans to Participants

      The Plan has a provision whereby a participant can borrow from his
      Elective Deferral Account or Rollover/Transfer Account. The maximum loan
      is $50,000 reduced by the excess, if any, of the highest outstanding loan
      balance during the previous year over the outstanding loan balance on the
      date of the new loan or 50% of the account balance. The loans are repaid
      through payroll deductions and the interest rate is the prime rate
      published in the Wall Street Journal for the last business day of the
      previous quarter plus 1%. The loan repayment period may not exceed five
      years except for loans for the purchase of the participant's principal
      residence which may be for any period not to exceed fifteen years.

      Trustee

      The Trustee of the Plan, as of December 31, 2002, was T. Rowe Price Trust
      Company (T. Rowe Price). The Board of Directors of the Company may remove
      the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee. The Company and the Trustee
      have entered into a Trust Agreement which provides for the establishment
      of a Trust for the purpose of holding and investing the contributions to
      the Trust pursuant to the provisions of the Plan.

      Administration

      The Company has appointed a committee to administer the Plan. The
      individuals who administer the Plan serve at the discretion of the Board
      of Directors of the Company and may be removed by the Board of Directors
      at any time. The administrative costs of the Plan are paid by the Company.

      Investment Valuation and Income Recognition

      Investments in CenturyTel Common Stock are valued at the closing market
      price on December 31, 2002 and 2001, respectively. Other investments in
      the funds, which consist of shares of mutual funds, are valued by the
      Trustee based on the market value at year-end of the underlying assets of
      each fund. Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade date
      basis. Loans to participants are valued at principal amount outstanding
      which approximates market value. Interest income is recorded on the
      accrual basis.

 (2)  DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS

      The following is a description of each of the funds which had outstanding
      balances and were available to Plan participants as of December 31, 2002:

      (a)  Janus Overseas Fund - consists primarily of investments in foreign
           equity securities ($14,083 and $15,306 at December 31, 2002 and 2001,
           respectively).

      (b)  Janus Fund - consists primarily of investments in U. S. and foreign
           equity securities ($15,426 and $15,688 at December 31, 2002 and 2001,
           respectively).

      (c)  T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Fund - consists primarily of
           investments in the same stocks and in substantially the same
           percentages as the S & P 500 Index ($30,111 and $26,970 at December
           31, 2002 and 2001, respectively).

      (d)  T. Rowe Price Equity Income Fund - consists primarily of investments
           in U. S. and foreign common stocks ($9,394 and $9,424 at December 31,
           2002 and 2001, respectively).

      (e)  T. Rowe Price Summit Cash Reserves Fund - consists primarily of
           investments in various money market instruments ($1,770 and $4,529 at
           December 31, 2002 and 2001, respectively).

      (f)  PIMCO Total Return Fund - consists primarily of investments in debt
           securities ($591 and $530 at December 31, 2002 and 2001,
           respectively).

      (g)  CenturyTel Common Stock Fund - consists of shares of CenturyTel
           Common Stock ($10,339 and $4,981 at December 31, 2002 and 2001,
           respectively).

      (h)  T. Rowe Price Mid-Cap Growth Fund - consists primarily of investments
           in common stocks of companies whose market capitalization falls
           within the range of companies in the S&P MidCap 400 Index ($5,659 and
           $4,129 at December 31, 2002 and 2001, respectively).

      (i)  BGI LifePath Income Fund - consists primarily in U.S. and foreign
           equity and debt securities and money market instruments and is
           managed for investors planning to retire (or begin to withdraw
           substantial portions of their investment) in the near future ($16 and
           $17 at December 31, 2002 and 2001, respectively).

      (j)  BGI LifePath 2010 Fund - consists primarily of investments in U. S.
           and foreign equity and debt securities and money market instruments
           and is managed for investors planning to retire (or begin to withdraw
           substantial portions of their investment) around the year 2010 ($13
           and $10 at December 31, 2002 and 2001, respectively).

      (k)  BGI LifePath 2020 Fund - consists primarily of investments in U. S.
           and foreign equity and debt securities and money market instruments
           and is managed for investors planning to retire (or begin to withdraw
           substantial portions of their investment) around the year 2020
           ($1,216 and $719 at December 31, 2002 and 2001, respectively).

      (l)  BGI LifePath 2030 Fund - consists primarily of investments in U.S.
           and foreign equity and debt securities and money market instruments
           and is managed for investors planning to retire (or begin to withdraw
           substantial portions of their investment) around the year 2030 ($636
           and $8 at December 31, 2002 and 2001, respectively).

      (m)  BGI Asset Allocation Fund - consists primarily of investments in
           common stocks, U.S. Treasury bonds and money market instruments ($4
           at December 31, 2002).

      (n)  Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Small Company Growth Portfolio Fund -
           consists primarily of investments in equity securities of small
           companies ($1,251 and $778 at December 31, 2002 and 2001,
           respectively).

      (o)  Loan Fund - represents loans to participants from the participants'
           investment accounts ($13,467 and $14,493 at December 31, 2002 and
           2001, respectively).

      Investments in Janus Overseas Fund, Janus Fund, T. Rowe Price Equity Index
      500 Fund, T. Rowe Price Equity Income Fund, T. Rowe Price Mid-Cap Growth
      Fund, CenturyTel Common Stock Fund and Loan Fund were each greater than 5%
      of assets available for benefits at December 31, 2002.

      A participant may instruct that his contribution be allocated among the
      various funds. A participant may change his investment allocation
      instructions and his contribution percentage at any time.

(3)   INCOME TAXES

      The Plan and related trust were designed to meet the necessary
      requirements of Internal Revenue Code Section 401(a) and, accordingly, the
      trust underlying the Plan is exempt from income taxation pursuant to
      Internal Revenue Code Section 501(a). A favorable determination letter
      from the Internal Revenue Service has not been obtained for the Plan as
      currently amended and restated. A request for such was filed on February
      28, 2002. However, the Plan administrator believes that the Plan is
      designed and is currently being operated in compliance with the applicable
      provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

(4)   RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

      Certain Plan investments are shares of mutual funds managed by T. Rowe
      Price, Janus Capital Corporation (Janus), Barclays Global Investors Funds,
      Inc. (Barclays), Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Investment Management Inc.
      (Morgan Stanley) or Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO). T. Rowe
      Price is the Trustee as defined by the Plan. Therefore, T. Rowe Price,
      Janus, Barclays, Morgan Stanley and PIMCO qualify as parties-in-interest.
      Fees paid by the Company to T. Rowe Price for trustee, record keeping and
      other services amounted to $6,635 for the year ended December 31, 2002.

(5)   CONCENTRATION OF INVESTMENTS

      Substantially all of the assets available for benefits were invested in
      mutual funds managed by T. Rowe Price, Janus, Barclays, Morgan Stanley or
      PIMCO. The remaining assets available for benefits were invested in
      CenturyTel Common Stock and loans to participants.



                        CENTURYTEL SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.
                             401 (k) PLAN AND TRUST

         Schedule H, Line 4i - Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)

                                December 31, 2002




    Identity of issuer, borrower,                                                        Current
       lessor or similar party                      Description of Investment             Value
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                      
Investment in CenturyTel Common Stock             352  shares at $29.38 per share    $    10,339  (Note 1)

Loan Fund (interest rates ranged from
 5.75% to 9.0%)                                     -                                     13,467  (Note 1)

Investment in Mutual Funds for
 Qualified Employee Benefit Plans
 Managed by Janus:
      Janus Overseas Fund                         921  shares at $15.29 per share         14,083  (Note 1)
      Janus Fund                                  866  shares at $17.82 per share         15,426  (Note 1)
Investment in Mutual Funds for
 Qualified Employee Benefit Plans
  Managed by T. Rowe Price:
      Equity Income Fund                          475  shares at $19.79 per share          9,394  (Note 1)
      Equity Index 500 Fund                     1,272  shares at $23.67 per share         30,111  (Note 1)
      Mid-Cap Growth Fund                         182  shares at $31.04 per share          5,659  (Note 1)
      Summit Cash Reserves Fund                 1,770  shares at $1.00 per share           1,770
Investments in Mutual Funds for
 Qualified Employee Benefit Plans
 Managed by PIMCO:
      PIMCO  Total Return Fund                     55  shares at $10.67 per share            591
Investments in Mutual Funds for
 Qualified Employee Benefit Plans
 Managed by Barclays:
      Asset Allocation Fund                         1  share at $8.20 per share                4
      LifePath Income Fund                          2  shares at $10.03 per share             16
      LifePath 2010 Fund                            1  share at $10.82 per share              13
      LifePath 2020 Fund                          102  shares at $11.89 per share          1,216
      LifePath 2030 Fund                           55  shares at $11.56 per share            636
Investments in Mutual Funds for
 Qualified Employee Benefit Plans
 Managed by Morgan Stanley:
      Small Company Growth Portfolio Fund         172  shares at $7.26 per share           1,251
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                     $   103,976
==========================================================================================================


T. Rowe Price, Janus, PIMCO, Barclays and Morgan Stanley are considered
parties-in-interest. Additionally, CenturyTel, Inc., as sponsor of the Plan, is
considered a party-in-interest.

Notes: (1) These investments are greater than 5% of assets available for
           benefits.

       (2) Information on cost of investments is excluded as all investments
           are participant directed.




                                    SIGNATURE



Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Retirement Committee has duly caused this annual report to be signed on it
behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.



                                  CenturyTel Security Systems, Inc.
                                  401 (k) Plan and Trust


June 27, 2003                     /s/ R. Stewart Ewing, Jr.
                                  -------------------------
                                  R. Stewart Ewing, Jr.
                                  Retirement Committee Member and
                                  Executive Officer of Issuer of Plan Securities




                        CENTURYTEL SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.
                              401(K) PLAN AND TRUST

                                Index to Exhibits


   Exhibit
   Number
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   23.1    Independent Auditors' Consent

   99      Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the
           Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.