Company Update

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington D.C. 20549     FORM 8-K     CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 20, 2026       Lumen Technologies, Inc. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)       Louisiana   001-7784   72-0651161 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)   (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)   100 CenturyLink Drive   Monroe , Louisiana   71203 (Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code) ( 318 ) 388-9000 (Telephone number, including area code)     Qwest Corporation (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)       Colorado   001-03040   84-0273800 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)   (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)   931 14 th Street ,   Denver , Colorado   80202 (Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code) ( 318 ) 388-9000 (Telephone number, including area code)     Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligations of the registrant under any of the following provisions:   ☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)   ☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)   ☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))   ☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:   Registrant   Title of Each Class   Trading Symbol(s)   Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered Lumen Technologies, Inc.   Common Stock, no-par value per share   LUMN   New York Stock Exchange Lumen Technologies, Inc.   Preferred Stock Purchase Rights   N/A   New York Stock Exchange Qwest Corporation   6.5% Notes Due 2056   CTBB   New York Stock Exchange Qwest Corporation   6.75% Notes Due 2057   CTDD   New York Stock Exchange Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2). Emerging growth company  ☐ If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐       Item 8.01 Other Events. On April 20, 2026, Lumen Technologies, Inc. (“Lumen,” “us,” “we” or “our”) issued a press release announcing that its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, Qwest Corporation (“Qwest”), commenced offers to exchange (the “Exchange Offers”) the 6.5% Notes due 2056 (CUSIP Number 74913G 881) (the “2056 Notes”) and 6.75% Notes due 2057 (CUSIP Number 74913G 873) (the “2057 Notes” and, together with the 2056 Notes, the “Old Qwest Notes”) issued by Qwest for 6.500% Notes due 2056 (the “New 2056 Notes”) and 6.750% Notes due 2057 (the “New 2057 Notes” and, together with the New 2056 Notes, the “New Qwest Notes”) to be issued by Qwest, respectively, and to be fully and unconditionally guaranteed on an unsecured basis by Lumen, in each case upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the “Prospectus”). In connection with the Exchange Offers, Qwest and Lumen are also soliciting consents from holders of each series of the Old Qwest Notes (“Consents”) to certain proposed amendments to the indentures governing the Old Qwest Notes (the “Proposed Amendments”). To adopt the Proposed Amendments related to a series of Old Qwest Notes, Qwest must receive consents from holders representing at least a majority of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of such series of Old Qwest Notes (the “Requisite Consents”). Receipt of the Requisite Consents is not a condition to the consummation of the Exchange Offers. That press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report and is incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full. The Current Report on Form 8-K is not an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell with respect to any securities. The solicitation of offers to exchange the Old Qwest Notes for New Qwest Notes is only being made pursuant to the terms of the Exchange Offers. Qwest is not making an offer of New Qwest Notes in any jurisdiction where the Exchange Offers are not permitted, and this Current Report on Form 8-K does not constitute an offer to participate in the Exchange Offers to any person in any jurisdiction where it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitations. Forward-Looking Statements Except for historical and factual information, the matters set forth in this Current Report on Form 8-K identified by words such as “will,” “should,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “plans,” “intends,” and similar expressions are forward-looking statements as defined by the federal securities laws, and are subject to the “safe harbor” protections thereunder. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are based on current expectations only, and are subject to various uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those anticipated by us in those statements for several reasons, including those discussed in Exhibit 99.1. We may change our intentions or plans discussed in our forward-looking statements without notice at any time and for any reason.   Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits. (d) Exhibits:   Exhibit No.    Description 99.1    Press Release dated April 20, 2026, relating to the commencement of exchange offers and consent solicitations. 104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted in iXBRL in Exhibit 101).   SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Lumen Technologies, Inc. and Qwest Corporation have duly caused this Current Report to be signed on their behalf by the undersigned officer hereunto duly authorized.   LUMEN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. By:   /s/ Jennifer Hodges   Jennifer Hodges   Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer QWEST CORPORATION By:   /s/ Jennifer Hodges   Jennifer Hodges   Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer Dated: April 20, 2026