Windstream finished 2020 with a net gain of 60,000 broadband customers and with its gigabit services available to 589,000 locations, the company says. Ultimately, Windstream wants to get gigabit to50% of it’s ILEC territory within ten years.
The year 2020 was quite notable for the tier 2 telecom and broadband provider. It emerged from bankruptcy in September, shedding almost $4 billion in debt. The restructuring also injected over $2 billion for network investment.
Today, the company pointed to other noteworthy 2020 milestones:
- Announced creative partnerships to bring fiber internet service to the most rural customers.
- Enabled more than 50,000 fiber locations in Nebraska.
- Expanded cable gigabit service to 70,000 residents of Georgia.
- Launched a partnership with YouTube TV for streaming TV.
- The company launched SD-WAN for small business partners and OfficeSuite UC cloud-based voice and collaboration solution.
- Partnered with Raydiant on Internet-connected digital signage.
- Opened new customer care centers in Harrison, AK and Moultrie, GA.
“Last year presented unique challenges for both our employees and our customers,” said President Jeff Small in a press release. “We are proud of the way our team members rose to meet those opportunities to provide critical service when people needed it most.”
In addition to meeting net broadband addition goals, Windstream pointed to several 2020 community minded initiatives it accomplished along the way:
- Kinetic partnered with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and donated $100,000 to support the search a cure for childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
- The company partnered with the Downtown Lexington Management District and Downtown Lexington Partnership to help businesses struggling with COVID-19 expenses.
- It launched Black Business Support Fund to increase the number and stability of black-owned businesses in the service footprint.
- Its retail locations partnered with local community nonprofits to support our neighbors during the holidays.
Windstream is now organized into three distinct business units, including Kinetic by Windstream, Windstream Enterprise, and Windstream Wholesale.
