Windstream expands fiber transport network throughout western U.S.

Expansion adds new fiber routes, connects major markets across the country

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Oct. 18, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Windstream (NASDAQ:WIN), a leading provider of advanced network communications, is expanding its long-haul express fiber transport network throughout the western United States using Infinera's DTN-X platform.  This network expansion is part of the company's existing strategic capital investment initiatives and adds new fiber routes, connecting major markets across the country.

In the first phase of this project, scheduled to be complete by the end of 2016, Windstream will add four major markets to its 100G long-haul network: Salt Lake City, Reno, Las Vegas, and the Silicon Valley/San Francisco Bay Area.

The second phase of the project - expected to be finalized by the end of 2017 - adds 100G routes extending from the Bay Area to Los Angeles; Los Angeles to Phoenix; and Phoenix to El Paso. In total, the new routes will add approximately 4,800 route miles to Windstream's fiber network, which currently spans more than 125,000 miles and is the sixth largest in the nation. The network expansion will offer wholesale and enterprise customers access to over 1,200 10G Points of Presence (PoPs) in 800 cities and more than four hundred 100G PoPs in many premier carrier hotels and data centers across the United States.

"Our western fiber expansion demonstrates Windstream's commitment to delivering a robust network and exceptional customer experience to meet the increasing demand we are seeing from our customers for secure, high-performance solutions," said Mike Shippey, president of Windstream's wholesale business unit. "Broadening our fiber reach into the West Coast area - home to some of the most vibrant technology and start-up companies in the United States - now positions Windstream as a nationwide provider of high bandwidth transport services, and a service provider that should be top of mind with any customers looking for national Wave and Carrier Ethernet services."

Windstream's dense fiber network offers enterprise and wholesale customers across the country access to the company's broad portfolio of solutions, including optical Waves, MEF 2.0 Certified Carrier Ethernet, MPLS and Dedicated Internet Access. Additionally, the expanded network presence in the western U.S. provides the connectivity required to support international traffic coming into the United States from the Pacific Rim, offering Asia-Pacific providers low-latency, 100G connectivity to Tier 1, 2 and 3 markets across the United States, allowing them to aggressively expand their own market territories.

"Infinera Intelligent Transport Networks enable Windstream to provide its customers an industry leading long-haul network based on the DTN-X Family with seamless integration of FlexILS™ line system and Xceed Software Suite," said Bob Jandro, Infinera senior vice president of sales. "The Infinera solutions are built on innovation and enable Windstream to provide higher network efficiencies with reduced operational costs, delivering its customers flexible, on-demand connectivity."

"Windstream's fiber routes deliver diverse and unique, cost-effective options for increased capacity and improved reliability of network infrastructures, which are crucial in the fast-paced world of today's tech companies, including content providers, data center and cloud operators, international carriers and more," said Shippey. "This evolution into a complete, end-to-end provider is significant for Windstream, and we're very excited about bringing our high quality, scalable fiber solutions to even more customers across the country, helping their businesses flourish and succeed."

About Windstream

Windstream Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:WIN), a FORTUNE 500 company, is a leading provider of advanced network communications and technology solutions for consumers, small businesses, enterprise organizations and carrier partners across the U.S. Windstream offers bundled services, including broadband, security solutions, voice and digital TV to consumers. The company also provides data, cloud solutions, unified communications and managed services to business and enterprise clients. The company supplies core transport solutions on a local and long-haul fiber-optic network spanning more than 125,000 miles. Additional information is available at windstream.com. Visit their newsroom at news.windstream.com or follow them on Twitter at @Windstream.)